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Post Covid FNC

Posted: 09 Oct 2020, 13:47
by jrparkin
Hi everyone

I'm a Newbie Tube Challenger who decided after Covid 19 finally goes (or is brought under control) that he needed an adventure

During lockdown I was watching Geoff's various attempts and decided l would like to attempt it myself.

I've started planning already, I've got a copy of Station Master and I've bought myself a suitable notebook to write down the route and log all the stations down

I should point out at this stage, I won't be going for a GWR simply because a) I just want to do it and b) I don't fancy recording my entire attempt

At this early stage I'm in two minds where to stay, as I will be travelling down from West Yorkshire for the challenge. Either at my start point in Chesham or my finish point near Heathrow Terminal 5. I'm angling towards staying near Heathrow Terminal 5 and getting a taxi to Chesham which will mean I won't have a long journey back to 'base' at the end of the challenge but it will make recce's earlier in the week a bit tricky. Any advice please

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 09 Oct 2020, 14:46
by al
I tended to stay at Heathrow for the reason you give, but tended to catch the 140 bus to Harrow and get the Met up from there - not much good if doing the first train from Chesham though. I would stay at a hotel on the main A4 rather than one called T5 as they are much harder and more expensive to get to and from. You can get good deals around there, and you will be close to one or other of the 24 hour McDonald's (if they are still a thing?).

Good luck!

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 09 Oct 2020, 15:29
by jrparkin
Thank you, I'm sure I'll need it! But as Lady Sybil from Downton Abbey said once 'Nobody hits the bullseye with the first arrow' Unless your Jack Welsby!

I'm almost certainly going to miss Kensington (Olympia) unless I do the run on an exhibition day

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 09 Oct 2020, 21:52
by al
I don't think exhibitions make any difference these days. To guarantee it you either have to start at Heathrow or do it on a weekend with no engineering work anywhere, of which there are very few!

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 10 Oct 2020, 13:51
by jrparkin
The N9 bus you recommend I get that's part of the Heathrow Free Travel Zone is that correct?

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 10 Oct 2020, 19:36
by ANDY_JS
Sorry to go off topic, but the one thing I wish about the London Underground is that it would be very convenient if there were some toilets at Mill Hill East! Unfortunately there aren't. I bet most people who do the Tube Challenge think the same thing, since you're stuck there for about 7 minutes, unless you try to run back to Finchley Central or West Finchley. :) Annoyingly, there are toilets at Finchley Central, but you're more likely to be making a fast change there and not to have enough time to use them.

Apparently there is a Waitrose in the vicinity (of MHE), but whether you'd be able to got there and get back to the station in time must be a bit unlikely. If anyone's tried that, I'd be interested to hear about it.

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 10 Oct 2020, 23:09
by al
I've been to the Waitrose once, it's a bit further away than you would like. The toilet at Finchley Central is in my opinion the most disgusting on the whole network!

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 10 Oct 2020, 23:10
by RJSRdg
Google Maps says it's a five minute walk from MHE station to Waitrose (the entrance to Waitrose is on the far side, so you have to go round three sides of the building), and that probably doesn't include the steps at MHE. So a very quick runner like might manage it, but I wouldn't!

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 10 Oct 2020, 23:11
by al
jrparkin wrote: 10 Oct 2020, 13:51 The N9 bus you recommend I get that's part of the Heathrow Free Travel Zone is that correct?
Yes. I'm assuming a late finish, if you're "quick" you'll have to get the tube back to 2 & 3 then get the 105 etc instead

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 11 Oct 2020, 18:27
by jrparkin
ANDY_JS wrote: 10 Oct 2020, 19:36 Sorry to go off topic, but the one thing I wish about the London Underground is that it would be very convenient if there were some toilets at Mill Hill East! Unfortunately there aren't. I bet most people who do the Tube Challenge think the same thing, since you're stuck there for about 7 minutes, unless you try to run back to Finchley Central or West Finchley. :) Annoyingly, there are toilets at Finchley Central, but you're more likely to be making a fast change there and not to have enough time to use them.

Apparently there is a Waitrose in the vicinity (of MHE), but whether you'd be able to got there and get back to the station in time must be a bit unlikely. If anyone's tried that, I'd be interested to hear about it.
Speaking of Mill Hill East when you arrive there because it's the end of the line do you stay on it to go back to Finchley Central or is it indeed quicker to just go to West Finchley

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 12 Oct 2020, 09:07
by Steeevooo
jrparkin wrote: 11 Oct 2020, 18:27
ANDY_JS wrote: 10 Oct 2020, 19:36 Sorry to go off topic, but the one thing I wish about the London Underground is that it would be very convenient if there were some toilets at Mill Hill East! Unfortunately there aren't. I bet most people who do the Tube Challenge think the same thing, since you're stuck there for about 7 minutes, unless you try to run back to Finchley Central or West Finchley. :) Annoyingly, there are toilets at Finchley Central, but you're more likely to be making a fast change there and not to have enough time to use them.

Apparently there is a Waitrose in the vicinity (of MHE), but whether you'd be able to got there and get back to the station in time must be a bit unlikely. If anyone's tried that, I'd be interested to hear about it.
Speaking of Mill Hill East when you arrive there because it's the end of the line do you stay on it to go back to Finchley Central or is it indeed quicker to just go to West Finchley
That's all part of the fun of researching and coming up with the route!

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 12 Oct 2020, 12:56
by Sam
al wrote: 10 Oct 2020, 23:09 I've been to the Waitrose once, it's a bit further away than you would like. The toilet at Finchley Central is in my opinion the most disgusting on the whole network!
Agreed about the toilet at Finchley Central.

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 14 Oct 2020, 23:14
by RJSRdg
jrparkin wrote: 11 Oct 2020, 18:27
Speaking of Mill Hill East when you arrive there because it's the end of the line do you stay on it to go back to Finchley Central or is it indeed quicker to just go to West Finchley
A lot depends on your own running speed/fitness of course.

Google says it takes 27 minutes to walk from MHE to West Finchley, which means it would take *me* about 18 minutes to run (though of course there are many better runners than me on this forum). The route is also far from flat - the shortest route passes underneath Dollis Brook Viaduct (the highest point above ground on the Underground!). You could then have to wait up to another three minutes for the next train.

Alternatively, you could wait six minutes at Mill Hill East, travel back to Finchley Central in 3 minutes, wait there for up to 3 minutes and go up to West Finchley in 2 minutes (total 14 minutes).

Remember that in order for a run to be worthwhile, you not only need to be able to get there quicker than going by Underground, you also need to be able to get a train up. So if MHE-WF via Finchley Central takes 14 minutes, you need to be able to run it in 11 to gain any benefit.

That said, it's a question at least worth exploring if it makes it easier to connect into a 384 at High Barnet.

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 15 Oct 2020, 07:57
by jrparkin
I'm not the best runner really (never have been, I was always the last to finish the Decathlon in High School for instance). I could probably manage a quick jog between Morden and South Merton Thameslink Station (to go to Wimbledon) but jogging to High Barnet faster than a Northern Line train no!

Thanks for the Bus Number though that helps

Re: Post Covid FNC

Posted: 15 Oct 2020, 12:40
by Going Underground
The quickest way on foot from MHE to West Finchley is to run through the golf course - yes this has been done....