Olympia Shuttle

[Nigel]

For reasons that I will reveal in another post shortly, a few weeks ago I formally asked Guinness about the legitimacy of a Saturday record attempt, and also for confirmation of the status of Olympia and how it has to be visited given the current situation. Other than an automated response acknowledging that they have received my query, I've not yet had a response. I'm not not holding my breath expecting a speedy (or necessarily sensible) reply.

Nearly two months after I made my enquiry I have had a response from Guinness.

They have confirmed that attempts must be made on a weekday not a weekend. The reason given being that "all record attempts are undertaken under identical conditions so that the results of any two attempts at a given record title may be compared". Obviously this is nonsense as when the previous record was set there was an all day 20 minute frequency for the Olympia shuttle, as there is on Saturdays now, but not on weekdays.

In response to my question about what would happen if the Olympia shuttle were only to run at weekends they said that "since the current record holder planned their attempt in order to ensure that it was possible to visit Olympia, any future attempt must also do so". Adding rather patronisingly that "planning is part of the challenge which must be carried out before the record attempt takes place". So they have not actually answered the query about how you would do Olympia if the weekday service were to be completely withdrawn.

None of this this affects my next planned attempt on Saturday 25 August, which I'm still intending to do. What it does do is confirm my opinion that GWR do not understand this record and are probably not fit to adjudicate properly on attempts.

[tractakid]

Thanks for reporting, Nigel. It's preposterous. Just know that if you DO break the record on the 25th, I'm sure almost all of us here on the forum will consider you the best in the world.

As for the Olympia Shuttle, it was running 35 minutes late yesterday, due to a lack of taxis able to pick up the drivers.This was a great shame, as I might possibly have snuck onto the 06:06.

[Nigel]

Thanks for reporting, Nigel. It's preposterous. Just know that if you DO break the record on the 25th, I'm sure almost all of us here on the forum will consider you the best in the world.

As for the Olympia Shuttle, it was running 35 minutes late yesterday, due to a lack of taxis able to pick up the drivers.This was a great shame, as I might possibly have snuck onto the 06:06.

Thanks - I don't think my route for Saturday week can be a record breaker, but with some luck could be capable of a competitive time.

Your experience yesterday with the Olympia train sounds a real pain. On my attempt in June, on the last day they were running an exhibition service, it ran exactly 15 minutes late (when it was supposed to be a 30 minute frequency).

[tractakid]

In the end I was just thankful that a train turned up, I was worried that I would be robbed from a completion after only 15 stations!

[Going Underground]

Any idea how far in advance the times are shown in JP? trying to put together a route for CiN 16/11/12 as there should be a Ken Oly service running throughout the day....

[kateyay]

Any idea how far in advance the times are shown in JP? trying to put together a route for CiN 16/11/12 as there should be a Ken Oly service running throughout the day....

From hammering it quite often, it's generally 2-3 months in advance, depending on whether the Olympics are on!

[kateyay]

In response to the "world record adjudication" style stuff - it's quite clear that Guinness don't know what they are talking about - you can't do a record on a Saturday, but then if Saturday were the only day it were to run.. will Steve and Andi's record stay forever then, until the network is changed by the addition or removal of another station?

Maybe the response took a long time as they contacted LU to see what their plans are, for Olympia? Who knows!

Nigel, are you going to respond to the non-saturday confusion and ask them to clarify - or should another one of us send in a similar query and see what we get in response?

Alternatively, anyone know any other World Record adjudicators?

[Nigel]

Nigel, are you going to respond to the non-saturday confusion and ask them to clarify - or should another one of us send in a similar query and see what we get in response?

No - I can't be bothered to get back to them.

Maybe the response took a long time as they contacted LU to see what their plans are, for Olympia? Who knows!

I'm pretty sure that they have not contacted TfL.

I happen to know that the GWR adjudicator for a recent confirmed record was an American based in New York, and while she may have been diligent in reviewing the submitted 'evidence', there was no indication that she had any familiarity with the transport network in London nor had independently crossed-checked anything with TfL or any other third party.

[The Raven]

This Olympia business is getting silly!

Why don't we form are own committee and chairman that enforces and moderates the rules of tube-challenging? Every sport has their own governing body why don't we?

The International Metro Challenge Committee or the IMCC

[palkanetoijala31]

Im going to offer my opinion in this way

1. at moment Ken o is still reachable 9 times a day up until december timetable possible changes where this is obviously annoying for some people with choice of starting position (i can appreciate the fact that it doesnt put them at an advantage especially starting from chesham but eh its the same for everybody)

2. for a saturday attempt to count you would have to really allow anthony brown attempt with jamie and phillip to stand otherwise that is unfair to them to lose out!

3. i do have several people in guinness that i can verify things with and actually put in my own request for a rule change!.In response to the adjudicating of such records he told me there is an obvious process u have thousands and thousands of records unless a adjudicator has a particular knowledge of london underground it goes to the transport department land speed records etc where they check various evidence sources related to whatever record it is.

4. Ken o is a dotted line on the map exactly like shoreditch was many years ago it was hard to reach and had to be at a particular time to get there so allthough difficult for planning a route its not impossible.

[moley]

The ken o timetable is to continue next year with very minor amendments

[andytube]

Anyone know when the next MAJOR Olympia event is on? (so they have more trains) I looked at their web site, but there's loads of events.

Right pain this Ken O. Messing up the whole planning

[The Raven]

The weekday Olympia exhibition service is currently scheduled to run on

24/28 Sept
26/30/31 Oct
1/2/9/15/16 Nov
17/18/19/20/21 Dec

Apparently the criteria used by TfL is exhibitions with more than 6000 people expected to attend. From 2013 this will increase to more than 8000 attendees. It seems they are trying to gradually phase it out, but nothing is likely to happen in the short term.

[andytube]

I really am considering planning on starting at Ken O. Although 5.50am is a little later than what I would like to start. Driving back afterwards I may be rather tired.

[geofftech]

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