GWR Full Network Attempt Fri 18th April - Live updates

[Starkey7]

...at heathrow because of a train up the back side...

Hehe. That is, there was another train right behind us.

[Starkey7]

"What is Heathrow Connect? An escalator? I know it's not a bus..." (Kevin Brown)
"Something's vibrating in my pocket." (Antony Brown)
"If you're some stupid American tourist..." (Ollie Lewisohn)
"There's the virgin!!!" (Kevin Brown, getting excited at Northwick Park)
"We'll do the record in record time. Oh, hang on, that is a record, isn't it?" (me)
"It [Antony's banana] looks like a squashed baby's d!ck." (Kevin Brown)
"Do you fancy my banana?" (Jamie Brown)
"My banana is quite firm, I apologise." (Antony Brown)
"It wasn't that bad earlier; it was quiet firm." (Antony Brown)
"Why have you got your nuts out?!" (Jamie Brown)
"Once Antony's finished with his nuts, he'll tell you." (Kevin Brown)
"My hands are sticky. I really regret that." (Phil Brown)
"I just put down any old numbers, and it looks like I know what I'm doing." (Jamie Brown, talking about Sudoku puzzles)
"I hate Facebook, it's for old people." (Phil Brown)
"Haven't you gone home yet?!" (Phil Brown, to a support team member)
"I think all you lot have ear cataracts." (Phil Brown)
"Is he a bit like an orange?" (Rachel Brabbins)
Kevin: "What's the best way to get from Northfields to the Jubilee line?" Phil Booth: "Run."
"It's still light!" (Phil Brown, at 4:21pm)
"It was these Americans, who came from ... America." (Steve Karahan)
"It's just exactly gone nine." (Kevin Brown)
"And now a right - er, not now." (Jamie Brown, in the car home)
"They're my men." (Rachel Brabbins)
"I've been out with a lot of men today." (Rachel Brabbins)

We had Innuendo Time at 8am.

At East Acton, Antony decided to jettison his banana, and as he threw it over the fence, Phil yelled "Litterbug" but to the rest of us it sounded like "It's a bomb"!

[CrunchySaviour]

Fantastic.

Favourite: "I just put down any old numbers, and it looks like I know what I'm doing." (Jamie Brown, talking about Sudoku puzzles)

[Dr Who]

Fantastic.

Favourite: "I just put down any old numbers, and it looks like I know what I'm doing." (Jamie Brown, talking about Sudoku puzzles)

Thanks,

[Soup Dragon]

It was the usual day of highs & lows. In no particular order here are some of the key points during the day....

The High Points
Rachel Brabbins, she just didn't stop smiling all day long.

Catching the U1 bus from West Ruislip to Uxbridge, the first time in 8 attempts that we made this bus. The bus pulled up just as we ran through the ticket barriers. It was a slight shame that the bus was driven by a guy who looked like "The Chinese Detective" and he drove so slowly, I think he was looking for clues.

Another great bus connection was at High Barnet with the 384 to Cockfosters. Again this was the first time in 8 attempts that we made this bus. It was an amazing scene when we all sprinted off the bus down the underpass at Cockfosters.

Actually being 6 minutes up on schedule earlier in the day thanks to great connection.
We actually had some really good connections, it was luckly that the drivers went so quickly for Rachel, otherwise we could have missed the Moor Park connection. Also we got to North Harrow almost 2 minutes ahead of schule which made the run much easier!

The general banter and smutty inuendo, which seemed to pop up throughout the day!

Funniest moment at Ealing Broadway, we just missed a District line train by a minute and thought we had 10 minutes until the next one, however we only actually had 3 minutes becuase the trains were not running to schedule at this point. Rachel, Kevin & Starkey had all gone for a loo break and Kevin still had his trousers around his ankles as the train was about to depart, we had to drag him out the toilet fairly swiftly.

A quick cross platform at Finchley Central coming back down from Mill Hill East, might not have made this one without a good support team.

We just missed a Circle Line train to Edgware Road by 1 minute, however, we had Steven Karahan on hand down at Parsons Green and he had just hopped on a Wimbleware train so we knew we had time to get to Earls Court. We then made a 1 minute connection at EC up to Edgware Road.

McDonalds at Hammersmith, Matt Nunn & Scrivin put in a huge order and then met us on the platform to hand over the grub.

Setting a new benchmark at under 18 hours, which was predicted by HÃ¥kan.

Low Points
The useless driver on the Hainault Loop who arrived at Woodford 4 minutes behind schedule and made us miss our connection.

The security alert at Barking Station, this cost at least 30 minutes and at this point I personally didn't think we stood a chance of breaking the record.

Another security alert at Bond Street, the driver told us that we would have to wait because of a "Funny Smell" being reported. We had to laugh but this probably cost us our connection.

A very long wait at Gunnersbury at this point there was nothing much going southbound to Richmond.

The morning was great and we had one of our best starts ever, however no matter what route we take and whatever we do we always seem to arrive at Ealing Broadway 20 minutes behind schedule, perhaps one day we will get there on time!

Some stupid kids pulling the emergency stop at Totteridge & Whetstone, the driver had to walk all the way to the back carriage to investigate, this seemed bad at the time but luckily I don't think it cost us anything.

[Root]

Starkey, I think you missed out a couple of good quotes, notably "Antony, are you going to rub me off?" and "He's doing a poo!"

My favourite is still "Haven't you gone home yet"?

[Going Underground]

Just to say this was the most fun full network attempt so far.......

Soup Dragon has pretty much covered all the bases with the Highs and Lows.....

My other thoughts of the day were that The Magnificent 7 were almost reduced to The Super 6......
The Beer Baron (Ryan) was feeling the effects of the day on his first full network attempt and had only got to sleep at 0100hrs with nerves and exitement....He had been suffering with a stitch and was about to throw the towell in at West Ken but Editorsfoot very kindly persuaded him to carry on and ran to Ken Olympia with Ryan with our complete food order of 7 bottles, 7 sarnies and 7 choccie bars on his back in the rucksack

Then on the run to Morden starkey came through on the walkie talkies "train leaving in 1 minute" I was outside the station but Ryan was at the far end of the parade of shops.... I told him to sprint the last 200 yards or so and we just made the train with tears running down his cheeks from the pain of running with the stitch.....

Our support team were superb, you media whores the lot of you.....

A big thank you to;

Ollie, For just about getting out of bed in time, starting the watch, carrying our rucksacks and staying with us until 4pm...

Editorsfoot, For going to 2 different supermarkets to get our food order and then carry it around until we had a chance to tuck in and for getting Ryan to keep going....
Andi / Nozzacook, For the live updates and texts of encouragment in English & Finnish
Jonny for the good luck texts
The afternoon/evening support crew.... (Antony still has a headache from trying to decide what to do with you all coming down from Cockfosters ) these being Steven, The 2 Matt's (Dudey & Srcxisi), & Tangy
Again thanks to the 2 Matt's for getting that mega McD's order and wating at the platform with it (A great sight running down the stairs and seeing scrixi with 2 trays of drinks and Dudey with about 3 bags full of goodies....
And Dudey again for stopping the watch.......
(Apologies if I have missed anyone)


I hope you all enjoyed being part of the day, the live radio broadcasts(which were listened to as far away as Cornwall & Inverness ) , the live updates and the ups and downs.....

I think this truly shows the great community spirit of this forum (unless you all just came out to see Rachel ) and we really couldn't have done it without your help.......

[Root]

I felt somewhat obliged to help, after the stopwatch shenanigans of last time, but I'm glad I did.

I had to leave at four PM to come back to Chesham and then catch a bus to Berkhamsted, but I missed the bus, which was the last one of the day, so I ended up staying in Chesham. That means I could have stuck with you the whole day, but it seems like you had plenty of supporters towards the end. Glory hunters, the lot of them

[Starkey7]

To be honest, when I saw "1 minute" at Morden followed by a six minute wait for another one I didn't think that we'd make it. Ping Pon and I had made it down to the train, the others were nowhere in sight and there was a green signal... Rachel, Jamie and Antony then came trundling down the stairs, seemingly oblivious to the urgency, and how Kevin and Ryan made it I don't know!

There were so many in the team and support team that at times I did wonder if we still had everyone...

As I was at the front I didn't appreciate the full drama of the run at Cockfosters, but I'm assured that it was excellent.

Have to say that I was flagging during the early evening - I didn't want a repetition of the Oakwood Incident.

[Richard Head]

Well Done guys!
Was listening in the evening to a couple of *******, there show really was shit, then they went over to Rachel at T5 when she said you got the record I was well pleased for you all.

[palkanetoijala31]

The morning was great and we had one of our best starts ever, however no matter what route we take and whatever we do we always seem to arrive at Ealing Broadway 20 minutes behind schedule, perhaps one day we will get there on time

Perhaps u should get aroute that finishes at Ealing broadway then.

[hwolge]

The morning was great and we had one of our best starts ever, however no matter what route we take and whatever we do we always seem to arrive at Ealing Broadway 20 minutes behind schedule, perhaps one day we will get there on time

What's was schedule then (last Friday)? If I have guessed your route right up to that point (which I think), I'd say that arriving at EB at 12:26 is to be expected. With a bit of luck the 12:19. Considering your superior running (compared to myself) in the morning, my estimates could be slightly pessimistic for you - but still, they should be good ball park figures...

[Lancaster Gate]

The events of last Friday have made it onto our Staff Intranet site here at the Beeb! Unfortunately I can't link directly to the page because of the BBC's firewall but I've pasted the text of the article with a screengrab of the top of the page attached below that.

Tube record is just the ticket for Three Counties' Rachel Brabbins
Reporter makes world record breaking trip covering all 269 stations

Budge up a bit Paula Radcliffe and Michael Johnson, make way there Haile Gebrselassie and Reuben Williams, there’s a new world record holder in your midst. BBC Three Counties reporter Rachel Brabbins set a remarkable new record time on Friday when she joined a team that visited all 269 London tube stations in just 17 hours, 56 minutes and 22 seconds.

Along with Kevin Brown, Antony Brown, their sons Jamie and Philip, and John Stark, Rachel who reports for the Lorna Milton afternoon show beat the previous record, held by the same team, of 18 hours and 15 minutes.

The latest attempt was made because recent changes to the tube network meant the world record was up for grabs. But if you think it sounds easy it isn’t; in recent weeks there have been two attempts to take the Guinness world record and both challenges failed.

‘People come from all over the world to attempt it,’ explains Lorna Milton. ‘I’d always wanted to do it myself, we've had the Browns on the show and I asked Rachel to do it. It’s gruelling because it takes nearly a whole day and there are a lot of steps to cover.’

Rachel and the team set off at 5.28am at Amersham on Friday and finished at Heathrow Terminal 5 although the actual route remains a well-kept kept secret. ‘They even had it planned down to which carriage to be on and which door to stand by,’ Milton explained. ‘We followed their progress on Friday and everything was going fine until mid-afternoon when they were held up in a tunnel for 20 minutes by a security alert, fortunately they managed to make the time up.’

Officials timed the team as they set off and they then had to prove they had been to every station by taking digital photographs with time codes on at selected points and gathering witness statements from other travellers en route.

Having reached Terminal 5, Rachel then had to get home to Buckinghamshire... by train of course.

Who is Reuben Williams, you ask? Why, he’s the world record holder for unwrapping and eating the most Ferrero Rochers in a minute (five, if you’re interested, achieved in Soho last year).

[Hammer]

It should be in next week's paper version as well I would have thought, I could send a couple out if it is.

[Going Underground]

It should be in next week's paper version as well I would have thought, I could send a couple out if it is.

Thanks that would be great please PM me if you get any copies........