Our Tube Challenge

[asheshero]

On Tuesday 22nd May myself and two friends attempted to complete all stations starting at Amersham and finishing at Upminster.

Until 7pm we thought we were going to complete as we were only 25 mins behind our schedule (18hours 35 minutes) until we were stuffed by some big delays on the Picadilly line and we ended up missing out seven station in order not to miss the last train to Upminster.

Although we were disappointed not to complete we think 267 stations in about 19 hours is not bad for a first attempt. Particularly as we are from the West Midlands so have done only a couple visits to check out the changes in the last six months. Also we have raised about £800 for a local cancer charity called Compton Hospice.

A couple of observations:-
Trying to run up the normal staircase at South Wimbledon four steps at a time before running over a km to Wimbledon is a bad idea. Oh the pain.
Don't always trust station staff. At Uxbridge we arrived and ran to another platform for a Metro train after an official told us it would go first only to realise it wasn't going first and sprinted at top speed back to the train we had just arrived on.

Overall a great if absolutely knackering day. My legs still hurt three days later. We hope to have another crack at it next year.
Our charity website for the event was http://www.justgiving.com/comptontubechallenge

[Soup Dragon]

Well done, sounds like you had a fun day and raised a good amount of money as well. We've made 4 attempts now and had to abort 3 times due to network problems. It's very frustrating but sometimes you just need a little bit of luck.

[hwolge]

Certainly well done! I assume you did intentionally leave Shoreditch out, since you only mention 274 stations.

If you feel things had been fairly ok up to 7pm and you still were on an estimated 19h flat, then I think you can improve on your route! And of course if the GWR is the target then you certainly need some improvements! I don't know how lucky the previous record holders were (Geoff/Neil and Sam/Steve) - but at least Geoff and Neil seemed to think (back then) that their time would be hard to beat. Since then, Shoreditch has closed adding at least 15-20 minutes to any route...

(BTW Any firm date for the ELL closure yet? Anyone?)

Bottom line is that a good route is the key to success!

But still - a valiant attempt and a big welcome to the "club"!

[asheshero]

Thanks for the welcome.
Yes Shoreditch left out intentionally meaning a run from Bethnal Green to Whitechapel.

I believe the ELL is going in December so that will make things a touch easier.

[jonny]

Bethnal Green to Whitechapel?

Are you Starkey in disguise?

[tpfkar]

I'd do Bethnal Green to Stepney Green, but to Whitechapel is some achievement.

I've also *run* Whitechapel to Shoreditch on a record attempt once - just missed the bus and didn't want to wait for the next one.

Hope you enjoyed the attempt, and it's inspired you for more in the future. Welcome to this forum!

Ric

[Soup Dragon]

I'd do Bethnal Green to Stepney Green, but to Whitechapel is some achievement.

I've also *run* Whitechapel to Shoreditch on a record attempt once - just missed the bus and didn't want to wait for the next one.

Hope you enjoyed the attempt, and it's inspired you for more in the future. Welcome to this forum!

Ric

It's only 1.4 km according to TFL which is only 200 m more than the North Harrow to West Harrow run. I don't want to give Starkey any ideas though, so I don't think we should consider this run in our next GWR attempt.

[editorsfoot]

(BTW Any firm date for the ELL closure yet? Anyone?)

23rd December, posters have been up for a while, eg this one taken at Whitechapel

http://inspectorsands.fotopic.net/p39786726.html

[PFW]

23rd December, posters have been up for a while, eg this one taken at Whitechapel

http://inspectorsands.fotopic.net/p39786726.html

SPECIAL BUS SERVICE!! Surely GWR won't insist that we use it!

[Going Underground]

23rd December, posters have been up for a while, eg this one taken at Whitechapel

http://inspectorsands.fotopic.net/p39786726.html

SPECIAL BUS SERVICE!! Surely GWR won't insist that we use it!

Oh quite possible as debated elsewhere on this forum...If you are expected to get a replacement bus to a station that doesn't exist then I imagine you will be expected to visit the whole ELL line on replacement bus as well.....
This could be the last chance in the next few months for someone to better the current GWR time, otherwise this may be out of reach for 2 - 3 years....

[Chris A]

but when Heathrow T5 and Wood Lane open won't that mean a whole new record can be set and the current record just of historical interest only

[jonny]

that would be the logical way of looking at it, so no.

[editorsfoot]

This has been debated long and hard in a number of places, I think the final answer will depend on whatever the new version of the tube map shows, London Underground line we go there by bus, Overground under construction you can probably avoid New Cross forever.

[Oracle]

but when Heathrow T5 and Wood Lane open won't that mean a whole new record can be set and the current record just of historical interest only

When this dilemma was raised back in the late Seventies it was felt by the Underground Roving committee that had been subsumbed into LURS, that so many years had lapsed relatively since the last record, and thr system changed so dramatically, that a decision in favour of anyone completing all stations would made. As a consequence the team that set out from Ongar circa 0600 and finished at Upminster set a new record that then could be beaten. It seems however that the introduction of replacement bus services has added to the present dilemma...we did not have that problem all those years ago*. However it seems that GWR may well insist on the buses being used and so after T5 opens and the ELL closes, it will surely be impossible to break the fantastic record recently set so perhaps a new line in the sand will be abel to be drawn and a new record can be set by whomever does all stations and all replacement bus stops?

*Imagine if GWR had insisted on using the DC services to Watford Junction just because the Bakerloo service had been withdrawn? It was bad enough back then to pick a day when there was an exhibition at Olympia and when Shoreditch was open!

[jbom1]

Maybe there's a case for taking the whole business of records in-house and not worrying too much about GWR. After all, sports such as athletics, swimming etc. have governing bodies who take responsibility both for deciding which events within their sport will have 'official' world records and for deciding if a claimed record should be accepted.