Sheffield Supertram

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mps247
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by mps247 »

Rather than change at Fitzalan Square, would it be better to run between Sheffield Station and Hyde Park? Although they are not particularly close together, going to Fitzalan Square seems a bit of a diversion as you will be moving against traffic. It is feasible for a yellow route service to pass by you as you are on a blue route to Fitzalan Square from Sheffield Station. Next tram 10 minutes! Running between Sheffield Station and Hyde Park will probably take just a little longer than getting to Fitzalan Square, but you improve your chances of catching your next tram as you are running in its direction as opposed to against it.

On your second visit to Sheffield station, you could leave from the main entrance and run to Fitzalan Square to give you a choice of the blue and yellow services rather than use the blue route from Sheffield station.
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

mps247 wrote:Rather than change at Fitzalan Square, would it be better to run between Sheffield Station and Hyde Park? Although they are not particularly close together, going to Fitzalan Square seems a bit of a diversion as you will be moving against traffic. It is feasible for a yellow route service to pass by you as you are on a blue route to Fitzalan Square from Sheffield Station. Next tram 10 minutes! Running between Sheffield Station and Hyde Park will probably take just a little longer than getting to Fitzalan Square, but you improve your chances of catching your next tram as you are running in its direction as opposed to against it.

On your second visit to Sheffield station, you could leave from the main entrance and run to Fitzalan Square to give you a choice of the blue and yellow services rather than use the blue route from Sheffield station.
Yep, already planned. The reason I mention "being lucky" at Fitzalan is if things are in your favour (purple/blue just ahead of schedule, yellow just behind) you could get a yellow tram in time, which will always be quicker than running (and you will need to run) between Station and Hyde Park stops. I've done this a few times over the years when using the trams like a normal person! Thing is there's no way to see this potential connection opening up until you're en route to Fitzalan anyway and if you just miss it there there's no time to make up for it on foot. Conversely there's little point legging it to Hyde Park if you end up on the same tram anyway. Also, there's a fair hill to climb to Hyde Park (the trackway is on a viaduct from there into town)! Decisions, decisions...

Without wanting to share too much more, there's also the bonus that if you do touch Fitzalan on the way out to Meadowhall then you don't need to pick up the tram again until Castle Square, if returning to town via bus or train. Of course the stops are only about 45 seconds apart in town but that's still time saved...
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mps247
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by mps247 »

Wanstead wrote:Yep, already planned. The reason I mention "being lucky" at Fitzalan is if things are in your favour (purple/blue just ahead of schedule, yellow just behind) you could get a yellow tram in time, which will always be quicker than running (and you will need to run) between Station and Hyde Park stops. I've done this a few times over the years when using the trams like a normal person! Thing is there's no way to see this potential connection opening up until you're en route to Fitzalan anyway and if you just miss it there there's no time to make up for it on foot. Conversely there's little point legging it to Hyde Park if you end up on the same tram anyway. Also, there's a fair hill to climb to Hyde Park (the trackway is on a viaduct from there into town)! Decisions, decisions...
I see what you mean. I have noticed, however, that sometimes the blue route service stops at Sheffield Station for a while if it is running early. This actually happens quite often during the late morning and early afternoon, which I assume is the best time to attempt this challenge (which depends on the purple route timetable though, so this may not necessarily be the case). In that case, you might be better off running between Sheffield Station and Hyde Park.

I didn't actually know about the hill before Hyde Park. I very rarely used the yellow route past Fitzalan Square (I used to live between Hillsborough and Malin Bridge). With that in mind, you are probably right to say that going to Fitzalan Square is the better option.
Wanstead wrote:Without wanting to share too much more, there's also the bonus that if you do touch Fitzalan on the way out to Meadowhall then you don't need to pick up the tram again until Castle Square, if returning to town via bus or train. Of course the stops are only about 45 seconds apart in town but that's still time saved...
I was going to suggest getting out at Fitzalan Square and running to Castle Square if you had the time to take a tram back out. The two stops are ridiculously close together. On your second visit to Sheffield Station you could run to Cathedral instead. I was thinking that the crews normally change over at Castle Square, so you can use the delay to your advantage and take a more direct run to Cathedral. I'm not sure it would save you that much time though.
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

mps247 wrote:I didn't actually know about the hill before Hyde Park. I very rarely used the yellow route past Fitzalan Square (I used to live between Hillsborough and Malin Bridge). With that in mind, you are probably right to say that going to Fitzalan Square is the better option.
Can't miss it! It's why the railway's in a deep cutting just north of the station.
mps247 wrote:I was going to suggest getting out at Fitzalan Square and running to Castle Square if you had the time to take a tram back out. The two stops are ridiculously close together. On your second visit to Sheffield Station you could run to Cathedral instead. I was thinking that the crews normally change over at Castle Square, so you can use the delay to your advantage and take a more direct run to Cathedral. I'm not sure it would save you that much time though.
Or even, alight at either FS, CS or Cathedral and take an outbound tram at either Cathedral, CS or FS, depending on relative positions of the trams within that stretch around that time. Then you can pick up again as far away as City Hall on the way back out. The run from the mainline station to CH is almost a straight line through the very heart of the (pedestrianised) city so, as I've mentioned before, this is definitely one for early morning.
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mps247
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by mps247 »

Wanstead wrote:
mps247 wrote:I didn't actually know about the hill before Hyde Park. I very rarely used the yellow route past Fitzalan Square (I used to live between Hillsborough and Malin Bridge). With that in mind, you are probably right to say that going to Fitzalan Square is the better option.
Can't miss it! It's why the railway's in a deep cutting just north of the station.
Oh that bloody big thing! I can't believe I forgot about that... I used to stare at it all the time while waiting for the tram... :oops:
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

Going to try a freshly-devised route Friday 11th September, then make it in to work (in Chesterfield) by 9am!

Should be good practice for this, of course.
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

Wanstead wrote:Going to try a freshly-devised route Friday 11th September, then make it in to work (in Chesterfield) by 9am!

Should be good practice for this, of course.
Everything set for the attempt Friday morning. Paced out Gleadless Townend to Herdings Park yesterday. Will even be able to go home for 30 mins before heading out for work as normal (office doesn't open early). Pity the 0445 start though! :shock:
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al
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by al »

Good luck!
Held some Alternative Challenge records for a long time.
Doesn't any more.
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

al wrote:Good luck!
The attempt this morning effectively failed before I'd even left from the first stop. Tram scheduled to depart 05:56:00 actually left 05:58:30, despite arriving on time, meaning I missed my first connection at 06:00:00 and the next tram wasn't due for another 20 minutes. By the time I'd decided to give up and head back to where I'd parked up (Halfway), it took nearly as long as the whole attempt should have. At least I saved the train fare. :(

Have come up with a slight variation on the above which potentially loses up to 4 minutes (thus putting me just a minute or so short of the current record) but eliminates the all-or-nothing connection so early on.
Last edited by Wanstead on 11 Sep 2009, 10:22, edited 3 times in total.
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palkanetoijala31

Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Wanstead wrote:
al wrote:Good luck!
The attempt this morning effectively failed before I'd even left from the first stop. Tram scheduled to depart 05:56:00 actually left 05:58:30 meaning I missed my first connection at 06:00:00 and the next tram wasn't due for another 20 minutes. By the time I'd decided to give up and head back to where I'd parked up (Halfway), it took nearly as long as the whole attempt should have. At least I saved the train fare. :(
Lets hope u have better luck monday lol
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

Might try this again soon and at least complete it this time. Got the bug now!

Malin Bridge branch is a nightmare though.
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palkanetoijala31

Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Wanstead wrote:Might try this again soon and at least complete it this time. Got the bug now!

Malin Bridge branch is a nightmare though.
if u can complete the full network this should b a doddle.
Mitchell&BrownLook
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Mitchell&BrownLook »

While to complete it may be a doddle I'd like to think breaking the record won't be thank you very much Andi! The pair of us spent ages pouring over timetables to pick the quickest physically possible option, and while I accept all the challenges I've done since have been more taxing, it did still involve some effort lol! Honestly!

As for Malin Bridge being a nightmare, the situation has got far worse since our record time, as the traffic signals have been changed at Hillsborough corner making tram journeys slower. A Saturday is also an interesting idea, I'd like to see how you do.
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Mitchell&BrownLook wrote:While to complete it may be a doddle I'd like to think breaking the record won't be thank you very much Andi! The pair of us spent ages pouring over timetables to pick the quickest physically possible option, and while I accept all the challenges I've done since have been more taxing, it did still involve some effort lol! Honestly!

As for Malin Bridge being a nightmare, the situation has got far worse since our record time, as the traffic signals have been changed at Hillsborough corner making tram journeys slower. A Saturday is also an interesting idea, I'd like to see how you do.
Does this tram system run on a saturday or a Sunday then it is a challenge i gladly except i was thinking completing would be a doddle not record wise. :oops: my apologies if u believe otherwise if it makes u feel better i be a rookie doing ur network :(
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Wanstead
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Re: Sheffield Supertram

Post by Wanstead »

palkanetoijala31 wrote:
Mitchell&BrownLook wrote:While to complete it may be a doddle I'd like to think breaking the record won't be thank you very much Andi! The pair of us spent ages pouring over timetables to pick the quickest physically possible option, and while I accept all the challenges I've done since have been more taxing, it did still involve some effort lol! Honestly!

As for Malin Bridge being a nightmare, the situation has got far worse since our record time, as the traffic signals have been changed at Hillsborough corner making tram journeys slower. A Saturday is also an interesting idea, I'd like to see how you do.
Does this tram system run on a saturday or a Sunday then it is a challenge i gladly except i was thinking completing would be a doddle not record wise. :oops: my apologies if u believe otherwise if it makes u feel better i be a rookie doing ur network :(
It does run Saturday at a slightly lower frequency than weekdays, and Sunday service a bit quieter still. On the NR line Sheffield - Meadowhall there's at least 10tph all day it seems.

I might give Saturday a go just because it's obviously convenient, and if I don't have to take the earliest trams it's even easier still as I could be out my front door, do it, and be back in within 3 hours flat! :)

Beginning to see just how tight your timings were, Mr Brown et al.
Last edited by Wanstead on 19 Sep 2009, 13:43, edited 2 times in total.
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