I Give You The Christmas Park Challenge

Post by **tubeguru** » 14 Dec 2006, 14:50

http://www.busmap.org/

Click on Downloads.

The Central Area Map has a list of ALL the routes around the edge, and the maps load as PDFs.

gasman · Post by **gasman** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:26

tubeguru wrote:Crossing Eastern Avenue at Newbury Park could be tricky[...]There may be a subway.

Certainly looks like it from Google's aerial photo, although it's still a bit hard to tell...

Would be a bit of a stupid place to put a station if not, though.

Going Underground · Post by **Going Underground** » 14 Dec 2006, 17:26

gasman wrote:
tubeguru wrote:Crossing Eastern Avenue at Newbury Park could be tricky[...]There may be a subway.
Certainly looks like it from Google's aerial photo, although it's still a bit hard to tell...

Would be a bit of a stupid place to put a station if not, though.

Ummm in reality Wards Rd is a bit further than would appear on the bus map, I estimate about 700 metres

The good news is there is a subway...
Frequency every 10 mins and journey time around 36 mins so I don't reckon there is gonna be a lot in this between bus and double back all the way on the tube

tpfkar · Post by **tpfkar** » 14 Dec 2006, 21:54

Quick rule check : do you start/stop the stopwatch when you take the first/last photos? The start could be worth watching with people cutting it as fine as they think they can as the train pulls into Wimbledon Park!

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 15 Dec 2006, 07:21

tubeguru wrote:Take the District line one stop back to Dagenham East and get the 364 bus.

Honestly, I'm not even doing this and here I am working out your route for you ...

I'm not doing it either - but if I had been doing it I would consider going through Romford (e.g. buses 252 / 66). Off peak I think this could be as quick and it would save your legs quite a bit...

I also find this entire challenge most interesting!

Post by **tubeguru** » 15 Dec 2006, 09:26

But you'd have to change buses somewhere ...

The routes from Elm Park towards Romford are 252, 165, 365 and 372, and none of them continue towards Newbury Park.

I would almost certainly go for the Dagenham East to NP by 364 if I knew the District service was running OK in both directions up there.

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 15 Dec 2006, 09:30

Yes, bus change in Romford... Agreed it's a change, but there is little overall walking/running involved (which means I'd prefer it...)

Post by **tubeguru** » 15 Dec 2006, 09:36

My theory is that the 364 route is via "back streets", much in the same way as the 384 up at High Barnet goes around the houses.

Therefore, delays are less likely. Most buses from Romford towards NP are going to go along the busy A12/A13 Eastern Avenue, which could be busy and have delays.

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 15 Dec 2006, 09:38

Good point!

If this was a "serious" challenge where I'd participate, I'd probably go there recceing during the proper time of day to get a feel for it... Since it's "less serious" I'd rather save my legs twice (no recceing, no long sections on foot).

Post by **tubeguru** » 15 Dec 2006, 09:40

Having driven along Eastern Avenue out of London towards Essex many times, and past Newbury Park station, I can tell you it's a very wide road, and can get congested.

Going Underground · Post by **Going Underground** » 15 Dec 2006, 10:12

tpfkar wrote:Quick rule check : do you start/stop the stopwatch when you take the first/last photos? The start could be worth watching with people cutting it as fine as they think they can as the train pulls into Wimbledon Park!

Yes will have to see what Dr Who consider's to be the start and end of the challenge...

Does that stopwatch start and end with the photo's outside the stations or train departure / arrival at start / finish stations

I can just imagine the scene at Wimbledon Park with everyone trying to time their photos then all charging for the ticket barrier's to meet the approaching train

By the way did your theoretical time allow for stopping and taking photos because mine doesn't.....

tpfkar · Post by **tpfkar** » 15 Dec 2006, 20:48

Yes, my times do include getting out at every park station to take a photograph.

In fact, were this rule to be removed, my route would significantly change as I've factored in the time taken leaving the station as making runs to/from these stations more worth it, e.g. running to Ravenscourt Park which wouldn't happen otherwise. Several occurences of this across the route.

Although it will slow things down, I think the rule should stay as it is another distinctive feature of this challenge. I don't have a digital camera myself, so you might have to wait a few weeks before i can prove i visited them all!

Soup Dragon · Post by **Soup Dragon** » 16 Dec 2006, 02:22

I believe that when myself and Dr Who discussed this challenge we said that the watch should start when you take your first picture, so would need to be timed to try and coincide with departure of the first train. Likewise the watch should stop after the final picture has been taken. Even though Regents Park is cloased a picture of the station must still be taken which most likely means a visit to Great Portland St.

Wish I could join you all as I think this challenge will be good fun

Dr Who · Post by **Dr Who** » 16 Dec 2006, 08:17

Soup Dragon wrote: Even though Regents Park is cloased a picture of the station must still be taken which most likely means a visit to Great Portland St.

Now thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s where youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re wrong Soup Dragon
I say the picture dose not have to be taken at Regent's Park as it is closed

Dr Who · Post by **Dr Who** » 16 Dec 2006, 08:21

tpfkar wrote:I don't have a digital camera myself, so you might have to wait a few weeks before i can prove i visited them all!

Then you will have to sketch out each station then Ric
I trust you have a pen and paper

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I Give You The Christmas Park Challenge

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