Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

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Iain
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Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Given I'm probably the forum member who lives nearest, I should probably have tried a run earlier, but I didn't. I've spent a bit of time on it this week, and may spend more, so with that in mind, here's a thread.

First attempt write up:
Iain wrote: 22 Feb 2018, 17:08 Just back from a trip around the tramlink - it hardly seemed worth creating a separate thread.

I hereby declare the worst time yet of 2:13:49. It was always intended as a scouting trip but I figured I may as well record a time.

I started at Wimbledon, and quickly reached Reeves Corner. It was a short trip to Church Street, but I needed to go one more stop, which included a steep hill as many will know. I'd planned to go to Elmers End first, with a nice connection to Beckenham Jct. Sadly I'd massively over-allowed for this transfer, so either had to wait 8 minutes or gamble on a good connection off an unplanned BJ tram (oo-er missus). I decided to ride the first tram to Church Street, and to see if I could pick something vaguely useful up at Reeves, with the original Elmers train as a fall back. No luck at Reeves, so back to the planned tram.

This got held at a signal, which made the connection at Elmers tight but workable. I took the train to Clock House, then decided to see if making use of the nearby tram stop was a workable plan. Another 8 minute wait, which I used to scout for busses. Finally, the tram came, and I headed into BJ. I had looked at a zero minuter here, which categorically didn't work. The display indicated five minutes until the tram left, so I went looking for a toilet. I didn't take long, but the tram left at least two minutes before the time indicated by the display. So - ten more minutes wasted when I could have waited to pee, and then back towards Sandilands. A narrow miss here and another 8 minute wait for the Addington tram.

The tram went pretty fast, but the final time was slow. Then back into Croydon to scout the run from Centrale.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Second Attempt: 1:56:48

Today went a bit better, but still not anywhere near to my 1:40 plan. I set out from Wimbledon a minute after the planned time, and the tram crawled, so after a bit of thought I decided to restart, as my planned run in Croydon looked iffy.Second time things went better, but checking my app as I reached Croydon, I realised I couldn't hang about. Today I managed to cross the road without having to wait for the tram, but as i passed Church Street, it showed three Wimbledon trains but nothing for Beckenham J. A couple passed me, and I arrived at George Street with 30 seconds to spare, but no BJ tram 0 unless I wanted to wait 8 minutes. I went for the Elmers End train, which looked like it might just connect, but due to some holds it didn't. I'd hoped for a quick double back to the BJ train a few minutes behind, but this had decided to terminate early, so causing further delay.

Looking at the indicators as we passed through the stops, there seemed to be quite an uneven spread of trams on the branch, and today there was quite a wait at BJ. After yesterday I skipped a visit to the coffee shop, but I'd have had time. We headed back to Sandilands. A sub 2 was possible with a quick turnaround there, abd the app showed one minute to go to the outgoing train t New Addington. The indicators said "due" on the opposite platform as my tram pulled on, so I crossed the tracks speedily just as the tram pulled in.

The home straight went without incident, and my hunger was sated with a visit to the nearby Gregg's.

I think my route's solid, so I may well give it another try soon!
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Third attempt 1:50:13

The train out if Wimbo made such good progress that it caught up with the one ahead, leading to a couple of annoying holds. They, together with my lack of fitness cost me a tram at George Street, leading to a 5 minute wait for the next tram - to Wimbledon! Just before it stopped I saw a tram rounding the bend into Reeves, figured I'd miss it there so sped off down a back alley towards Centrale. Somehow I made it and was on the way to Beckenham. A fairly quick in and out there, back to Birkbeck and I pelted down the road to Elmers. I made the tram out with a minute to spare, and thought I might get close to 1:40 with a bit of luck at Sandilands. A couple of holds on the way down cost me, and I ended up with a 9 minute wait before the tram to Addington.

So near and yet so far!
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by DavidC »

Damn, you've overtaken me! I'm very concerned to see your use of a word like "pelted" - my "brisk strolls" definitely aren't in your league! Well done with the Church Street/Centrale move (perhaps inspired by Geoff's recent video?) - I haven't tried it yet. More significantly, I'm still trying to get my head around dynamically deciding on the best of the diverse approaches around BJ/EE (trams, buses, walking, planes, trains and automobiles) - the theory is all fine but I really struggle with optimal decision-making on the fly at the eastern end.
First to 100000 in the 2015+ Tumbleweed contest. Winner of a few rounds of a diverse range of quizzes/games. Some decent times in alternative challenges as a fiftysomething who merely walks briskly. Briefly led All The Actons.
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by DavidC »

OK, that was a seasonal reference: obviously not automobiles and (realistically) not planes :-)
First to 100000 in the 2015+ Tumbleweed contest. Winner of a few rounds of a diverse range of quizzes/games. Some decent times in alternative challenges as a fiftysomething who merely walks briskly. Briefly led All The Actons.
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Yep - I have to say I was dubious when I saw it in Geoff's video, but it worked. Looking at the video, he was at Centrale about 30 minutes in, whereas I was stuck at George Street. I can't believe his walking beat my running, so maybe he got lucky/I got unlucky with the spacing.

My idea of pelting may not be the same as yours! I'm really not that fast.

I may give it another go over the holidays
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Another run today, this time off a slightly earlier tram. I managed to get a tram up due to better running from Reeves and looked on for being on for a sub 1:40, until some ticket inspectors held the tram at Sandilands and then a further hold just after Arena. Having narrowly missed a quick double back at Beckenham Junction, so I decided to run to Elmers. I had a two minute wait at Sandilands and then headed up to New Addington for a 1:48:25 finish.

I was just walking to the nearby Greggs for refreshment when I witnessed an assault. I'd better not say any more but I'll likely need to give a statement to the BTP. I headed home to find Gravel Hill on a passthrough due to an earlier incident that had involved the police.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

A busy day today, with two attempts. The first had a familiar start from Wimbledon, and the tram fair pelted along, hitting Reeves in 18-19 minutes minutes. I'm going off a slightly earlier tram than my first attempt, making sure I catch the tram I want into Elmers, but today I had to let a couple go by before it came! I'd tried taking the Beckenham one last week, so this time I rode it to Arena and then waited. As my time's getting faster and I get a bit faster, I reckon I could go off the next tram out of Wimbledon and still have a good chance of making the desired Elmers tram.

The tram to Elmers was delayed, so instead of trying to run to Birkbeck, I rode the train that was handily pulling in to Clock House. A fast double back to BJ left me well placed, and I was imagining the possibility of a sub 1:40 with a good change at Sandilands. However I just missed it by 30 seconds, meaning a four minute wait. I finally finished at New Addington in 1:45:23, but if I'd started five minutes later and made the tram at Sandilands, I'd have been close to the record.

I'd normally have called it a day there, but after a stop at Gregg's felt like trying a reversed route from New Addington. I times the start to try to hit the same sequence around Elmers and BJ, but missed the swap at Sandilands by over a minute. This meant BJ first, a quick double back and then a fairly good connection to Elmers End. I got to Sandilands for the second time as the stopwatch hit an hour, and I thought I might beat my time from earlier, with just Croydon and the line to Wimbledon to do.

Sadly by this point the schools had finished, so the tram crawled, and instead of tight connections I had two five minute ones around Croydon. My finish time was 1:52:48, but there was plenty of room for improvement.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by dstock17 »

OK I know this is iain, s blog but I can't be arsed to create one after listening to all his efforts I thought I give it a go myself started off on 11.01 at wimbo and made a nice run up the hill in Croydon on to a Wimbledon Tram using centrale as a running point easily made an Elmers end tram with a piss break.

Running out of station I really must do the run more often took a wrong turn and ended up going mile out of my way rectified this and got to the station a minute too late along 8 min wait and then a 3 at sandilands saw a 1h 48h 06sat new Addington. Immediately restarting the watch to reverse saw a good start a 2 min wait for Elmers end Tram and this time went right way literally saw arriving beck j tram in and sprinted onto the waiting Tram with 14s to spare coming into Croydon I dashed off at church St ran to Reeves Corner and did go back to Wellesley Rd tried to beat the tram but it blocked me causing me to miss a wimbo Tram and a 4 min wait but a good reverse time of 1h 41m 50s
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

I'm wondering where you took the aforementioned piss break! Maccy D's or did you have time to go into the shopping centre? :lol:
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by dstock17 »

Little alleyway just off centrale
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

I started off a later tram today, which got held up by ticket inspectors (again), so I decided to scout some of the weird runs/buses/teleportations that I'd thought of. Two hours later, I realised my watch was still running and I would only visit the last station on my way home. The outcome was a new slowest time of 3:04:57. :lol:
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Another mixed day - I went back to my earlier start, gambling on being able to make the tram behind me after taking out the two Croydon stops with "street" in their name. This was a real gamble, but I nearly made it. I got to Church Street with 90 seconds to run to Centrale, and as I got to the road just by the stop I had 30 seconds to spare. However the tram wasn't playing ball and left just as I first caught sight of it. I bailed and headed back for a restart at Wimbo.

The next attempt was going better, until we got held before the one way bit just before Reeves. I decided to try a rather unusual idea I'd had last night, and it wasn't far off working. I was still on for a "same tram"finish, so figured I'd give it a go. Elmers and BJ went smoothly, but I just missed getting a New Addington tram up. Still, the one behind was five minutes away. I ws watching the time carefully up the last stretch, and just snuck under 1:45 by 1 second - 1:44:59

Greggs provided a hearty lunch, and I figured I might as well see what I could do on the way back. Things went well, although I narrowly missed an Elmers tram at Sandilands. I polished off that branch quickly, and the bit round central Croydon went with only 30 seconds wait at each switch. I got on the final tram at George Street with my watch showing 1:16, leading me to feel a sub 1:40 time might be possible. Unfortunately, due to several long holds adding up to over five minutes, my actual finish time was 1:44:12. Still - my fastest yet, just not by as much as I'd hoped.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

After a bit of a break due to work and tram repairs, I was back out again today. I've been trying to get a successful start off a BJ tram and get onto the following Elmers tram having done the "Streets" in the one way bit. This is super tough bu I have had a few near misses. I missed a golden opportunity today - the Elmers tram from Wimbo was running three minutes late, so if I'd caught that then I'd have had an extra two minutes to make the following Elmers tram after polishing off George and Church street - only adding two minutes to my projected time but making the tricky connection more likely.

However I waited for the BJ tram, and gave up as the tram behind was catching up. On the third restart things went better, and coming into Sandilands for the home straight to Addington, I had a possible sub 1:40. A narrow miss wiped this off the table, but I only had three minutes to wait and finally finished in 1:43:24.
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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Re: Iain's Tram Trials and Tribulations

Post by Iain »

Another few attempts today, including one that went like clockwork leaving me with 25 minutes to go from George Street to Wimbo to beat the record. However by this time it was busy, so a couple of hold and waits at stops pushed me back to 1:40:13. The starting sequence has a lot of potential so I may well give it another try
Full Network: Three completions, Best time: 17:18:18 - thanks Glen, Andrew and Rhys!
Former DLR 45 station record holder (with Glen, Andi and Stevo) - 2h:08m:57s
All lines: 46:11 (6th equal)
Zone One 2:52:51 (thanks Glen)
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