South of the River Challenge 27/10/2018
Posted: 28 Oct 2018, 00:13
Another example of "how not to do a challenge"!
Today I attended a model railway exhibition in Swanley, Kent and decided to have a go at the 'South of the River' Challenge on the way home. (Yes, I know east to west is the wrong way to do this challenge, but I was just really aiming to get a time on the board).
First thing that surprised me was how long it took to get from the exhibition hall in Swanley to North Greenwich - over an hour and a half! (considering it only took me two hours to get from Reading to Swanley). There must be a better way somewhere than the route I took....
Having finally boarded a westbound train at North Greenwich, I got to Canada Water and realised that I hadn't started the watch! Back to North Greenwich and start again!
Second time off to a better start, over to Waterloo, on to the Bakerloo to E&C, up to Borough, down to Stockwell, easy change to a southbound Vic to Brixton, up to Vauxhall, back down to Stockwell, back on to the Southbound Northern Line. All good changes so far - nearly all had the train ready waiting in the platform.
At Morden, with a respectable 1:10 on the top and thoughts of a sub-two-hour completion, the original intention was to double back up to Wimbledon South thence over to Wimbledon (I haven't been this way before), but with no other trains at Morden and the board saying a 3 minute wait for the next northbound, I opted to stay with the route I knew and ran round to Morden Road, down the steps and on to the platform (4 minutes to wait!). Round to Wimbledon, as I approach the Tube platforms I hear a Tube train departing. I think had I stuck with the South Wimbledon route, I may have made it.
Up to East Putney, run down the road to Putney. Next train to Richmond 28 minutes! Had I caught the earlier train at Wimbledon, I would have been a train up here too. Hopped out of the station, contemplated catching a 337 to Richmond instead but even that would have involved a 15 minute wait and been slower, so I got myself a burger to eat while waiting for the Richmond train. Nice change at Richmond for the District to Kew Gardens, final time 2:28:45 but could have been so much better....
Today I attended a model railway exhibition in Swanley, Kent and decided to have a go at the 'South of the River' Challenge on the way home. (Yes, I know east to west is the wrong way to do this challenge, but I was just really aiming to get a time on the board).
First thing that surprised me was how long it took to get from the exhibition hall in Swanley to North Greenwich - over an hour and a half! (considering it only took me two hours to get from Reading to Swanley). There must be a better way somewhere than the route I took....
Having finally boarded a westbound train at North Greenwich, I got to Canada Water and realised that I hadn't started the watch! Back to North Greenwich and start again!
Second time off to a better start, over to Waterloo, on to the Bakerloo to E&C, up to Borough, down to Stockwell, easy change to a southbound Vic to Brixton, up to Vauxhall, back down to Stockwell, back on to the Southbound Northern Line. All good changes so far - nearly all had the train ready waiting in the platform.
At Morden, with a respectable 1:10 on the top and thoughts of a sub-two-hour completion, the original intention was to double back up to Wimbledon South thence over to Wimbledon (I haven't been this way before), but with no other trains at Morden and the board saying a 3 minute wait for the next northbound, I opted to stay with the route I knew and ran round to Morden Road, down the steps and on to the platform (4 minutes to wait!). Round to Wimbledon, as I approach the Tube platforms I hear a Tube train departing. I think had I stuck with the South Wimbledon route, I may have made it.
Up to East Putney, run down the road to Putney. Next train to Richmond 28 minutes! Had I caught the earlier train at Wimbledon, I would have been a train up here too. Hopped out of the station, contemplated catching a 337 to Richmond instead but even that would have involved a 15 minute wait and been slower, so I got myself a burger to eat while waiting for the Richmond train. Nice change at Richmond for the District to Kew Gardens, final time 2:28:45 but could have been so much better....