Random 15 Championship 2009/10

[greatkingrat]

If you think 10am is early then you are never going to do a full network!

[Sam]

If you think 10am is early then you are never going to do a full network!

Well Said

[RichieG]

I'll let him off - he's still in full time education... I've been out of that (kind of) for four years now and I still can't wake up on Saturday mornings

(As it happens, I can't make this one either because of work - ironically, I have to be up for 10am as that's when I start!)

[Sam]

I think we're around the same age and I do 04:50 starts so I certainly know what EARLY is!!!

[waterloo and city]

If you think 10am is early then you are never going to do a full network!

Well, I've got till the summer to change that.

Adam.

[rhubarbrhubarb]

At least it won't be quite so cold in the early morning then!!

[JoeGJ1984]

I just discovered that I will be unable to attend the R15 this Saturday due to engineering works on the (long-distance) mainline trains I would have to use to get to London (I would get in to Marylebone at 12.15 instead of 11.15 - not enough time to get to Canada Water for the start). It does seem common to have engineering works at weekends, so I'm hoping this won't keep happening and leave me unable to attend and I'm also making a request. Can you in future perhaps fix a start time for future rounds (don't change this one coming up though) of something like 2pm? Because I read about other people who come from a long distance and I think an R15 typically takes 2-3 hours, so I can't imagine this causing anyone to not be able to attend, and I think even if there are engineering works and the trains take longer, I think wherever you start from you should be able to get to the starting station by 2pm (some starting stations can take time to get to, particularly if you do the London Overground round next and Upper Holloway comes out as the starting station). In addition, it would be nice to have lunch before you start rather than start at lunchtime.

Out of interest, if I did come, I would use http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk which, if you look at the site, has only a limited number of trains. And you can see here the times for this Saturday at http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/p ... s-wk49.pdf (which was only made available today), which leaves me unable to attend (normally the first train would get in at 11.15 which would be ample time. And I think I would have ample time to get to any station in zone 1 or 2 by 2pm with my train getting in at 12.15).

I don't know what trains/routes other people may take, but it's hard to see how a later start would make them unable to attend. I appreciate that with other challenges, sometimes they can be too long to allow me to use these trains, but that is not the case with the R15, so I ask if the usual pattern of starting between 12 and 1pm is just personal preference. I'm sure that people would like to have it so that it wouldn't interfere with lunch/evening meal, and it is short enough to be able to be timed that way, so for at least the next round, can we have a 2pm start please?

[Sam]

Where do you travel from?

[JoeGJ1984]

I've never come before, but if I do come, it will be from Shrewsbury. (I've heard of one or more people coming from Sheffield, so certainly not the furthest).

[Sam]

Could you not change and come into Euston?

[tangy]

I guess you wish to travel to cheapest possible, which is where W & S are winners with a SVR on thier trains only £40.00 but travelling via BHM (route B'ham ticket) is only 5.80 more plus a much more frequent service!

[waterloo and city]

I can now confirm that my presence will not be available for this event. 1 half of the team is working and the other will be lying in bed with a cold.

Adam.

[Soup Dragon]

I don't know what trains/routes other people may take, but it's hard to see how a later start would make them unable to attend. I appreciate that with other challenges, sometimes they can be too long to allow me to use these trains, but that is not the case with the R15, so I ask if the usual pattern of starting between 12 and 1pm is just personal preference. I'm sure that people would like to have it so that it wouldn't interfere with lunch/evening meal, and it is short enough to be able to be timed that way, so for at least the next round, can we have a 2pm start please?

In the winter months it is good to try and start as early as possible so that the challenge can be completed in daylight hours. Also from the social aspect it's enjoyable to have a few hours in the pub after the challenge to meet fellow challengers and play a few games of darts. Not everyone rushes straight back to the pub afterwards, some competitors choose to stop for a bite to eat before going to the Horse & Groom (which unfortunately doesn't serve food on Saturdays). The London Overground round will be a fixed start from Imperial Wharf to give it a belated welcome onto the network, we can run a poll nearer the time to decide the preferred date and starting time for this round.

[greatkingrat]

Half of the Overground is closed until May so it might be a good idea to delay the Overground R15 until the summer. By then the ELL will be open as well which will make it more interesting.

[Soup Dragon]

Half of the Overground is closed until May so it might be a good idea to delay the Overground R15 until the summer. By then the ELL will be open as well which will make it more interesting.

Thats a good point. Perhaps Round 5 can be a normal one and then the final round in late May to include all zone 2 overground stations.