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Re: How many ...?

Posted: 01 Aug 2017, 22:07
by dstock17
lellama wrote: 01 Aug 2017, 20:50 If people like me are meant to be carrying on the community, we're sort of being shot down by Guinness before we try. Anyone have any ideas for some form of protest against their ridiculous criteria? An Independent monitoring board?
I don't think ur going to have much luck.

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 00:22
by RJSRdg
Going Underground wrote: 01 Aug 2017, 12:43 A GWR for the full network is dead in the water now with the criteria, I mean seriously an independent stop watch operator someone who is not known to you... They will start your watch at 0500hrs at Amersham and then keep it running all day and meet you at T5 at 2300hrs :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
If it takes that long, you won't get the record anyway (unless the record is being re-set by changes to the network)....

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 00:35
by RJSRdg
Just thinking about this issue though... I would assume that every member of this forum has friends, relatives and associates who are not known to any of the other members (though in a couple of cases this may not be true ;-) ).

So maybe a way forwards is for any member of the group to say "I'm planning to attempt the GWR on XX/YY", whereupon we then ask our contacts (i.e. the people we would previously have asked to act as witnesses for own attempts) to act as witnesses for the other person. Implicit in this is the reciprocality that if the person who provided the witnesses decides at a subsequent date to have a go, then the favour is returned.

If the attempt is being sponsored for charity, this may also encourage potential witnesses.

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 09:32
by Steeevooo
I've had friends be my stopwatch operators / independent witnesses on many occasions before, but they were willing to do so because it was my (in collaboration with others) challenge attempt. I'm 100% certain that I would get short shrift if I were to say to them "Hey [enter name here] - you know you did those stopwatches for me on my attempts previously....you know, where you had to stay the night in a hotel with us the night beforehand, get up early to be at the start, then either go to work for the day or take a day's leave specially for it, then hang around of an evening until meeting up with us again.... fancy doing it for some other challenger that you don't know?" :!: :!: :!:

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 13:04
by Elsie
Sounds to me as if GWR would like to start offering 'Independent Adjudicators' for hire.

I personally can't see how anyone is ever going to get a GWR for the tube network again!

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 13:42
by tubeguru
Maybe LU have paid Guinness off to discourage people from doing a FNC.

Anyone ever thought of that?

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 15:47
by Elsie
tubeguru wrote: 02 Aug 2017, 13:42 Maybe LU have paid Guinness off to discourage people from doing a FNC.

Anyone ever thought of that?
Whilst I am happy to believe:

a) The huge leaps in microprocessor technology combined with a lack of battery advance is down to the fact the T-800 body was crushed.
b) Beyonce really wanted to marry me. She still does, she just hasn't met me yet.
c) There are 3 Indianna Jones movies, not 4.

I can't believe LU would want to discourage a harmless past-time that promotes the network?!

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 17:08
by tubeguru
Elsie wrote: 02 Aug 2017, 15:47
tubeguru wrote: 02 Aug 2017, 13:42 Maybe LU have paid Guinness off to discourage people from doing a FNC.

Anyone ever thought of that?
Whilst I am happy to believe:

a) The huge leaps in microprocessor technology combined with a lack of battery advance is down to the fact the T-800 body was crushed.
b) Beyonce really wanted to marry me. She still does, she just hasn't met me yet.
c) There are 3 Indianna Jones movies, not 4.

I can't believe LU would want to discourage a harmless past-time that promotes the network?!
Does it really "promote" the network though? "Come and travel on the Underground because, er, some people try to visit every station in a day". If that doesn't get people flocking in, I don't know what will. The tube doesn't really need promoting anyway. Commuters mostly *have* to use it if they don't want to drive in, and tourists can choose tube or bus. As a result most people are *compelled* to use it for getting around London, as taxis are way too expensive. People won't just stop using it - it's has made itself essential for most.

As for tube challengers - they just get in the way with the running down packed corridors and holding the doors for slow runners on the team etc. I daresay the official line at the top of LU is that tube challengers are pests. :)

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 17:23
by crypto
Much as I can understand that line of thinking, it's not worth the time and effort of LU employees to do something about a community of about 20 people who do challenges a few times a year, especially when running and door holding is something loads (probably) of people do day-to-day anyway. Much less to pay GWR to purposefully make it hard to get.

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 17:30
by ITFCShirts
Great timing of this article then....

I'm attempting a FNC on Friday 1st Sept. was attempting to use an old colleague and their missus to act as witness, but that seems a little bit more challenging.

Testing the theory - anyone forum members wanting to help here, then drop me a DM. Not going for first trains, so not as early as some starts perhaps, might encourage a few more - and despite obvious route secrecy, I would share that it's a NW corner start, and yes I do had a theoretical GWR route on paper that I'm currently recce-ing

Any takers? I'll report back if the the forum is alive with support or dead as a dodo :)

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 18:13
by tubeguru
I'm probably the biggest troll on this forum right now ...

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 02 Aug 2017, 19:01
by dstock17
seconded

Re: How many ...?

Posted: 12 Aug 2017, 00:02
by tpfkar
Elsie wrote: 05 Jun 2017, 14:06 I am new to all this but living in Derbyshire makes it awkward ... but not as awkward as a wife that thinks me doing this is (in her words)

"Completely f**king stupid, pointless and you need to get a life".

There is absolutely no way I could do more than I do now, no matter how much I'd like to.
This.

A decade ago I lived in London, was single with time on my hands and the idea of visiting all the stations in a day was a challenge but an achievable one (I don't think we ever publicised our record attempts - I think 2/3 none of which were close due to delays)

Now I live in Milton Keynes, married with 2 young kids. While it would be a pleasure to see old friends again, it's a heck of a lot of effort to get down to London for a Z1, let alone a 5am start at Amersham and sweating all day on the tube.

It was a great season while it lasted being an active challenger, and who knows it may be time for another visit for old times sake soon, but I think the lack of activity may simply be people moving on in their lives, and that's something to celebrate not mourn.