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Next year is the 150th anniversary of the first undergound line; I was wondering if anyone was interested in doing an event to celebrate it. We were chatting on our run yesterday and one idea was to do the fastest time for the classic original Beck map as far as possible. Obviously places like Aldwych have shut but it would be possible to do the overground stations that formed part of the East London line. Rules about whether lines not in place in the early thirties (such as the one to West Ruislip) can be used are up for debate. If not then perhaps Uxbridge would become a starting station!

What do people think?

Good idea. Though could we use the post 1930 lines during the challenge?

Personally I'd say no, but then by that logic we should perhaps not allow buses that weren't running then.

I think I'd favour being logically inconsistent but allowing all buses but not any non 1930s lines. It's commemorating 150 years of the tube so to me it's more important to keep that "in period".

Few thoughts

- What about stations that are now served by NR trains? eg Watford Junction, Essex Road, South Acton...
- What about stations outside the zone 9? eg Aylesbury, Southend...
- Would you be allowed to use parts of the system that didn't exist in the 1930's? eg Jubilee extension, Victoria line
- Charing Cross, would you have to both Northern and Bakerloo?

Mike Harris's excellent series of historical London bus maps include one dated 1939, so it would be possible to use some approximation to 1930s buses if desired.

Seems logical to include Aylesbury seeing as the Met ran out there, but were there actually throgh trains to/from Southend at that time?

The Southend trains stopped in 1939. I don't think Southend was ever considered as part of the LU network though, unlike Aylesbury.

Iain wrote:Next year is the 150th anniversary of the first undergound line; I was wondering if anyone was interested in doing an event to celebrate it.

Ask TfL. They might be doing something ...

tubeguru wrote:Ask TfL. They might be doing something ...

Positive as always......

MylesHSG wrote:

tubeguru wrote:Ask TfL. They might be doing something ...

Positive as always......

I think the word you're looking for is "sarcastic". ( )

Naaaaaa Really??

But in a good way - I'm never nasty with it. Honest. etc. etc.

Iain wrote:Next year is the 150th anniversary of the first undergound line; I was wondering if anyone was interested in doing an event to celebrate it. We were chatting on our run yesterday and one idea was to do the fastest time for the classic original Beck map as far as possible. Obviously places like Aldwych have shut but it would be possible to do the overground stations that formed part of the East London line. Rules about whether lines not in place in the early thirties (such as the one to West Ruislip) can be used are up for debate. If not then perhaps Uxbridge would become a starting station!

What do people think?

Oddly enough, I've thought a bit about this too. One question is whether the field of play should be the original Beck map itself http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/beck_map.jpg, which goes out no further than Mile End in the east, or Rickmansworth on the Met. The full extent of Tube services at the time was significantly greater, occasional services going out as far as Southend (as indicated in a box on the map, and sometimes even to Shoeburyness). I don't have a definitive list of which intermediate stations to Southend were served at the time. Stations like South Acton, Essex Road and Drayton Park would, of course, be relatively easy to visit. Many of the closed stations would be passed through.

I like jboms approach to this one and would be in favour

Only two stations where the station and the line are no longer open is Shorditich and Aldwych.

You could do them "Park challenge" style and visit the outside building and take a picture.

Shoeburyness start and Aylesbury finish maybe?