Forgetten Book/film Title - Help Please!

[numan]

I hope someone out there can help me, 'cos this is driving me nuts! I've been all over the cyber highway to no avail, mostly due to an inability to find the right way to pose the question!

Does anyone know the name of the book/film, where a family are sent to a planet in a new star system, that takes around 40 years to get to. When they finally arrive, they are met by a welcoming party of people that have been sent from Earth to greet them, because during the years they had been travelling, a new, faster technology had been discovered which enabled the welcoming party to arrive there beforehand?

I hope that all made sense!

[numan]

*forgotten! Sorry, slip of the fingers...

[numan]

Haha. thank you sadpuffin! Most appreciated..

[EDDIE51]

Possibly one of the Doc Smith ' Lensman' Series ?
I read them years ago and the plot seems familiar.

[Captain2]

Doesn't ring a bell with me that Eddie, but then again it's over 30 years since I read the Lensman series (and excellent it is/was too); but maybe worth Numan checking it out.

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes , Just had a look at the Lensman books and now I don't think it is one of them. Astounding to think they were written in the late 40s early 50s . The author E E (Doc) Smith was a Phd in physics !
I read so much sci fi back in the 1970s it gets jumbled up in my memory.

[numan]

Thanks guys, but no, nothing like the 'Lensman' series. This was a one-off, peaceful, human civilisation story, set in the near future. I can only remember the basics (as aforementioned), but I'd love to read it again. The more I thought about it, the more I'm sure it was just a book and never made into a film. I think that my imagination - as I was reading it - left impressions in my memory that fooled me into thinking I'd maybe seen a film. Great mental pictures go on in my head when I read! I'd be really grateful if you could continue to think about it tho', as you seem to be sci-fi fans like myself and there's a good chance you may have actually read it and forgotten!
Thanks again for your time

[Maydup]

Again can't help but maybe fellow insomniacs can!

[gettinblurry]

It might be on this list:
http://allthetropes.wikia.com/wiki/Lightspeed_Leapfrog

[numan]

gettinblurry - that link was fab.. but STILL not listing the one I'm looking for! NOW I've gotta get all the books mentioned there, 'cos I can't bear to miss any of 'em out! Thanks (I think..). Most appreciated folks - now you're gonna be just as frustrated as I am to find it.. hehehe