Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

This section now houses all the Top Times threads
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

No
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
User avatar
The Orange One
All Zones
Posts: 2625
Joined: 18 Jun 2013, 15:23
Location: Three metres due south of you. Wherever you are.
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by The Orange One »

I have bad routes for some alternative challenges, I have slightly better routes for other alternative challenges (and a shedload of luck). The important thing to remember is just because your route is theoretically record breaking doesn't mean you're going to break a record!

I, personally, am not very protective of my alternative challenge routes, but some people are and we should respect that. At heart, it's about going out and trying things out yourself - whether that's things commonly suggested (e.g. Edgware to Stanmore on the 142 bus) or something entirely new (e.g. buses from King's Cross to Caledonian Road and Barnsbury). You may be able to improve on existing knowledge (e.g. Edgware to Canons Park then tube is faster than going direct to Stanmore) as well.

If you just use existing knowledge, as it is, you will be mediocre at best; the making of any tube challenger is the ideas they bring to the table. For example, in 2005 the North West Corner on a FNC was done in just one way (Amersham/Chesham :arrow: visit the other, Watford doubleback, Preston Road doubleback thence to Northwick Park :arrow: Kenton :arrow: Harrow and Wealdstone doubleback then into town on the Bakerloo). By 2009 (I believe it was Andi's idea, but I may be wrong here so don't quote me on that) a new method of doing the NW Corner had come about (the reverse 4 method, which has been a resounding success). More ways of covering the NW Corner have been created since (I've put one together, Rhys B has put one together, I'm sure there are more), all of which were born from new ideas that have been thoroughly investigated. If you want to get a record, you need to earn it yourself by working things out!

If you just want to complete a FNC (perhaps for charity), it's different of course. I put together a slow-ish Full Network Route from Heathrow to Amersham/Chesham back in 2014, with very few connections. It's not competitive in any sense of the word, but should give you a decent shot at completion - and it's for charity, so that's all you need!
All London buses: 23 hours 25 minutes (with Adham, David, Josh and Tangy)
Holds some alternative challenge records. Not sure which ones.
20½ Random 15 challenges: 01:58:48 best
That guy who runs those Twitter polls about tube stations and London Boroughs.
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

The Orange One wrote:
I, personally, am not very protective of my alternative challenge routes, but some people are and we should respect that. At heart, it's about going out and trying things out yourself - whether that's things commonly suggested (e.g. Edgware to Stanmore on the 142 bus) or something entirely new (e.g. buses from King's Cross to Caledonian Road and Barnsbury). You may be able to improve on existing knowledge (e.g. Edgware to Canons Park then tube is faster than going direct to Stanmore) as well.
I'd be protective if I got a record!
The Orange One wrote: If you just want to complete a FNC (perhaps for charity), it's different of course. I put together a slow-ish Full Network Route from Heathrow to Amersham/Chesham back in 2014, with very few connections. It's not competitive in any sense of the word, but should give you a decent shot at completion - and it's for charity, so that's all you need!
Same, I've only got a slowish route! I thought it was a record, but then realised Ken O knocked me back about 3/4 of an hour!
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
palkanetoijala31

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

well there always the public labyrinth route to follow adapted you can still get a resonably good time of that.
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

But wasn't that before the K.O. changes?

That means it might still be a long wait for an Olympia train
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
palkanetoijala31

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Tube Geek wrote:But wasn't that before the K.O. changes?

That means it might still be a long wait for an Olympia train
key word is adapted
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

Oh yea, missed that
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1226
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by RJSRdg »

palkanetoijala31 wrote:well there always the public labyrinth route to follow adapted you can still get a resonably good time of that.
Indeed - I found a theory route which could in theory equal (and maybe even beat) the previous record of 16:14 just by re-jigging Labyrinth to take account of the changes to the Olympia 'service'.

As to being able to find out things nobody else has thought of - in my research I did find an alternative route from Stanmore to Edgware which at that particular time worked quicker than either waiting for a direct bus from Stanmore or going back to CP and taking a bus.

I also found a 'shortcut' which, whilst it doesn't make any difference to the theory time (if everything's on time), can gain you a train if the line you're about to change into is running a few minutes late.

Conversely, making site visits/recce runs and testing things is also useful to find out what doesn't work!
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
palkanetoijala31

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Especially when u have a good berlin route and need three days to test it out
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

Discovered a major new running link in the Central Area whilst playing around on Google Maps (and seeing pictures of part of it on the news), getting it down to 5 1/2 hours, which I'm happy with!
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1226
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by RJSRdg »

Interesting - what I would regard as the optimal route (though I haven't attempted to work out timings), doesn't involve going outside the network at all...
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1226
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by RJSRdg »

And, having worked out my theoretical timings, it's slightly quicker than the current fastest time, albeit with a couple of tight connections (which I think are cross-platform).
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
A Challenge
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 4249
Joined: 24 Jan 2015, 07:57
Location: London Waterloo

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by A Challenge »

Tube Geek wrote:Discovered a major new running link in the Central Area whilst playing around on Google Maps (and seeing pictures of part of it on the news), getting it down to 5 1/2 hours, which I'm happy with!
I think I came up with this last year when I tried. Think it might be better getting the bus, which is also, as we all know, the easiest way to get from Embankment to Charing Cross!
Tumbleweed and former Nimbleweed Scorekeeper

Winner of Gumbleweeds V, VI + XI, Nimbleweeds I, III - IX + XIV and (joint with GuyBarry) winner of Timesnap

And most importantly, Former leader of Tumbleweed, and first person to 250,000
User avatar
Tube Geek
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 3620
Joined: 31 Mar 2016, 20:06
Location: BS20 or BS3
Contact:

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by Tube Geek »

A Challenge wrote:
Tube Geek wrote:Discovered a major new running link in the Central Area whilst playing around on Google Maps (and seeing pictures of part of it on the news), getting it down to 5 1/2 hours, which I'm happy with!
I think I came up with this last year when I tried. Think it might be better getting the bus, which is also, as we all know, the easiest way to get from Embankment to Charing Cross!
What was the running link? PM me if you want
Personal Best - 264 Stations in 19 hours 37 minutes.

COYR
RJSRdg
All Zones
Posts: 1226
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 00:35

Re: Top Times: Alphabet Challenge

Post by RJSRdg »

I really can't see how running comes into it (I just tried the timings for a slight variation on my route by incorporating a run and it made the time longer!).

There are a limited number of sensible starting places, and with Dollis Hill being the most practical D, and only one I, E-H are pretty obvious. L-R seem obvious too, with only one practical Q, and V and W are pretty much fixed, so there isn't a lot of variation in routes that can be taken.
272 stations in 18:30:32
The only person to have used a boat in a Random 15 Challenge!
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests