The start of the day...
I arrived in at Liverpool Street at 06.02 heading to Aldgate to take that out so I could run to Aldgate East. My train was set to arrive at Liv. St at 06.07 thus giving me plenty of time to run from Aldgate - Aldgate East. Alarm bells rung when the 06.07 was actually a H and C line to Barking (in retrospect I could have got that and visited Aldgate later but hey ho!) but at about 06.13 my train arrived. Stopwatch started. Two minutes later I arrived at Aldgate but worrying about my connection at Aldgate East, and not doing the run previously beforehand I was nervous wondering if I'd catch it. Turns out I did, running for about a minute or so. From Aldgate East I took a direct train to Upminster in hope to get there by 07.01 to catch a reverse back to Fenchurch Street (then run through to Tower Hill). I literally just pulled into Upminster on the District Line when my c2c service was on the other platform... One sprint later and I was on that c2c train (Oh yes!
) Ah the c2c, brings back memories...
Next stop was Fenchurch Street and a handy toilet break while on the train into it. A nice little 20 or so minute stroll back into zone one, and I was off again. Trying to sprint through a bunch of commuters through very tight spaces is something I don't particularly want to do again. I hit the Circle/District line looking for any avaliable train seeing as nothing came up on the board. About 2/3 minutes later a Circle line train arrived which was annoying but I took the opportunity to head to South Kensington anyway only to get off and wait for a train to Richmond. After arriving at SK I then got a direct train to Richmond, faboo.
Feltham is singing out.
After arriving at Richmond, it was straight to Feltham to transfer to Heathrow. Here we go. After sitting up in the first carriage transferring was no issue, and as a bonus I was actually up 5 minutes. Even better. So I began to make the trek down to Feltham on the train, just before I got off some nice Chinese holidaymakers asked me to help carry their luggage, being the friendly soul I am I couldn't say no. So hello Feltham, and thanks to the holidaymakers I was helping out I was directed to the bus stop to Heathrow. What was even nicer was that we were going to Heathrow airport together so I had some people to talk to for 20 minutes. Seeing as I was trying to visit as many stations as I could I ignored going to HT5, so I got off at HT4 instead. Once we pulled into HT4, I set off, frantically looking for the Piccadilly line, which included running through the terminal as I found out, and as I got onto the platform, I realised I had about 30 seconds spare before the train left. Despite being 5 minutes up I was now just on time.
Heathrow - Uxbridge via a stop at Rayners Lane
Heathrow - Acton Town went smoothly, and all that really laid as a challenge was flipping platforms at Acton. As I pulled into Acton Town surprise surprise my next train had just pulled in, cranking the pressure up again. Flipping platforms at Acton Town is something I try and avoid but still, I made it and threw myself onto the train
I knew this train was going to Rayners Lane after planning it on TfL and was ready to stop over for about 3/4 minutes for a connection to Uxbridge. Turns out, upon arrival I would be waiting 7 minutes more than expected putting my double back to Harrow from Uxbridge. Why is it that most of the time I seem to get stuck at Rayners Lane?Uxbridge - Watford
After pulling in late into Uxbridge I knew I needed to get back onto a train and quick, I sprant onto an avaliable train and just before I get onto it, the doors slam shut, almost making me scream *nooooooo!* (insert epic movieness) so I headed back onto the same train that I was on before, the Metropolitan line train. After leaving, it was a race against time to get to H-o-t-H, about 5 minutes into the journey I realised that the train that I missed at Uxbridge was a Piccadilly line and would have been of nothing (hey it was an early start!) In any sense I knew there wasn't going to be much in it when arriving at Harrow to catch my next train to Watford. I pulled in eventually at 10.39, with 4 minutes spare so danger over. I then was on my train up to Watford stopping at all stations (for the first time in a while, I might add)
still on time thus far.
On my way to Westfield (but don't worry, I wasn't stopping!)
I caught my next train from Watford down to Wembley Park to do the Jubilee line. Nothing really to write about for this part of the journey, not going to lie. After I got to Wembley Park I did my usual double back but this time going to Stratford to try something different. On the way down to Stratford I thought it was time to have a spot of lunch. Once I hit Stratford, I had one minute to change from the Jubilee line to the National Rail platforms to head back to Liverpool Street again. Once I hit Stratford, it was go time. I sprint all in hope that I would catch this train but I just missed it. Thankfully though a backup was arriving two minutes later on platform 8, so off I went. The train was a class 321 and was owned by Greater Anglia so I had no idea where it might have came from (any ideas anyone?) it was vital that I caught a train within 3 minutes to continue this little experiment of mine.
Liverpool Street - Northwick Park
After I caught a train back to Liv. Street it was a case of uncertainity as I didn't check my plan and had no idea when my train would arrive up to Northwick Park. Due to some good luck, I got it and had the pleasure of sitting in an S stock for the third time today. I love them! Plus it's easier to run through the carriages obviously. I hit Northwick Park with no issues and I was now off to run to Kenton, however I had the rain to deal with. Seeing as I only had a hoodie on I was only going to go out and get wet. Great.
Misery on the Bakerloo line
After arriving at Northwick Park I knew I only had 2 minutes to get over to Kenton. I believe I pulled in a bit later than expected at NP seeing as I missed my train and consequently got a train 2 minutes later. This meant that I missed my connection at Harrow and Wealdstone so I was now 10 minutes down. Being wet and generally feeling defeated, I felt like the day might have been grinding to a halt from now. But little did I know what was going to be in store next...
Quick thinking and some basic maths works!
After arriving at Elephant and Castle 10 minutes late, I knew I needed some form of a miracle to get back on time without missing anything. After sprinting to the Northern line I was in some luck; there was a train waiting for me to go straight down to Morden. Tired mind clicked into action as I neared South Wimbledon and wondered if I should get off here to try and play catch up. Almost in autopilot mode now I threw myself off the train and over to the other platform, hoping for something big. My gamble payed off well and so I was off up to Stockwell for another experiment. A few anxious minutes later and I arrived at Stockwell to change for the Victoria line, skipping a few of the stations I would have visited before on the Bakerloo line for example. Again, the transfer from the Northern Line to the Victoria Line was swift and I was off up to Euston. I checked the clocks and reckoned I was only about 4/5 minutes down now. I maintained hope I wouldn't have to sacrifice any more stops. Once I hit Euston I was off again to the Northern Line to catch an Edgware train. Was I going to be in luck? I sure was! Somehow I clawed back at what I lost and I was now back on time!
The Northern heights
From Euston I would now go to Edgware, then double back to Camden Town to get across to High Barnet. This all went smoothly and I found myself a few minutes ahead of myself again by catching an earlier departing train at Edgware.
A cheap dinner on the road
Now was the transfer for me from High Barnet to Cockfosters. I waited for about 10 minutes as I made the decision on the fly not to take the 384 and to instead take the 307 and then run up the A111. A packed bus, and a few dodgy looking people later I got off at Bramley Road, at the bottom of the A111. Now was time for a half mile run up looking for whatever food I can find being sold. By this time the early start had got to me a little bit so physically I was beginning to suffer. Thankfully I found a nice looking corner shop and saw it ideal for a drop in to get some food. I noted the '£3 meal deal' they had going on in there and went over to the check-out with what I thought was allowed to get the discount. 'No' the woman replies, and ambiguously directs me to what I was allowed. I hand the money over, and take my chargrilled chicken and cheese panini, diet coke (I wanted a normal one!
) and kit-kat away back into the wonders of Enfield. My next stopover would be at Earl's Court...On the way down to Earl's Court - why did I do it?
I decided when planning this tube challenge that I would visit the stations on the District Line Wimbledon branch later on, again being ambitious and trying something new.
Earl's Court - where next?!
After arriving at Earl's Court on the Piccadilly Line, my next destination was still up in the air, despite being ahead of schedule I needed to know when to turn around and come back to Earl's Court from somewhere along the branch. Due to me being ahead now by about 10 minutes, I had a bit of luck and managed to gain two extra stops, East Putney and Southfields seeing as I had enough time.
Almost at the finish!
After hitting Earl's Court, I went back to Hammersmith, where I would then cross over and travel up to Royal Oak, and then come back down to Wood Lane. I found that my bladder was about to burst once I arrived at Earl's Court so I ran out in desperate need for a toilet somewhere, as I was running along the platform to get out of the station, I noted a District Line train sat on one of the Westbound platforms. As I looked down I realised it was an Ealing Broadway train. I had a double take as I didn't believe it and I noticed it was just about to leave. So I barged my way through a bunch of standing commuters and managed to get on just before departure. I decided as I was now over 10 minutes ahead that I could get away with having my final toilet break at Hammersmith. This turned out to prove costly as the toilets cost 50p to get in!
but all I had was a pound coin so it had to do 
I caught the connection and I was off to Wood Lane via Royal Oak.White City - West Ruislip
The Central line is the last line that I always do on tube challenges, and after exiting from Wood Lane, I sprant up to White City. My connection was waiting for me and there I was, knowing my day was almost over
. I arrived at West Ruislip with plenty of time to spare, in fact I arrived at 20.09 and my train back into Central London would be at 20.20 so I had a bit of time to myself to shoot some videos, and to take some videos, and pictures of the Class 20 that was sat on one of the platforms adjacent to the station.Meeting some nice people (time to get soppy!)
I boarded my next train about a minute before scheduled to leave, I was the only person in the carriage at the time. Two nice looking girls get on with me and ask me when the train leaves seeing as they wanted to leave one of their mates in the station all on her own. Just before the train departs, the emergency doors between the carriage opens and there stands the friend of theirs. Light hearted banter flows and I can't help but laugh. They caught wind on this and I told them my story of how I was tube challenging today, making some nice conversation with them. They get off at Northolt and just before they go, I tell them to add me on Facebook just for a laugh. That was the last I heard of them once they got off
shame really seeing as I would have liked to have get to know them better. I continued onto North Acton and got off for my connection to Woodford via Hainault.The last stretch
From North Acton I headed out to Woodford via Hainault without any troubles at all. Nothing really to write home about on this stretch of the journey. Once I got to Woodford it was a case of waiting for a train down to Snaresbrook to complete the Woodford loop. Once I hit Snaresbrook I transferred onto the other platform to get my last train to Epping. About 20 minutes later I finished at Epping, and the day was over.
Results and analysis
Overall I did 245 stations in 16 hours, 10 minutes and 22 seconds. Okay so it's not the full 270, fine, whatever. But at the end of it I'm trying to go around visiting as many as I can as, to be honest this is a day out for me and I really enjoy tube challenging. Obviously in the years to come when I have freedom to start where I want then a few completions are in store...
