I really want to do a more detailed write up but I have so much going on ATM, decorating, work and getting ready for a job interview in Sweden this Wednesday that (for once!), I'll have to be brief.
My train into Euston was delayed by 13 mins due to track problems near Rugby causing it to run slowly. After I got off, I went to Liverpool St as the Hamilton Hall pub is a good place a quick cuppa and, more importantly, it has nice, clean loos!
I will be honest and say that I did start early; I was always concerned about time today as I had to be back at Euston for the 20:31; even with the recce run I didn't know if I'd be able to get around the while thing in time so I started at 10:48 ... but it didn't do me any favours looking at the overall times!
Bottle
I caught the next Circle line train out of Liverpool St but started my stop watches (I had a phone recording the whole time and an individual stop watch for the sections) at Aldgate at 10:48
This went around to Gloucester Rd (11:12) where I swapped to the Piccadilly Line leaving at 11:17
KXSP at 11:36 and went to the H&C/C/Met line but didn't leave here until 11:41 - it felt like a long wait
Off at Liverpool St at 11:48 and down to the Central leaving promptly at 11:50 - although I was way out of position. At east stop I tried to move down carriages to get towards the back
All the way to Notting Hill Gate (12:11) I was out of position and it was bedlam. Everyone queuing to get from the platform to the escalators Arrghhh!
Got onto the C&D platform and left going south at 12:15
Arrived at HSK at 12:17 for a quick up and over for an approaching train to take me to Edgeware Road, leaving at 12:20
As the train got to Edgeware Road (12:28) it stopped, with the last 2 sets of doors not on the platform. It was an agonizing wait for the driver to reset and move the train forward so the doors would open.
Walked to the Bakerloo Edgeware Road and took a southbound train at 12:35
Off at Regents Park at 12:40 for the walk to Great Portland St, leaving at 12:45 and getting off at Euston Sq at 12:47
Another walk to Warren St to catch a southbound NL train finishing the bottle at Charing Cross at 12:58 in a time of 2 Hours, 10 minutes and 33 seconds.
Even though this is a PB for me, I was still disheartened that it wasn't closer to 2 hours - but I struggle with those Station-to-Station walks that you guys obviously run.
I stayed on the train down to Waterloo and this is where a serious delayed kicked in as I arrived on the platform at 13:04, 2 mins
after a Wimbledon bound train had departed, meaning I had to wait until 13:17 for the next one
Trams
From my recce run I knew I need to be at the front of the Waterloo train so when I got off at Wimbledon it was straight onto the stairs. I had a spare 2 mins to buy some more liquids before catching the first tram, the 13:39 to New Addington.
This arrived at Reeves Corner at 14:00 but stupidly I thought I had to be at the back. D'oh. As I walked up Church St the boards said the next 3 trams were 1. Wimbledon, 2. Wimbledon. 3. Elmers End - 7 mins. This gave me hope as it would have been galling to be passed by a tram I wanted. I got to the George St stop as the Elmers End tram was pulling in.
This left at 14:08 and I traveled to Sandilands where I got off at 14:23
At 14:29 I caught the next New Addigton tram arriving there at 14:43, reversing course at 14:48 taking me back to Sandilands for 15:02
Only a short wait for an Elmers End tram which left at 15:04 taking me the next double back at 15:13, departing at 15:20 ... maybe I need to consider that walk to Hartington Road?!
Back to Arena at 15:22 for an agonizing 7 minute wait for a Beckenham Junction train. I knew this meant I was going to miss the 15:35 train from Beckenham Junction to Lewisham
Left Arena at 15:29 and arrived at Beckenham Junction at 15:38, three mins after the Lewisham train had left. Nadgers!
I completed the trams in 1 hour, 59 mins & 58 seconds - and as it's my 1st proper attempt, another PB!
The only good thing about missing the 15:35 was the fact that a) I could have a wee at the station, b) I bought some drinks and c) I could have some of my packed lunch, so it wasn't all bad. The train from BJ to Lewisham left at 16:05 and arrived in Lewisham at 16:17. On my recce a few weeks ago, I did it in 2h 11m and I was hoping to beat that as I knew where I was going.
DLR
I arrived onto the DLR platforms just as a train was leaving.
The next to Bank left at 16:24 where I changed at Canary Wharf (along with everyone else) to a Stratford bound train, departing CW at 16:41
I made sure I was at the front so I could get off quickly and caught at Stratford International train at 16:57 and the double back to Woolwich Arsenal left at 17:02
Woolwich Arsenal at 17:24 for the double back at 17:27, arriving at KGV at 17:30. I got off here and walked up Pier Road to wait for a 474 bus.
And wait.
And wait.
It didn't come until 17:46, I got off 3 stops later and fat man walked to Galleons Reach getting onto the platform as a train was coming in, leaving for Becton at 17:53.
Arrived at Becton at 17:54 and the double back left at 17:56 heading back into the city, arriving at Tower Gateway at 18:22 with a 6 minute wait before it left for Shadwell.
I caught the final challenge train at Shadwell at 18:31 and stepped off the train at Bank stopping the watch at 2 hours 11 mins and 8 seconds. That's two runs of the DLR using the same route and method that have been the same time.
Stats
[*]Final times for all three 2:10:33+1:59:58+2:11:08 = 6 Hours 21 mins & 8 seconds - but the final clock was 7 hours 46 mins and 47 seconds
[*]I lost 41 mins between completing the Bottle and starting the Trams
[*]I lost 46 mins between completing the Trams and starting the DLR
[*]I lost 16 mins waiting for a chuffing bus
[*]I used 27 trains/trams during the course of the day
[*]I drank approx 5 litres of fluids ... but didn't pee enough to fill en egg cup!
If i ever do something like this again, I need to be able to do it without the time constraint of train tickets, that and be fitter! I'll so try to make it 'flow' better. My original Bottle plan saw me finishing at High St Kensington which would have (had I been on a District Line train), seen me travelling directly to Wimbledon without the faff of a Waterloo change. I'd like to thank Richard for thinking of and organizing the event; it's a cracking idea and I really enjoyed it - but if I do this again I'm gonna make a weekend of it as, for me, it's too much in one day!
I'm sorry I didn't get to the pub but by the time I'd got there I would have had to be heading back to Euston - the only person I saw during the day was Al who saw me stretching my legs on the train home and said "Hello, is your name Andrew?" WTF? Then it twigged as he said he was looking at who was on the train that looked like they might be stupid enough to do a tube/tram/DLR challenge!
I took some photos as a I went around the course and they can be viewed via this link.