Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
- CrunchySaviour
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
That makes sense to me and would definitely be very exciting, but would restrict route planning because of the fixed start and end points. It would still be better to do it like that, rather than only define a finish station and start the clock as soon as THAT is drawn, essentially making the meeting-place the starting station.
I personally like the wait in the pub and the announcement of results, so I suppose I like the current (classic) method.
Anyway, here's my report.
Having scoped out a couple of connections, Adham and I arrived at the pub to meet Philip Brown, Garion and Andi. The pub didn't open til just after 12, so we were in for a swift jog down to the meeting place for the reading of the starting station, which we just caught by a matter of seconds. Adham and I ran off to Angel and got there a train or two before the pack, in order to sit and do some route planning in earnest.
The route we used was a circular route. Adham had come up with another one that would have required the Paddington run to be done backwards, along with most of the other runs that I was used to, although the Vauxhall connection would have been in the "right" direction (i.e. Vauxhall to Waterloo). As it was, we went with my route and made the sacrifice of doing Vauxhall the slightly more challenging Waterloo-Vauxhall way, but all the other runs and changes as I am used to doing them.
We set off on the first train AFTER 1pm, meaning we all missed one by ten seconds for the sake of the rules, along with everyone but Tangy - he doubled back at King's Cross instead of just staying on the same Piccadilly train from Russell Square and visiting KX at the end, which would prove to be his downfall. The crowd on the first train was split into about three main groups, presumably one for Moorgate, one for Bank and one perhaps for Elephant and Castle.
Adham and I rocketed out of the train at Moorgate, hoping to slip into a waiting train on the sub-surface lines to take us to Paddington, but there was no train on the platform, and the pack caught up with us. The shape of things to come. I think fairly well all of us did the same thing here, as the first train was a H&C, and we all went to Paddington.
Steven Karahan managed to nip ahead of me at the Paddington steps, having selected the superior door on the train, and with the attendant warning "One at a time, please!" we headed through the ticket barriers and into the main train shed of the station. This is my favourite run, but I was out of practice and forgot to keep left after the barriers and take the ramp. I was behind Adham by a long way at first but just about caught up with him by the time we reached the Bakerloo platform, and once again there was no train there, and everyone else could comfortably make the very same connection.
This Bakerloo train started off normally, but as it got nearer to Waterloo and our destination, Elephant and Castle, it began to stop at each red signal and wait for annoyingly long periods on the platforms. This prompted Karahan to do the southern Jubilee/Northern/Bakerloo loop in reverse, and he changed at Waterloo. I, Adham and Peter Smythe remained on the train and made some unremarkable connections at E&C and London Bridge, and at Waterloo found ourselves on the same train for Vauxhall as Steven Karahan, who was trying to catch up with teammate Dudey, as he had separated from the team and gone ahead.
None of our connections were incredibly bad, and the Vauxhall/Victoria/Sloane Square ones were reasonable, seeing Dudey in the opposite train at Victoria heading Aldgate way. We were blessed with a Circle train at Sloane, which took us to Aldgate, and from there reached Aldgate East having found that the usual entrance was closed (thanks for warning us about that, Steven!!!). Dudey and Karahan even managed a high-five while running between these stations in opposite directions.
A Hammersmith train pulled inm for us at Aldgate East within a minute or two (OK, I suppose that was a good connection!) and we were off to Liverpool Street, then Queensway. Both lifts had just left at Queensway, so Dudey (who we had just caught up with) made what turned out to be a good decision to run up the stairs instead. The connections at Bayswater and Earls Court were OK, and we met the organisers and Tangy, who were now on their last train. We thought Tangy had it in the bag, but didn't know that Andi and Garion had the advantage of the later start.
At Russell Square, Steven's and our routes finally changed. Steven had decided to continue up the Piccadilly to KX, then Vic to Warren Street, and Northern to Goodge Street to finish. Adham and I were to run from Russell to Goodge Street, and then take just one Northern train to Euston to finish. If we had a good run and they had bad changes, we'd beat them, and although we knew we couldn't win at this point, we could at least gain a place. It was a gamble we had to take.
The lift was waiting for us at Russell Square, and with Peter Smythe in tow we headed off on this one-kilometre run. We left the bejacketed Smythe behind during the run and ran straight into a waiting lift at Goodge Street, to meet an approaching train on the platform. What a cracking change! The train slowed and we boarded, and as it waited for an agonising few seconds on the platform we were willing the doors to close and get a train ahead of Smythe. They did, and Peter reached the platform as our train headed north to Euston for our finish time of 3:03:14.
It turned out that Steven and co had a pair of good changes at KX and Warren Street, and we had missed out on 6th place by just one minute. Next time...
I personally like the wait in the pub and the announcement of results, so I suppose I like the current (classic) method.
Anyway, here's my report.
Having scoped out a couple of connections, Adham and I arrived at the pub to meet Philip Brown, Garion and Andi. The pub didn't open til just after 12, so we were in for a swift jog down to the meeting place for the reading of the starting station, which we just caught by a matter of seconds. Adham and I ran off to Angel and got there a train or two before the pack, in order to sit and do some route planning in earnest.
The route we used was a circular route. Adham had come up with another one that would have required the Paddington run to be done backwards, along with most of the other runs that I was used to, although the Vauxhall connection would have been in the "right" direction (i.e. Vauxhall to Waterloo). As it was, we went with my route and made the sacrifice of doing Vauxhall the slightly more challenging Waterloo-Vauxhall way, but all the other runs and changes as I am used to doing them.
We set off on the first train AFTER 1pm, meaning we all missed one by ten seconds for the sake of the rules, along with everyone but Tangy - he doubled back at King's Cross instead of just staying on the same Piccadilly train from Russell Square and visiting KX at the end, which would prove to be his downfall. The crowd on the first train was split into about three main groups, presumably one for Moorgate, one for Bank and one perhaps for Elephant and Castle.
Adham and I rocketed out of the train at Moorgate, hoping to slip into a waiting train on the sub-surface lines to take us to Paddington, but there was no train on the platform, and the pack caught up with us. The shape of things to come. I think fairly well all of us did the same thing here, as the first train was a H&C, and we all went to Paddington.
Steven Karahan managed to nip ahead of me at the Paddington steps, having selected the superior door on the train, and with the attendant warning "One at a time, please!" we headed through the ticket barriers and into the main train shed of the station. This is my favourite run, but I was out of practice and forgot to keep left after the barriers and take the ramp. I was behind Adham by a long way at first but just about caught up with him by the time we reached the Bakerloo platform, and once again there was no train there, and everyone else could comfortably make the very same connection.
This Bakerloo train started off normally, but as it got nearer to Waterloo and our destination, Elephant and Castle, it began to stop at each red signal and wait for annoyingly long periods on the platforms. This prompted Karahan to do the southern Jubilee/Northern/Bakerloo loop in reverse, and he changed at Waterloo. I, Adham and Peter Smythe remained on the train and made some unremarkable connections at E&C and London Bridge, and at Waterloo found ourselves on the same train for Vauxhall as Steven Karahan, who was trying to catch up with teammate Dudey, as he had separated from the team and gone ahead.
None of our connections were incredibly bad, and the Vauxhall/Victoria/Sloane Square ones were reasonable, seeing Dudey in the opposite train at Victoria heading Aldgate way. We were blessed with a Circle train at Sloane, which took us to Aldgate, and from there reached Aldgate East having found that the usual entrance was closed (thanks for warning us about that, Steven!!!). Dudey and Karahan even managed a high-five while running between these stations in opposite directions.
A Hammersmith train pulled inm for us at Aldgate East within a minute or two (OK, I suppose that was a good connection!) and we were off to Liverpool Street, then Queensway. Both lifts had just left at Queensway, so Dudey (who we had just caught up with) made what turned out to be a good decision to run up the stairs instead. The connections at Bayswater and Earls Court were OK, and we met the organisers and Tangy, who were now on their last train. We thought Tangy had it in the bag, but didn't know that Andi and Garion had the advantage of the later start.
At Russell Square, Steven's and our routes finally changed. Steven had decided to continue up the Piccadilly to KX, then Vic to Warren Street, and Northern to Goodge Street to finish. Adham and I were to run from Russell to Goodge Street, and then take just one Northern train to Euston to finish. If we had a good run and they had bad changes, we'd beat them, and although we knew we couldn't win at this point, we could at least gain a place. It was a gamble we had to take.
The lift was waiting for us at Russell Square, and with Peter Smythe in tow we headed off on this one-kilometre run. We left the bejacketed Smythe behind during the run and ran straight into a waiting lift at Goodge Street, to meet an approaching train on the platform. What a cracking change! The train slowed and we boarded, and as it waited for an agonising few seconds on the platform we were willing the doors to close and get a train ahead of Smythe. They did, and Peter reached the platform as our train headed north to Euston for our finish time of 3:03:14.
It turned out that Steven and co had a pair of good changes at KX and Warren Street, and we had missed out on 6th place by just one minute. Next time...
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- tubeguru
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
OK, here's my detailed report of Zone 1 day.
I left my house at around 6am and walked at a fairly leisurely pace to Hammersmith station (H&C). There was one train in the station and it departed at about 06.10 for Barking. I alighted at Paddington, having assumed the correct door position, walked up the steps, through the barriers, right onto the overbridge, down onto platform 1 and into the train crew messroom. I skillfully avoided a collision with a train manager coming out of the door I was going in and made it to the booking on point ahead of schedule, where I attended to the junk mail in my pigeonhole. After a walk to Sainsbury's and a short delay in the queue for the self-service checkouts, I filled my water bottle and picked up the phone to book on for duty.
My first task was to sit about on my arse until 08.48, at which time I was charged with taking an empty HST to the Oak via the Greenford loop (the train was in reverse formation and had to be put the right wat round again). I confirmed with the signaller that this was indeed the case and asked him if he could route me via the down Wycombe line as I hadn't driven the route in that direction for some months. He acquiesced to my request and sent me on my way. So off I went out of Paddington, over the Engine and Carriage line, along the reception line and onto the down Wycombe past North Acton, Perivale and Hanger Lane tube stations in succession alongside me. Round the Greenford East curve (obeying the semaphore signals that are still in use at Greenford) and out onto the up Greenford line, I was held at the AOCL at the Plasser works before being routed back onto the up relief at West Ealing, where I had to sound my horn in frustration at the stupid gimp who walked right out in front of me across the crossing as the lights were flashing and I was starting to move. That made the bugger jump.
I passed through Ealing Broadway, past Acton Yard and Acton Mainline station, before taking a left back onto the reception line. From there I continued down to the Kensal Green platforms where I changed ends and was routed back into the Oak and into the carriage shed.
I was now ahead of schedule by ten minutes and made the connection into the messroom easily in time to see the DNA results on the Jeremy Kyle Show. Shortly afterwards another driver made the tea and we were faced with the difficult decision of whether to go for the bourbons or the custard creams. The custard creams won the vote 2-1 and we duly scoffed the lot. After more sitting around on our arses the shunters called up to ask if two drivers could come out and move an HST from one of the fuelling roads (we have to have two men on these jobs now because there is no official walking route alongside the trains on the south side roads).
A swift out and back in move was followed by more tea drinking, before I made my way out to prep the 12.30 off the Oak for Paddington. I was able to leave the Oak fifteen minutes ahead of schedule but then it all went wrong when the signaller made me sit on the Engine and Carriage line for 12 minutes until platform five became available. Once it was clear I was signalled into the station, arriving bang on time. I immobilsed the train, made my way back to the messroom, dropped off my Bardic lamp and decided I'd had more than enough for a Friday and buggered off back to the H&C platform. A three minute wait was followed by a nippy journey to Great Portland Street whence I alighted and ambled down the road to the Horse and Groom where I was received into the function room by scxricixsscisxisici and Sam.
One pie and chips later I was ready for action, and sure enough the first challengers began to arrive. And the rest you know.
(The last time I did a post about real trains people kept asking me what all the abbreviations and stuff meant so here, in case anyone doesn't know, is a brief glossary of stuff mentioned above):
- HST: High Speed Train, Intercity 125, big fast noisy polluting piece of crap, whatever.
- AOCL: Automatic Open Crossing Locally-Monitored
- The Oak: Old Oak Common traction maintenance depot (http://www.multimap.com/s/REBxO6A2 and http://tinyurl.com/mykfpp. All of the coaches and locos in that picture have now gone, the entire north side of the depot recently cleared for the Crossrail machinery in readiness for construction. This picture was taken from Old Oak Common Lane, looking east towards Paddington.
- Engine and Carriage line: a flyover line enabling trains to get from the down main line at Ladbroke Grove to the Oak and vice versa without crossing the main line on the flat. Visible on the following map in the centre and above the words "MAINTENANCE DEPOT": http://www.multimap.com/s/ODAxQxSz
- Greenford loop: a circuitous loop of railway lines in west London used to "turn" sets so they reverse their formation. I can just about fit the whole thing into this map, but you'll have to scroll right to see where the two bits meet again at the Oak. (http://www.multimap.com/s/MRAHzeO9)
- Bardic lamp: an old-fashioned, outdated illumination device used by train drivers and which most drivers hate. I quite like them.
- The Jeremy Kyle Show: TV for pikeys
- scxricixsscisxisici: not the most intuitive username on this forum ...
I left my house at around 6am and walked at a fairly leisurely pace to Hammersmith station (H&C). There was one train in the station and it departed at about 06.10 for Barking. I alighted at Paddington, having assumed the correct door position, walked up the steps, through the barriers, right onto the overbridge, down onto platform 1 and into the train crew messroom. I skillfully avoided a collision with a train manager coming out of the door I was going in and made it to the booking on point ahead of schedule, where I attended to the junk mail in my pigeonhole. After a walk to Sainsbury's and a short delay in the queue for the self-service checkouts, I filled my water bottle and picked up the phone to book on for duty.
My first task was to sit about on my arse until 08.48, at which time I was charged with taking an empty HST to the Oak via the Greenford loop (the train was in reverse formation and had to be put the right wat round again). I confirmed with the signaller that this was indeed the case and asked him if he could route me via the down Wycombe line as I hadn't driven the route in that direction for some months. He acquiesced to my request and sent me on my way. So off I went out of Paddington, over the Engine and Carriage line, along the reception line and onto the down Wycombe past North Acton, Perivale and Hanger Lane tube stations in succession alongside me. Round the Greenford East curve (obeying the semaphore signals that are still in use at Greenford) and out onto the up Greenford line, I was held at the AOCL at the Plasser works before being routed back onto the up relief at West Ealing, where I had to sound my horn in frustration at the stupid gimp who walked right out in front of me across the crossing as the lights were flashing and I was starting to move. That made the bugger jump.
I passed through Ealing Broadway, past Acton Yard and Acton Mainline station, before taking a left back onto the reception line. From there I continued down to the Kensal Green platforms where I changed ends and was routed back into the Oak and into the carriage shed.
I was now ahead of schedule by ten minutes and made the connection into the messroom easily in time to see the DNA results on the Jeremy Kyle Show. Shortly afterwards another driver made the tea and we were faced with the difficult decision of whether to go for the bourbons or the custard creams. The custard creams won the vote 2-1 and we duly scoffed the lot. After more sitting around on our arses the shunters called up to ask if two drivers could come out and move an HST from one of the fuelling roads (we have to have two men on these jobs now because there is no official walking route alongside the trains on the south side roads).
A swift out and back in move was followed by more tea drinking, before I made my way out to prep the 12.30 off the Oak for Paddington. I was able to leave the Oak fifteen minutes ahead of schedule but then it all went wrong when the signaller made me sit on the Engine and Carriage line for 12 minutes until platform five became available. Once it was clear I was signalled into the station, arriving bang on time. I immobilsed the train, made my way back to the messroom, dropped off my Bardic lamp and decided I'd had more than enough for a Friday and buggered off back to the H&C platform. A three minute wait was followed by a nippy journey to Great Portland Street whence I alighted and ambled down the road to the Horse and Groom where I was received into the function room by scxricixsscisxisici and Sam.
One pie and chips later I was ready for action, and sure enough the first challengers began to arrive. And the rest you know.
(The last time I did a post about real trains people kept asking me what all the abbreviations and stuff meant so here, in case anyone doesn't know, is a brief glossary of stuff mentioned above):
- HST: High Speed Train, Intercity 125, big fast noisy polluting piece of crap, whatever.
- AOCL: Automatic Open Crossing Locally-Monitored
- The Oak: Old Oak Common traction maintenance depot (http://www.multimap.com/s/REBxO6A2 and http://tinyurl.com/mykfpp. All of the coaches and locos in that picture have now gone, the entire north side of the depot recently cleared for the Crossrail machinery in readiness for construction. This picture was taken from Old Oak Common Lane, looking east towards Paddington.
- Engine and Carriage line: a flyover line enabling trains to get from the down main line at Ladbroke Grove to the Oak and vice versa without crossing the main line on the flat. Visible on the following map in the centre and above the words "MAINTENANCE DEPOT": http://www.multimap.com/s/ODAxQxSz
- Greenford loop: a circuitous loop of railway lines in west London used to "turn" sets so they reverse their formation. I can just about fit the whole thing into this map, but you'll have to scroll right to see where the two bits meet again at the Oak. (http://www.multimap.com/s/MRAHzeO9)
- Bardic lamp: an old-fashioned, outdated illumination device used by train drivers and which most drivers hate. I quite like them.
- The Jeremy Kyle Show: TV for pikeys
- scxricixsscisxisici: not the most intuitive username on this forum ...
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2024
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2024
Member of sweet FA
- tangy
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
My zone 1 day didn't start in Walthamstow, but in Lyme Regis, Dorset. A brisk walk up in 1 in 8 hill to the main road and the bus stop at 0630 certainly gets you going!! The 0651 route 31 bus duly appeared to take me to Axminster (though the bus was a Dart SLF rather than the scheduled Scani OmniDekka).
The 0737 SWT service to London Waterloo (formed of a 6 coach 159) rolled in bang on time and after stopping at all stops to Basingstoke eventaully rolled into its destination dead on time at 1019. A quick transfer onto the B'loo ensured I was well on time, so whiled away the time spotting buses.
So now onto the interesting bit of the day...
Once Angel had been revealed as the starting station, I knew KX and Euston would be the awkward ones to get rid of, so I went through several Tube maps I eventaully settled on my route in which I decided to knock off KX and then head south.
A northbound train was due, so I set off to the opposite platform and I was away at 13:00:45, a three minute wait at KX for the next train south, not as good as I wanted it to be! Down to Bank, transferred to the Central and onwards to Chancery Lane. A quick run to Farringdon but a Circle was just leaving as I got there, a 4 minute wait for the A stock behind.
The usual Aldgate run then followed, but unbeknown to me found the usual entrance all boarded up, but read the notice on the gates and looked over the road...ahh, there it is! All teh way along the south side of the Circle to Sloane Sq, good double back to Vic and excellent change onto the Vic line (just).
To be continued.....
The 0737 SWT service to London Waterloo (formed of a 6 coach 159) rolled in bang on time and after stopping at all stops to Basingstoke eventaully rolled into its destination dead on time at 1019. A quick transfer onto the B'loo ensured I was well on time, so whiled away the time spotting buses.
So now onto the interesting bit of the day...
Once Angel had been revealed as the starting station, I knew KX and Euston would be the awkward ones to get rid of, so I went through several Tube maps I eventaully settled on my route in which I decided to knock off KX and then head south.
A northbound train was due, so I set off to the opposite platform and I was away at 13:00:45, a three minute wait at KX for the next train south, not as good as I wanted it to be! Down to Bank, transferred to the Central and onwards to Chancery Lane. A quick run to Farringdon but a Circle was just leaving as I got there, a 4 minute wait for the A stock behind.
The usual Aldgate run then followed, but unbeknown to me found the usual entrance all boarded up, but read the notice on the gates and looked over the road...ahh, there it is! All teh way along the south side of the Circle to Sloane Sq, good double back to Vic and excellent change onto the Vic line (just).
To be continued.....
Adjudicator of the Alternative Challenges and webmaster of the Tube Challenge "Top Times" website at www.explorerticket.co.uk/tubechallenge
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
- al
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
Qualitytubeguru wrote:OK, here's my detailed report of Zone 1 day....
Held some Alternative Challenge records for a long time.
Doesn't any more.
Doesn't any more.
- Starkey7
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
Tubeguru, it seems absurd that trains have to go all the way to Greenford just to turn around. Is there really no easier way?
- tubeguru
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
Not really. When the loop is closed for any reason we drive the sets all the way to Reading and turn them at the triangle there.
Can you find anywhere else to turn an entire HST?
Can you find anywhere else to turn an entire HST?
One thing only do I know, and that is that I know nothing - Socrates.
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2024
Member of sweet FA
Champion of bugger all, 2004 to 2024
Member of sweet FA
- dudey
- Zone 5
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- Location: Kent/Portsmouth
Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
But why is it so important that the sets be turned around? They have engines at both ends don't they?
- tangy
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
Sets are turned so that they are all the same way round, i.e. first class is always at the London end of the rake but more importantly, the TGS (or coach A) at the opposite end of the rake to FC must in most circumstances always be on the platform.
This is because the TGS is where the bicycle storage is, thus with station with short platforms (i.e. the whole HST rake don't fit) there are markers beyond the platform which drivers stop at to ensure that coach A is on the platform to ensure passengers can always retrieve/board thier cycle. Passengers in the first class coaches can always walk through the train to alight but the only way into the bicycle area of the TGS is from the platform (there is no internal access).
There are some stations where physical obstructions prevent this arrangement from occuring such as level crossing, points etc. (the up platform at Camborne being one such example). This the reason sets need to be turned round.
This is because the TGS is where the bicycle storage is, thus with station with short platforms (i.e. the whole HST rake don't fit) there are markers beyond the platform which drivers stop at to ensure that coach A is on the platform to ensure passengers can always retrieve/board thier cycle. Passengers in the first class coaches can always walk through the train to alight but the only way into the bicycle area of the TGS is from the platform (there is no internal access).
There are some stations where physical obstructions prevent this arrangement from occuring such as level crossing, points etc. (the up platform at Camborne being one such example). This the reason sets need to be turned round.
Adjudicator of the Alternative Challenges and webmaster of the Tube Challenge "Top Times" website at www.explorerticket.co.uk/tubechallenge
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
I guess they're asymmetric so that first class is at one end only, which then affects all the seat reservations etc. I know that on NXEC, for example, passengers are given detailed advice on where to wait for each class and each coach. If I have a standard class reservation in coach A, I expect to be at the front of the train and it would be mayhem if the train arrived at Swindon, say, the wrong way around. Having recently done a change with two kids and eight items of luggage at Peterborough, it is useful to know where to wait.
Maybe someone could come up with a symmetric design with first class in the middle (or at both ends), where (electronic) coach labels could easily be reprogrammed so that the train could operate either way around.
On some other railways, asymmetric trains do operate either way around. This used to happen on Liverpool Street - Cambridge services if they ever went in and out of Stansted Airport on the way up to Cambridge.
Maybe someone could come up with a symmetric design with first class in the middle (or at both ends), where (electronic) coach labels could easily be reprogrammed so that the train could operate either way around.
On some other railways, asymmetric trains do operate either way around. This used to happen on Liverpool Street - Cambridge services if they ever went in and out of Stansted Airport on the way up to Cambridge.
- Going Underground
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
A superb day and thanks for all the hard work put in by Andi, Garion, Matt & Sam and also Tubeguru for being an excellent quiz master.....
I teamed up with Ryan (Beer Baron)
I was quite pleased to see Angel come out of the hat and had 3 routes with options of either doing The Paddington's or Euston Euston Sq either way around.. We decided the better of the 2 evils would be do run Euston Sq Euston so we would arrive at Paddington on the Bakerloo.....
Southbound and first change at Moorgate, no chance of keeping up with Anthony and Adham here but we weren't too far behind but didn't want to see an H & C in first as our plan was to change next at Kings X....
Things went rather swimmingly for a while, we met with Hakan and the Swedish contingent at London Bridge and stayed together for sometime and easily beat them to the H & C platform at Paddington to see 7 mins on the clock... This was our first real delay but turned out to be more like 5 mins...
We just missed a Circle line connection at Liverpool Street to Aldgate and next in was an H & C which we didn't really want.... The next won was a Met and we run Aldgate Aldgate East having difficulty finding the station entrance and when we did the first train was an H & C when we wanted a District
The District wasn't far behind but was painfully slow with doors continually closing and opening.. We run round at Sloane Square and the train pulled in and the driver then got out the cab as the monitors were not working. A station staff member then slowly walked the length of the platform to tell the driver he knew they were out of order and this had already been reported, they then chatted for another 3 minutes or so before we finally pulled off.
At Victoria the last train to Vauxhall showed 1 minute but was over 3 minutes
We finished at Vauxhall in 2hrs 53mins and 35secs by some way a PB and our first ever sub 3 hour time...... We should have been elated but a twinge of sadness was evident as with better luck at the end we could have run Starkey and Dr Who's Z1 record time very close....
Still on a brighter note at least as we only came 3rd we don't have to organise Z1 in 2010..
I personally don't like the idea of drawing a finishing station at all, if it aint broke don't fix it and this has been discussed before with other ideas such as carrying around and egg without breaking it.... Z1 in it's current format is excellent and really doesn't need any tinkering IMHO
I teamed up with Ryan (Beer Baron)
I was quite pleased to see Angel come out of the hat and had 3 routes with options of either doing The Paddington's or Euston Euston Sq either way around.. We decided the better of the 2 evils would be do run Euston Sq Euston so we would arrive at Paddington on the Bakerloo.....
Southbound and first change at Moorgate, no chance of keeping up with Anthony and Adham here but we weren't too far behind but didn't want to see an H & C in first as our plan was to change next at Kings X....
Things went rather swimmingly for a while, we met with Hakan and the Swedish contingent at London Bridge and stayed together for sometime and easily beat them to the H & C platform at Paddington to see 7 mins on the clock... This was our first real delay but turned out to be more like 5 mins...
We just missed a Circle line connection at Liverpool Street to Aldgate and next in was an H & C which we didn't really want.... The next won was a Met and we run Aldgate Aldgate East having difficulty finding the station entrance and when we did the first train was an H & C when we wanted a District
The District wasn't far behind but was painfully slow with doors continually closing and opening.. We run round at Sloane Square and the train pulled in and the driver then got out the cab as the monitors were not working. A station staff member then slowly walked the length of the platform to tell the driver he knew they were out of order and this had already been reported, they then chatted for another 3 minutes or so before we finally pulled off.
At Victoria the last train to Vauxhall showed 1 minute but was over 3 minutes
We finished at Vauxhall in 2hrs 53mins and 35secs by some way a PB and our first ever sub 3 hour time...... We should have been elated but a twinge of sadness was evident as with better luck at the end we could have run Starkey and Dr Who's Z1 record time very close....
Still on a brighter note at least as we only came 3rd we don't have to organise Z1 in 2010..
I personally don't like the idea of drawing a finishing station at all, if it aint broke don't fix it and this has been discussed before with other ideas such as carrying around and egg without breaking it.... Z1 in it's current format is excellent and really doesn't need any tinkering IMHO
Twice former full network GWR holder and former Zone 1 Olympic and World Record holder with The Raven and Soupie
Tube personality of the year 2009
Twice Winter Olympic Biathlon Gold Medalist with The Beer Baron
2008 All Lines Olympic Gold
Tube personality of the year 2009
Twice Winter Olympic Biathlon Gold Medalist with The Beer Baron
2008 All Lines Olympic Gold
- tangy
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
Alighted at Vauxhall and ran up towards platform 8 on the NR platforms (the furthest away from the barriers) where I met up with another team, this being mps247 and his team mate. We stayed together on the Waterloo change down to the Jubilee, telling them some door positions for the change at Bridge, ran to the Northern line platforms and then saw Andi and Garion waiting for the same train, I caught them up too.tangy wrote:My zone 1 day didn't start in Walthamstow, but in Lyme Regis, Dorset. A brisk walk up in 1 in 8 hill to the main road and the bus stop at 0630 certainly gets you going!! The 0651 route 31 bus duly appeared to take me to Axminster (though the bus was a Dart SLF rather than the scheduled Scani OmniDekka).
The 0737 SWT service to London Waterloo (formed of a 6 coach 159) rolled in bang on time and after stopping at all stops to Basingstoke eventaully rolled into its destination dead on time at 1019. A quick transfer onto the B'loo ensured I was well on time, so whiled away the time spotting buses.
So now onto the interesting bit of the day...
Once Angel had been revealed as the starting station, I knew KX and Euston would be the awkward ones to get rid of, so I went through several Tube maps I eventaully settled on my route in which I decided to knock off KX and then head south.
A northbound train was due, so I set off to the opposite platform and I was away at 13:00:45, a three minute wait at KX for the next train south, not as good as I wanted it to be! Down to Bank, transferred to the Central and onwards to Chancery Lane. A quick run to Farringdon but a Circle was just leaving as I got there, a 4 minute wait for the A stock behind.
The usual Aldgate run then followed, but unbeknown to me found the usual entrance all boarded up, but read the notice on the gates and looked over the road...ahh, there it is! All teh way along the south side of the Circle to Sloane Sq, good double back to Vic and excellent change onto the Vic line (just).
To be continued.....
It transpired as we continued to Elephant and back up to Euston that we were on very similar routes...however at Euston Andi & Garion ran to Euston Sq. whilst I double back to Warren Street then ran Euston Sq. they beat me but lost no time as the H&C was still 2 minutes up the track. Stayed together through the Paddington connection, though Garion slipped a bit behind and almost missed the train.
An excellent Queensway- Bayswater, with a Wimbo showing 1 min on the boards. Brilliant! I waS hoping to lose them at Earl's Court as I knew Starkey's stairs were closed so I was in the correct position in the middle of the C stock. On the home straight now, only up the Picc to Russell Square and done! However, it transpired Andi & Garion were finishing at KX and had a 2 min 25 headstart due to them heading south at the start.
It doesn't take that amount of time to do Russell Sq to KX thus they won just 16 seconds over myself. Damn it!
Adjudicator of the Alternative Challenges and webmaster of the Tube Challenge "Top Times" website at www.explorerticket.co.uk/tubechallenge
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
This is a Central line train to "Woodford via Hainault"- sadly, not no more!
Tangy.
- Soup Dragon
- The Twilight Zone
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
This was discussed at some length before and I think it was agreed that the current format is the best (and fairest way) of doing things. It would be extremely difficult to police with 30 plus people potentially departing form a whole host of different stations. I think the current format is the best and whilst there is no "Winning Post" it does leave a good deal of excitement as you are never quite sure how you've done until the results are read out. Therefore I would say that we stick to the current format of drawing a starting station.Going Underground wrote:I personally don't like the idea of drawing a finishing station at all, if it aint broke don't fix it and this has been discussed before with other ideas such as carrying around and egg without breaking it.... Z1 in it's current format is excellent and really doesn't need any tinkering IMHO
One day I shall return!
- Garion
- All Zones
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- Location: Cardiff
Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
My day:
Well I had a fun day. Here's what happened from a Welsh perspective
Well I got up at 04:30 to the sound of three alarm clocks. The same three I used for the Comic Relief attempt. I had some breakfast and got my things together, my bag, a bottle of water and an empty bottle. As usual, the taxi arrived like 10 mins early so I had the pleasure of keeping him waiting until I was ready.
A quick drive to the bus station and I was in the freezing cold. Around me I could see the many train drivers geting ready for the first trains of the day. As time went on, the empty stand soon filled with London bound people.
My coach arrived earlier than usual. A good 15 minutes early. Cool! After explaining to the driver why I had a hand written copy of my m-ticket (which never arrived), I boarded the coach and sat in my favourite place: the back seat
The journey to London seemed long and boring. I tried numerous times to get to sleep but all failed miserably. At about half way into the journey, I realised something. I should have got the hour-later coach. I realised I would have almost two hours of nothing to do once I get into London. But being the type of person I am, I knew I'd find something to do.
I arrived in London at 09:20 to the sight of police and police dogs everywhere. Scary. I felt uneasy for some reason. On my way out of the coach station, I saw people being interviewed and searched. I was glad to get out of there and onto the street.
I walked slowly to Victoria Station. I remember last time I walked this. I was meeting my girlfriend but I was running late. She had already arrived at Charing Cross and was waiting for me. Well I knew that the only option was to put my tube challenging experience into action and get to Charing Cross as fast as I could. I ran to Victoria station. I took Andi's advice about breathing and not pelting it so much. Worked a treat. If only I was on a Tube Challenge lol. I quickly put some money onto my Oyster card and went down to the Victoria Line. A train was pulling in and I jumped on. I got off at Green Park for my connection to the Piccadilly Line. I was only a few doors out so that was good. I ran to the Piccadilly Line and only had to wait two minutes. I knew that I would need the back carriage and the last door so I waited at that section of the platform. The train arrived and I boarded the train. At Leicester Square, I ran out much to the suprise of the people on the platform. After running up the seemingly endless stairs, I reached the southbound platform and jumped on the train that was waiting there. Perfect. At last I reached Charing Cross and reached the concourse where I saw my girlfriend waiting for me. A nice mini-challenge for me that day
Anyway back to the present, I knew I had a few hours to kill so I took a slow walk through Victoria Place. I decided to get breakfast in my favourite place...McDonalds. I finished a short while later and proceeded to the station. I looked at my watch and saw that I still had just under an hour to go. I walked slowly towards the ticket office for Victoria LU station. After getting my ticket for the day, I had a quick look in the shops.
Ten minutes later I went down to the Victoria Line platforms and waited for the train to arrive. I got on the train and went to Kings Cross where I changed onto a westbound Circle line train. After getting out at Great Portland Street, I took a slow walk down the street with the same name and was greeted with the sight of the convict himself, Mr X....
To Be Continued...
Well I had a fun day. Here's what happened from a Welsh perspective
Well I got up at 04:30 to the sound of three alarm clocks. The same three I used for the Comic Relief attempt. I had some breakfast and got my things together, my bag, a bottle of water and an empty bottle. As usual, the taxi arrived like 10 mins early so I had the pleasure of keeping him waiting until I was ready.
A quick drive to the bus station and I was in the freezing cold. Around me I could see the many train drivers geting ready for the first trains of the day. As time went on, the empty stand soon filled with London bound people.
My coach arrived earlier than usual. A good 15 minutes early. Cool! After explaining to the driver why I had a hand written copy of my m-ticket (which never arrived), I boarded the coach and sat in my favourite place: the back seat
The journey to London seemed long and boring. I tried numerous times to get to sleep but all failed miserably. At about half way into the journey, I realised something. I should have got the hour-later coach. I realised I would have almost two hours of nothing to do once I get into London. But being the type of person I am, I knew I'd find something to do.
I arrived in London at 09:20 to the sight of police and police dogs everywhere. Scary. I felt uneasy for some reason. On my way out of the coach station, I saw people being interviewed and searched. I was glad to get out of there and onto the street.
I walked slowly to Victoria Station. I remember last time I walked this. I was meeting my girlfriend but I was running late. She had already arrived at Charing Cross and was waiting for me. Well I knew that the only option was to put my tube challenging experience into action and get to Charing Cross as fast as I could. I ran to Victoria station. I took Andi's advice about breathing and not pelting it so much. Worked a treat. If only I was on a Tube Challenge lol. I quickly put some money onto my Oyster card and went down to the Victoria Line. A train was pulling in and I jumped on. I got off at Green Park for my connection to the Piccadilly Line. I was only a few doors out so that was good. I ran to the Piccadilly Line and only had to wait two minutes. I knew that I would need the back carriage and the last door so I waited at that section of the platform. The train arrived and I boarded the train. At Leicester Square, I ran out much to the suprise of the people on the platform. After running up the seemingly endless stairs, I reached the southbound platform and jumped on the train that was waiting there. Perfect. At last I reached Charing Cross and reached the concourse where I saw my girlfriend waiting for me. A nice mini-challenge for me that day
Anyway back to the present, I knew I had a few hours to kill so I took a slow walk through Victoria Place. I decided to get breakfast in my favourite place...McDonalds. I finished a short while later and proceeded to the station. I looked at my watch and saw that I still had just under an hour to go. I walked slowly towards the ticket office for Victoria LU station. After getting my ticket for the day, I had a quick look in the shops.
Ten minutes later I went down to the Victoria Line platforms and waited for the train to arrive. I got on the train and went to Kings Cross where I changed onto a westbound Circle line train. After getting out at Great Portland Street, I took a slow walk down the street with the same name and was greeted with the sight of the convict himself, Mr X....
To Be Continued...
Zone 1 Winner 2009
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- jamesthegill
- All Zones
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
I would've got the District/Circle line to Emankment and walked, but that's just me...
Holder of the slowest recorded 274 attempt: 4 months, 1 day, 9 hours, 17 minutes, 32 seconds.
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- Zone 4
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge - FRIDAY 29th MAY 2009
I would have done what James suggested purely because I prefer the sub-surface lines!
Garion, why didn't you walk to Victoria station and wait for a couple of minutes until 9:30 to buy your travelcard rather than top-up your Oyster card?
... it wasn't too long ago that I was a student, so I still think like one...
Garion, why didn't you walk to Victoria station and wait for a couple of minutes until 9:30 to buy your travelcard rather than top-up your Oyster card?
... it wasn't too long ago that I was a student, so I still think like one...
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