ZONE 1: MAY 19th, 2006

[tubeguru]

It's not PERFECTLY circular - one station has to be done by doubling back.

If that station is pulled out of the hat, I'm laughing

[Senji]

I still have my circular route from last time out, but it's rather inefficient so I'll probably blag one up on the day.

[tubeguru]

My route is a smorgasbord of past routes.

(I thought I'd never get that word into a concversation!)

[Senji]

I do have a travel-times map chopped down to Z1 only with run-routes (and one bus route) marked on it for route planning.

[tubeguru]

There's one section I would never change because it's the most efficient way of doing it - the trick is where to join it all together to fit the annoying stations like Russell Square and St Paul's etc in.

Most people have worked out how to do two of the main areas in Zone 1 now anyway so expect some similar starting routes ...

[Starkey7]

I didn't find it too difficult to plan a nice circular route, only repeating three stations. However the rubbishy Queensway business is a right pain in the neck. Am I going to be thought of as a little bit crackers if I decided to run from Bayswater to Notting Hill Gate?

[tubeguru]

Mine repeats 5 stations, including two stations you double back to after getting the fiddly ones out of the way.

I can't see a circular route which doesn't involve doubling-back. Trying to avoid it just makes the route very slow and twisty.

Don't forget - last year we started at St. James's Park and most people went straight to Sloane Square and doubled back.

[Senji]

Most of the rest went to Vauxhall and then doubled back (I carried on to Waterloo)

[Starkey7]

What if the starting station were Bayswater, and I wanted to finish by passing through Queensway (as the last station on my planned route)? When would I stop the clock?

[Senji]

When the doors opened at Notting Hill Gate was the answer from last time, I believe.

[tubeguru]

Good point.

Mr Presswell - any ideas.

I can think of two or three solutions to that, including removing Bayswater as a starting point.

[TheFatBuoy]

I didn't find it too difficult to plan a nice circular route, only repeating three stations. However the rubbishy Queensway business is a right pain in the neck. Am I going to be thought of as a little bit crackers if I decided to run from Bayswater to Notting Hill Gate?

Well mine involves 8 duplications - 7 different stations, but it doesn't seem *too* bad - theoretical 3h06m, allowing decent amount of times for changes.

Must try harder.....

[TheFatBuoy]

Mine repeats 5 stations, including two stations you double back to after getting the fiddly ones out of the way.

I can't see a circular route which doesn't involve doubling-back. Trying to avoid it just makes the route very slow and twisty.

Maybe that's where I'm going wrong, then.

[tubeguru]

Well the proof is in the 275 world record.

Geoff and I doubled back a few times during the record run.

[TheFatBuoy]

I've got some mean strategic walks planned though, that I thought were really good. Perhaps they're not that great in the grand scheme of things. I really do fancy having a crack at all 275 before the end of May though - i.e. before stuff like Regents Park temporarily closes, and Shoreditch closes for good, etc etc., so I can at least have a proper crack at the old method. My route doesn't even theoretically break records, but it comfortably gets me into Upminster *well* before the last train, and has been planned (as I may have mentioned once or thrice) with a walking speed of 3mph in mind, so would completely avoid running!