tubechallenge.com

And whilst you work on Station E alongside this, here's advance notice that I'll probably give the hint to Station D on Thursday evening. (Last chance to get your pre-hint answers in!)

Okay, into the last few days of Station D. It finally needs its hint:

Read the next sentence out loud several times. On the fourth read-through, the penny may drop.

personally i found station D one of the more easier challenges

trains 500 wrote: ↑12 Mar 2021, 09:45 personally i found station D one of the more easier challenges

Maybe Station F, coming soon, may be trickier? Though I have a hunch you may get it reasonably quickly. Time will tell! Only a few days before I launch it.

I plan to answer station D on Sunday afternoon.

Okay, thank you for all the entries for Station D. It’s finally time for the grand reveal. (Well, once you’ve read through the blurb below, we’ll eventually get there…)

So first, a word about words. And specifically, my crafty use of them to throw you off the scent. I said that the station is near a tunnel. That’s true. But I never said that the arch you see in the picture was that tunnel! The tunnel is actually at the other end of the platforms. (It was originally a cutting, but got covered over when the landowner was concerned about the noise of steam trains disturbing him. It looks interesting from Google aerial photography.)

So, what about my visual deception? Well, you’ll notice I didn’t actually need to blank out anything in the picture. Or did I? I actually blanked out a lot of my original photo simply by cropping it, leaving the small bit you see. (No wonder the picture quality was so ropey....) You needed to think ‘outside the box’. And as you will soon see, the arch is NOT actually a tunnel, so what is it?

Well, the clue lies in the hint. As you say the words out loud: “On the fourth…”, it sounds the same as “On the Forth…”. Ah. Yes, so now click here for the full picture...

…which reveals the total extent of what I photographed from NORTH QUEENSFERRY station. This means you should easily be able to answer the bonus: as the train emerges from the ‘stone abyss’ (not tunnel), it finds itself on the northern cantilever of the Forth Rail Bridge! The arch is just the top of the big, heavy, bridge pier. This acts as a counterweight to the northern central span, stopping it falling in the water below, and getting very wet, and rusty.

Well done to the following well-educated folks who got the station and bonus right….

* trains 500
* tubeguru
* DrainBrain

I think you’re all ready for Station F. Standing by, coming soon…

Well, I told you it’d be educational. Trust you’ve enjoyed the curriculum so far. I think we’ve had Geography, Geometry, Spelling, History and English Language, besides many others. So whilst Station E continues in the parallel thread, let’s draw back the curtains on Station F.

(Draw back the curtains? I seem to have added Drama to the curriculum now!)

Anyway, you know the school’s procedures by now. So turn over your examination papers, and answer both questions:

• Name Station F.
• Bonus question: A Scotsman boards the train at this station. He is wearing his full national costume, (though no-one is quite sure what a Scot wears under his kilt…). He travels just one stop down the line and alights at the next station, but accidentally walks onto some freshly laid hot tarmac. Fortunately his sturdy Ghillie Brogues protect him from burnt feet, but how might he still be at risk of doing some damage?

What a bizarre question! Have fun, and PM your answers. You’re unlikely to get the correct answer to the bonus without first knowing the station. (If you do, it’ll be a very strong hint to help you get the station…)

My answer to station F and the bonus has been submitted.

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT HERE IS STATION E FOR U ALL TO CHALLENGE YOUR BRAINS WITH.

and of course... good luck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO1qybECiGs

Thanks for the answers so far. Time for a hint. I think it's aimed at parents who are working out whether their offspring can get to Station F on a direct train or not...

...must their son change for this station?

(I was tempted to give a hint for the bonus too, but I probably won't. Not yet, anyway...)

RobbieM wrote: ↑21 Mar 2021, 15:13 Thanks for the answers so far. Time for a hint. I think it's aimed at parents who are working out whether their offspring can get to Station F on a direct train or not...

...must their son change for this station?

(I was tempted to give a hint for the bonus too, but I probably won't. Not yet, anyway...)

Having already got the answer I am struggling to link the hint to it

trains 500 wrote: ↑21 Mar 2021, 18:59

RobbieM wrote: ↑21 Mar 2021, 15:13 Thanks for the answers so far. Time for a hint. I think it's aimed at parents who are working out whether their offspring can get to Station F on a direct train or not...

...must their son change for this station?

(I was tempted to give a hint for the bonus too, but I probably won't. Not yet, anyway...)

Having already got the answer I am struggling to link the hint to it

I was wondering what the hell he was on about too for a few minutes, before realising that it could only make sense in one context.

Oh, alright then. I'll give you a hint for the bonus now:

Whereas, with station D, I said you needed to think outside the box, with station F bonus, I need you to think inside the box. (Isn't that a cricketing term? Maybe I need to add "Games" to the curriculum!)

Anyway, I guess I soon will have all the answers I am going to get. So I'll hopefully give the answer in a few days, then I can get back on the straight and narrow with a new challenge, and some sensible bonus questions!

As i have only had 1 or 2 answers its time for a robbie m style hint (although i dont think thats a good idea so i wont do that)

Anyways onto the hint

Look at the type of train unit, get an avanti rote map ad work your way around them - its quite obvious once you realise what station its is.

Righto. Time to put you out of your misery. Where is Station F? Well, jump on a train at London Liverpool St, heading for Southend Victoria. Change at Wickford and head along the Crouch Valley Line. You’ll pass through lots of lovely places, such as beautiful Burnham-on-Crouch. And eventually end up at our station, which is Southminster.

(Southminster is an anagram of “Must their son” – hence my hint: “Must their son change for this station?” Sorry, I love cryptic crosswords!)

Well done to all those who got it right. The hall of fame is as follows:

* Steevoooo
* trains 500
* TubeGuru, who was the only one who also got the bonus.

Oh yes, the bonus? Our man in the kilt who boards the train at Southminster and gets off at the next station, walking onto hot tarmac? Well, he needs to be careful with any ‘Scottish Crown Jewels’ which may be exposed, and he must remain upstanding…

…because he could Burn ’em on Crouch!

* * * *

Okay, sorry for my brief departure into The Two Ronnies style humour. I’ve been given a detention, and have learnt my lesson. I’ll behave from now on! Station G coming up soon, (but don’t forget Station E is still open….)

So, school soon breaks up for the Easter holidays, but I’ll leave you with a bit of homework to do whilst munching your Hot Cross Buns and Crème Eggs. This one might be a bit trickier than those which have come before, but I honestly do think it’s possible:

• Name Station G.

What? Seriously? Maybe thinking laterally when looking at the picture on Flickr may help. Oh, and then there's the bonus:

• Bonus question: Name Station H. It’s exactly 129⅓ miles from Station G.

Ah, that might make Station G slightly easier. Out come the maps and the compasses. Maths and Geography combined!

As usual, I’ll give a hint (or two) a bit later on, but in the meantime, have fun, and PM your answers to me. Happy Easter!