tubechallenge.com

tubeguru wrote:If you're finishing at Upminster the last train gets in at 01.32.

If it's cancelled, tough! We all run that risk.

Of course, if you route's any good, you won't BE relying on the last train, will you?

As with National Rail operators - if the first or last trains are cancelled then they must provide some type of replacement - bus, taxi whatever.

G Force wrote:As I can't join in the whole event, I hope to be taking photos of the teams getting on and off trains in the early stages of the day instead (at Moor Park, Watford, Harrow), so I'd prefer it if at that stage, everyone was travelling on the same trains. However, there are quite a few tight changes in the early stages, so whether that happens remains to be seen!

Sorry to ruin this for you, but my team is made up of people who see going against the grain as a virtue, so we will not be following the same opening route as everyone else.

James_#510 wrote:

G Force wrote:As I can't join in the whole event, I hope to be taking photos of the teams getting on and off trains in the early stages of the day instead (at Moor Park, Watford, Harrow), so I'd prefer it if at that stage, everyone was travelling on the same trains. However, there are quite a few tight changes in the early stages, so whether that happens remains to be seen!

Sorry to ruin this for you, but my team is made up of people who see going against the grain as a virtue, so we will not be following the same opening route as everyone else.

Define "not following the same opening route as everyone else" if you would.

After Watford my team will go to Harrow on the Hill, then make a change to the Piccadilly line, so we won't be with you for the first street bit or the bakerloo line.

That's fine.

So long as you start at Amersham, that's the only requirement we ask.

Whatever crazy stuff you do after that is your lookout

Its not that crazy. Our original route was designed for an Upminster start and a Chesham finish, so we tried to avoid doing street runs at night. Because this event is starting at Amersham, we just flipped the route.

Chesham finish?

It never ceases to amaze me how may people will choose to FINISH in the top left corner. And Chesham, not Amersham?

There are only three trains after midnight between Chalfont and Chesham and if you miss one you're going to waste loads of time.

Because that section is timetabled late at night you only get trains every 20 minutes or so and so much time is wasted. Geoff has proved on a few occasions that finishing up there is a bad idea simply because of the fact that you have to plan your entire day around making certain trains.

On the other hand, finishing at say, Upminster, allows you to miss one and know that another one will be along in about 7 or 8 minutes' time and then another one after that.

Can someone offer me a GOOD reason for finishing at Amersham or Chesham? I've yet to find one.

Oh, and while you're at it, try to find a good reason for starting at Chesham. The myth that starting as early as possible in the day leads to a fast time is rubbish - you've got more than enough time in a working day on the tube to get round the whole thing so starting on the earliest possible train ever will make absolutely no difference.

Plus, a Chesham start runs the risk of missing a connection from Amersham and then you WILL lose time.

Just my twopence worth on the NW corner finish theory

Er, don't forget that I started at Chesham three times!

Not because it was the earlier train, but because it did get you to Moor Park on the way down quicker then, because the connection at Chalfont then was timed differently.

Then LU changed the timetables, and Amersham start is now quicker.

Steve Paull once started in Chesham, not realising that the timetables had changed, and MISSED the train up to Amersham !! And had to wait 20 minutes for the next one ...

I would never want to finish in the NW anymore now, because of the frequency. But I blame Jack Welsby for starting us all on that

Why not do street runs at night? The only thing that would spook me out now is going up the Bakerloo late at night - that's where all the dubious characters are if you ask me! - and another reason for not finishing in the NW.

Yes, I was aware that you did the Chesham start before the timetable change

What's wrong with a night run? We've got two to do in the pitch black - keeps you cool and they're not dodgy areas. (Yes, I know they'll be WALKS on this trip ...)

Yes, Bakerloo line and east end of the District line are the places to avoid any running at night.

My initial route was planned for 3 of us, and we're not that intimidating, so night runs were definately out, especially round the Bakerloo.

Also, we wanted to do an Epping start because it is close to all of us, but the timetable wouldn't allow, so we went for Upminster (still close). This left us with an Upper-left finish.

The journey time to Chesham is longer than to Amersham so we wanted to double back on the shorter one to save time. A long drive back is much better than a long drive before you start.

Also, just out of curiousity, what time will everyone be getting to Amersham on that day? (I have an annoying habit of being the first one there all the time - get it from my Dad)

I imagine that everyone will vacate Nita Hurley's place around the same time, so I'll probably be turning up with a b&b full of people.

Which reminds me- who am I sharing the room with? I'm in the room with the 2 singles and the double (sharing the double with my mate, it seems- I've already warned him about any funny business..)

Well it seems that my team of three have wound up having to seek accommodation in Beaconsfield, of all places (specifically the Innkeeper's Lodge at the White Hart, just off the A40, for £39.95) the night before the attempt.

This is mildly inconvenient, as none of us drive. But hey, it's for charidee, so we're mad enough to do it

Aanywho, can anyone suggest a reliable cab firm in Beaconsfield (I'd look on traintaxi.co.uk but it's down) that would be willing to do the run at stupid o'clock in the morning, or provide some form of transportation for the three of us?

At the end of the challenge, we're planning on heading for the Formule 1 out at Barking (£29.99 for up to 3 in a room), so hopefully that shouldn't be too much of a problem

Cheers,

Barry

Somebody from Edmonton!

You're not too far from me!

Don't you have to be at Formule 1 hotels between certain hours? Would they actually let you check in at 2am? Might be worth giving them a call to make sure...

Nutteronabus wrote:Don't you have to be at Formule 1 hotels between certain hours? Would they actually let you check in at 2am? Might be worth giving them a call to make sure...

Check-in is staffed from 5pm 'til 10pm. Outside those times, there's a self-service machine in the lobby, which you pop the card you used to make the reservation into and it spits out the necessary code to get into the room. At least that's the theory, as I've always arrived when Reception has been staffed before now.

Cheers,

Barry