Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

All you need to know and discuss about the 2014 Zone 1 Challenge.
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: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by The Orange One »

I believe that Hopeful Traveller came across this problem when doing an All Lines Challenge recently. The other route actually isn't that bad though.
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
Sam
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 4240
Joined: 19 Jul 2005, 13:14
Location: Forest of Dean
Contact:

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by Sam »

Best of luck all for tomorrow. Sorry I can't be there. Have a good time :)
:D First and so far only female solo record holder!! :D

Ze forum's female train driver
Nigel
Zone 5
Posts: 640
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 19:04
Location: Woodford

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by Nigel »

Sam wrote:Best of luck all for tomorrow. Sorry I can't be there. Have a good time :)
Thanks. I'm looking forward to it (I think). Hope to see you fit again at a future event soon.
User avatar
tangy
Site Administrator
Posts: 2011
Joined: 23 Apr 2006, 22:26
Location: Walthamstow, London
Contact:

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by tangy »

The post challenge meet up will be held in The Champion (Wells Street, W1T 3PA)

Oxford Circus, TCR and Goodge Street are all within easy distance.

We will be in the main bar area (the upstairs bit does not open until 18:00), gather around the tables by the dartboard.
Adjudicator of the Alternative Challenges and webmaster of the Tube Challenge "Top Times" website at www.explorerticket.co.uk/tubechallenge

This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!

Tangy.
hopeful traveller
All Zones
Posts: 1397
Joined: 15 Jul 2011, 16:28

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by hopeful traveller »

Nigel wrote:
Sam wrote:Best of luck all for tomorrow. Sorry I can't be there. Have a good time :)
Thanks. I'm looking forward to it (I think). Hope to see you fit again at a future event soon.
Yeah, we won't have too much fun without you, Sam. :wink:
tangy wrote:The post challenge meet up will be held in The Champion (Wells Street, W1T 3PA)

Oxford Circus, TCR and Goodge Street are all within easy distance.

We will be in the main bar area (the upstairs bit does not open until 18:00), gather around the tables by the dartboard.
Or Great Portland Street if you finish around that area.
1 FNC Completion (PB: 17:18:18 with G Bryant, A Chilcraft, I MacNaughton)
4 Zone Ones (PB: 03:00:35 with G Bryant)
15 R15s (PB: 01:55:48 with T Cooling and R Jackson)
11 All Lines (PB: 00:44:03)
Winner of the 2014 Formula 1 Side Competition
User avatar
Going Underground
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 8793
Joined: 11 Apr 2006, 12:24
Location: Down in a tube station at midnight.
Contact:

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by Going Underground »

That was a truly memorable Z1 today, well done to everyone that took part a 10th anniversary to remember :D
Twice former full network GWR holder and former Zone 1 Olympic and World Record holder with The Raven and Soupie
Tube personality of the year 2009
Twice Winter Olympic Biathlon Gold Medalist with The Beer Baron
2008 All Lines Olympic Gold
Nigel
Zone 5
Posts: 640
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 19:04
Location: Woodford

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by Nigel »

In advance of Tangy publishing the full results from yesterday, I will share my account of the day.

With the new closures this year, I had to rethink my approach to Zone 1 route planning. In the end I chose a route with less running, but more changes. In retrospect given the conditions on the day this may have been a mistake.

Lancaster Gate was chosen as the start station. At the time the draw was made, the Jubilee line north of Waterloo was suspended, but had reopened with severe delays by the time we reached the start. My route tried to leave the Jubilee until towards the end to give it time to recover. One advantage of a Lancaster Gate start is that there are some free, clean public toilets just inside the entrance to Kensington Gardens opposite the station, which I was able to use just before we started.

My first choice was whether or not to double back to Marble Arch. I knew that the southbound Wimbleware is due to depart Bayswater at 1309, so even if an eastbound Central line came along just past 1300 it would be tight. In the end I decided to risk it, and was surprised to discover quite a few others made the same choice. At Queensway, I decided to run up the stairs, the right choice, as I was well ahead of those who waited for a lift. But I thought I was too late to make the 1309 - however, on arriving at Bayswater it was yet to arrive, much to the annoyance of those challengers who had not doubled back. In fact, all those who waited for the lift made it as well.

After a double back at Sloane Square, I was with just A2 on the Picc line, but he left me at Green Park. I didn't see anyone else until Tangy with whom I did the London Bridge to Elephant & Castle section much later.

My day felt very frustrating, since after my initial luck with Bayswater, I just had a succession of missed trains and regular four minute waits. Particular low points included:
- Running into Euston to find the ticket hall completely rammed. The barriers were completely blocked by a large throng of people and suitcases queuing up to buy tickets. I endured quite a few abusive comments after literally pushing people out of the way so I could reach the barriers.
- Despite having checked it out a couple of days previously, somehow taking a wrong turn inside Kings Cross, which cost me a train and resulted in a four minute delay. Given some of the subsequent problems I encountered, getting this right could have made the final result much closer.
- Being stuck in tunnels before and after Edgware Road on the way to Paddington (H&C), meaning that it took 15 minutes from Baker Street.
- Changing at Westminster from the District to the Jubilee to discover that the escalators were sealed off and I was directed back up to the ticket hall to get to the Jubilee.
- Arriving at Moorgate wanting a westbound H&C/Circle/Met with the next one shown in five minutes. But the wait was even longer, as when it arrived, they chose to terminate an eastbound Met in the bay platform, blocking its path before it could depart.

I ended at Vauxhall with my slowest ever Zone 1 time of 3:22:20, convinced that I must be last. (I also discovered today that the slowness this year resulted in a couple of out of time charges on my Oyster PAYG - adding £10 to the cost.) I was surprised to return to the pub only to find The Raven and The Orange One there. Even more amazed to discovered that I had finished second (for the second year running).

Thanks to Tangy for organising a great day, which had its extra challenges this year.
hopeful traveller
All Zones
Posts: 1397
Joined: 15 Jul 2011, 16:28

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by hopeful traveller »

Well, that was horrible.

Lancaster Gate comes out and I use my neo-circular route, and, seeing as I was the last classified finisher, I have no shame in sharing it. As per the general opinion, double back to Marble Arch, but I chose to change at Notting Hill Gate. Why? Because I was going northbound via a HSK double back to Paddington. Three minutes for a southbound at Notting Hill Gate was meh, and two for a return trip from HSK was, again, meh.

Ran Paddington to Paddington and got a sexy change. Unfortunately the luck soon evaporated; ran Edgware Road to Edgware Road where the Bakerloo was pulling out on me - and three minutes for another one. Got out at Regent's Park and ran to Great Portland Street. In normal circumstances, I would have done something different, but owing to the strict BOZO rulings (you MUST do Bond Street by Jubilee). But no, had enough time, as it happens, to stock up on supplies to get a train to Baker Street. On to the Jubilee where a large group of Japanese tourists were blocking the escalators whilst the Southbound Jubilee was there with its doors open... come on, come on... run, run, run, run... in! And we're not leaving. Nope. Owing to the Kilburn problems, a train had been detrained at Green Park - so we're having a ripple effect, waiting, waiting, waiting...

Eventually we get to Green Park and owing to a piece of extraordinary bad luck, I had managed to run into a group of people spilling out from the Northbound platform. So, yes, you guessed it, I end up stuck behind them at approximately one mile per hour, unable to overtake, and when we get to the Piccadilly platforms, it's three minutes for a train to Cockfosters.

At Piccadilly Circus, I have to go around the long way (I didn't even bother to check, it was closed last time though), and I just miss a Bakerloo train. Drat. Sail down to Elephant & Castle, passing through Waterloo, where I managed to get the whole carriage in a quick chorus. :lol: Sexy change to the Northbound Northern, and then on to a Southwark double back. However, combined waits of six minutes (and I didn't 'just miss' any!) meant that I ended up losing lots of time. Back on to the Northbound Northern - where I had another Green Park. Yes, the Southbound Northern had just emptied out at Bank too! Eventually got on to the Westbound Central to Chancery Lane.

I just missed an Eastbound Central at Chancery Lane - and so I got on to the - yes, you guessed it - the Woodford via Hainault. I ended up at Liverpool Street and then - for the third time - ran to the platform to see... yes, another train pulling out in front of me. Yes, it was only one minute for the next one, but it was one minute which could mean the difference!

Ran to Aldgate East and saw - amazingly - Glen and Hugo running in the other direction. Had to wait two minutes for a train to Richmond... but we crawled along, stopping at every station excessively. Every time. Eventually we got to Earl's Court. Ran up the stairs, saw that the lifts were nowhere near, so ran down to the Westbound District and down the Starkey stairs, where, YET AGAIN, the train pulled out on me. Four minutes for the next one.

This was now ridiculous: it took 40 minutes from Earl's Court to Green Park, not least because we waited at Hyde Park Corner for a good four to five minutes to 'even out the gaps in the service', which, seeing as it was 5, 6, and 8 behind, was a bit ridiculous, not least as we were already four minutes behind the train in front of us.

We crawled along to King's Cross St. Pancras, and then - AGAIN - the Northern Line pulled out on me. Two minutes followed by what seemed like an eternity to get to Moorgate followed. Ran up to the subsurface, where I finally got a decent change! On to Euston Square, ran to Euston... but I got to Euston and there were tourists blocking the barriers... then the barrier broke with my ticket halfway in it. I got it out and switched to a different barrier. But the whole scenario was ridiculous. Down to Tottenham Court Road, where the train - yet again - pulled out on me. Went to Oxford Circus - but again I got 'double train' syndrome, and crawled at about 0.5 miles per hour to the Victoria Line, which I got to Vauxhall to record a seemingly ridiculous time of 03:50:03.
1 FNC Completion (PB: 17:18:18 with G Bryant, A Chilcraft, I MacNaughton)
4 Zone Ones (PB: 03:00:35 with G Bryant)
15 R15s (PB: 01:55:48 with T Cooling and R Jackson)
11 All Lines (PB: 00:44:03)
Winner of the 2014 Formula 1 Side Competition
User avatar
tubeguru
Site Administrator
Posts: 9100
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 22:08
Location: The Twilight Zone
Contact:

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by tubeguru »

Any chance of a results thread?
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.

Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2022
Member of sweet FA
palkanetoijala31

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

tubeguru wrote:Any chance of a results thread?
you got more chance of the berc turning up on time for a random 15
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: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by The Orange One »

I teamed up with Glen at Liverpool Street, and Lancaster Gate is drawn. Due to somebody on the track at Kilburn, the Jubilee AND Metropolitan lines were partially closed, which meant planning for Bond Street was more difficult than expected. Anyway, we got to Lancaster Gate, the two lines were up and running, but with "Severe Delays". Not good.

Having no prior knowledge of Wimbleware timings, we elected not to do the doubleback and jumped on the Central Line west to Queensway - an Ealing Broadway. Had to wait ages for a lift that just wouldn't leave (only one lift was working!!) and was therefore overtaken by Tangy, who took the stairs - but it made no difference, as after the run to Bayswater, there was no train in evidence. Waited and waited. An S Stock passed through on its way to "Not In Service", and after about 7 minutes, a Wimbleware appears.

Off to Earl's Court, a fairly nondescript change onto a Mansion House terminator, which was quickly abandoned for an Upminster that left first. South Kensington, where a little girl's response to "Excuse me!" was to stop dead, and onto the Picc to Green Park with a run down the long corridor, which is a lot shorter than I remember, and onto the Jubilee Line, which turned up in a minute or so! This is where Kev and Nozza finally disappeared.

Up to Baker Street, where a H&C was pulling away. 4 minutes for the next train (a Circle), which sat around between Baker Street and Edgware Road. The Paddington run, where some barriers at the taxi rank cost us a Bakerloo, so another 3 minutes lost. Down to Regent's Park, where the lifts actually obey you when you press the "close door and leave" buttons, and the run to Great Portland Street. On to Moorgate and 3 minutes for the Northern Line, but only 1 minute for the Charing Cross branch at Euston.

Things start to improve, with something around a 30 seconds change at Leicester Square for the Piccadilly Line, a fast double-back at Russell Square, where queues for the lift were the worst I've ever seen on the entire network, and then Holborn. Two parents carrying a pushchair down the stairs here blocked the way entirely, but no trains missed, and on to Liverpool Street.

Reached the Eastbound platform here to see a H&C in platform. Got on, and as we left the station, saw "Circle Line via Tower Hill - 2 Mins" on the boards. Got off at Aldgate East for the fastest Aldgate run either of us had ever done, and nearly missed Rhys coming the other way completely. We did make the Circle, and it was the long haul to Sloane Square.

From then on, it was a series of fairly boring changes. Reverse at Sloane Square, Victoria at Victoria, SWT at Vauxhall, Jubilee at Waterloo. Oh - let people off the train at Waterloo, get on, and then people from the middle of the carriage have to get off as well. Even with these people getting off, it was completely packed, and it was thoroughly unpleasant to London Bridge, where we just missed a Northern. Another 4 minutes. Down to Elephant and Castle, pick up the Bakerloo, which as usual, took agonisingly long to leave, and then the run to the Central Line at Oxford Circus for the one stop journey to Marble Arch - fittingly an Ealing Broadway train, which was how this all started - and a final time of 03:12:45, which we thought wouldn't do so well.

Oh, and we took a Woodford via Hainault back to the pub.
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
Going Underground
The Twilight Zone
Posts: 8793
Joined: 11 Apr 2006, 12:24
Location: Down in a tube station at midnight.
Contact:

Re: Zone 1 2014- Friday 30th May

Post by Going Underground »

palkanetoijala31 wrote:
tubeguru wrote:Any chance of a results thread?
you got more chance of the berc turning up on time for a random 15
He was out on the R15 yesterday and at Slough running day today with T961, so it may be a while :wink:
Twice former full network GWR holder and former Zone 1 Olympic and World Record holder with The Raven and Soupie
Tube personality of the year 2009
Twice Winter Olympic Biathlon Gold Medalist with The Beer Baron
2008 All Lines Olympic Gold
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests