Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Discuss the full Tube Challenge here
hopeful traveller
All Zones
Posts: 1397
Joined: 15 Jul 2011, 16:28

Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by hopeful traveller »

I’ve had a bit of thought about this and I think there’s only one thing preventing this, W&C aside

Take a 1973 stock Piccadilly line train. It can obviously do the whole Piccadilly line. It can also do the entire Met Line thanks to the Rayners Lane points. Therefore, it can also do the Circle and H&C lines, and also the District Line. Using the crossovers at Finsbury Park it could also do the Victoria line. On the Met, it can cross to the Jubilee line and do all of that line as well, and at Baker Street it can cross over onto the Bakerloo line and do that too.

That only leaves the Central and Northern line. I believe there’s a District / Central crossover at Ealing Broadway, but how would it travel on the Northern Line?
1 FNC Completion (PB: 17:18:18 with G Bryant, A Chilcraft, I MacNaughton)
4 Zone Ones (PB: 03:00:35 with G Bryant)
15 R15s (PB: 01:55:48 with T Cooling and R Jackson)
11 All Lines (PB: 00:44:03)
Winner of the 2014 Formula 1 Side Competition
User avatar
Iain
All Zones
Posts: 2154
Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 11:26
Location: Sutton

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by Iain »

I can't see a crossover at Ealing on here

http://carto.metro.free.fr/cartes/metro-tram-london/

but a District coming up to Gunnersbury could it seems go onto the Overground and then it looks like there's a way to switch to the Northern between Gospel Oak and Tufnell Park. I've no idea about power etc though
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1227
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by RJSRdg »

There's a connection from the Picc/Met to the Central through Ruislip depot.

Who's going to be the first tube driver member of this forum to attempt it? I hope they remember not to use sub-Surface stock ;-)
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
User avatar
greatkingrat
All Zones
Posts: 2544
Joined: 11 Feb 2005, 00:35

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by greatkingrat »

There has never been a connection to the Northern line at Tufnell Park, it would be a very steep gradient if it existed! There used to be a connection from the Goblin to Kentish Town NR which I think is what you are looking at.

However there is a connection between Northern and Piccadilly at King's Cross (the Kings Cross Loop), so one train could theoretically travel the whole network (except the W&C).
Soon to be yet another forum train driver
michael_churchill
Zone 6
Posts: 821
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 16:30
Location: Southampton
Contact:

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by michael_churchill »

I would recommend "Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides" , click on a line you're interested in and find the "Connections" section.

For the Central line,it says
There used to be a connection between the eastbound Central Line and the District Line platforms at Ealing Broadway, and one to the adjacent National Rail lines at Leyton. Both of these have been lifted.
dstock17
Zone 5
Posts: 536
Joined: 14 Jan 2017, 20:08

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by dstock17 »

Now there's a name I haven't heard for a long time
Only tube challenger to be number 1 in parkrun
User avatar
tractakid
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3320
Joined: 15 Nov 2011, 20:04
Location: Milton Keynes

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by tractakid »

You can also link the Tube to the entire National Rail network, which is all interlinked. Waterloo & City excepting. I believe a LU battery loco could go everywhere with enough charge.
*insert boasting about notable tube accomplishments here*
User avatar
greatkingrat
All Zones
Posts: 2544
Joined: 11 Feb 2005, 00:35

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by greatkingrat »

It might struggle to reach the Island Line though!
Soon to be yet another forum train driver
michael_churchill
Zone 6
Posts: 821
Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 16:30
Location: Southampton
Contact:

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by michael_churchill »

greatkingrat wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 14:58 It might struggle to reach the Island Line though!
They already have their own tube trains.
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1227
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by RJSRdg »

greatkingrat wrote: 16 Oct 2018, 14:58 It might struggle to reach the Island Line though!
Or Alderney!
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
User avatar
The Raven
All Zones
Posts: 2795
Joined: 05 Jun 2006, 23:49
Location: Perched on a branch
Contact:

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by The Raven »

Would it be possible to "hire" a train or two and do the whole network on Christmas Day! Lol

Would require a lot of backtracking!
Go Pack Go!
One of the New York Six
Former holder of Zone One, Overground and DLR record
TeamHelsinki
Zone 1
Posts: 29
Joined: 07 Dec 2017, 09:22

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by TeamHelsinki »

The Raven wrote: 07 Dec 2018, 21:42 Would it be possible to "hire" a train or two and do the whole network on Christmas Day! Lol

Would require a lot of backtracking!
The mind boggles at what this would cost. Presumably all the control rooms would have to be manned (at Sunday rates) even if there is no other traffic on the network? And would it even be possible to do this in one day? Because there are so few access points, most lines would need to be travelled back and forth over their entire length. Even if the train would not have to stop at any stations, the sheer mileage is daunting.

-JMan
Helsinki Metro all stations 00:59:58
FNC 269/270 in 19:16:41
FNC completion Uxbridge to LHR4 in 30:32:57
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1227
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by RJSRdg »

If only we could find a Tube driver to drive it and a Tube signaller to change the points. Don't know where we'd be able to find them from ;-)
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
cycysputnik
Zone 1
Posts: 36
Joined: 22 Nov 2018, 14:13

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by cycysputnik »

There is a small connection for the West Ruislip depot and the met near Ickenham I believe
4 x FNC Attempts, 2 X FNC Completions - Personal Best: 18:52:12
Based on a true story.
A product of the 5th generation of rock and roll.
User avatar
Iain
All Zones
Posts: 2154
Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 11:26
Location: Sutton

Re: Could one train travel the entire tube network?

Post by Iain »

My first thought was that if they ever timetabled it, it would smash the record, but I've changed my mind. There'd be a ton of doubling back so it might well take considerably longer.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests