The Bottle

tubeman · Post by **tubeman** » 28 Feb 2005, 23:15

Hi,

My first post here - so be gentle!

I've often thought I'd like to have a go at the full tube Challenge, but time is not usually on my side so I've never got round to it.

However, today I had a few free hours this afternoon and decided to have a go at the Circle Line bottle - i.e. every station on and inside the Circle.

I began my trip 5 seconds before 2 o'clock (just happened to be the time pulled out at my starting station) and finished 2 hours 17 minutes and 40 seconds later, which by my reckoning, is the second fastest recorded time.

There were a few places where I lost time - I sat in the Piccadilly line tunnel for a couple of minutes waiting to enter Kings Cross at about the half way stage, then it took 10 minutes to get from the Piccadilly onto a Circle Line train to get me through Aldgate. Actually, this wasn't as bad as it sounds - as I started the challenge I heard announcements that there were no trains running between Kingsw Cross and Tower Hill, so to get a train at all was good going.

My route also took in Earls Court - the problems with the Circle line meant that trains going round the bottom left hand corner were few and far between.

I also got slightly confused at Edgware Road - getting from one station to the next was a little tricky as I lost my bearings.

I had some good changes as well. I ran from Queesnway to Bayswater (I once found out the hard way that they were only a couple of hundred yards apart).

As I arrived on the Bakerloo platform, a train pulled in. The same thing happened when I arrived on the Northern Line to get a train going to Goodge Street - that has never happened to me before, and I use that particular station regularly (a six or seven minute wait is not uncommon).

Anyway, there were enough delays on the route to make me think that beating 2 hours 13 minutes and 4 seconds is achievable using my route - provided I am luckier at Kings Cross in future. (I need to save 4.5 minutes).

Maybe one day I'll try one of the bigger challenges!

S

geofftech · Post by **geofftech** » 01 Mar 2005, 00:15

Oh mysterious 'tubeman' (S) ?

Nice going! good time .. and just four minutes off of G Force's time. Sounds like on a better day you could have well been in. Mind you - you could say that about all of these things.

I've always thought that with 'the bottle' you could do it twice - have two attempts, one in the morning - have a rest - go again in the afternoon, but have yet to actually do it myself!

tubeman · Post by **tubeman** » 01 Mar 2005, 10:31

I don't think I've got the bottle for that

I guess the things that went particularly well made up for the things that were less good. Too long at Kings Cross.

Tubeman

(I like being mysterious)

G Force · Post by **G Force** » 01 Mar 2005, 17:59

Not a bad time, a bit too close for comfort!

I had quite a stroke of luck when I attempted this, in that a probably late running Circle turned up straight away, and circumnavigated the Circle unusually quickly (not even waiting for ages at Aldgate and Edgware Road!). The other changes were all fairly average, nothing special, but nothing too long.

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 04 Mar 2005, 08:04

I think a clarification of the definition of the Challenge would be in place. The only spec on this challenge is:

http://www.geofftech.co.uk/tubechalleng ... /index.htm

However, the Bakerloo section between Baker Street and Paddington is strictly speaking outside the bottle - unless you look at the current distorted tube map...

Since the Challenge is no doubt a bit harder with these extra stations present, I don't mind. So unless some "authority" says otherwise, this is what I will assume...

Another limitation could be (or is perhaps?) that the whole thing must take place inside the barriers - i.e. no station change on foot...

HÃƒÂ¥kan

CrunchySaviour · Post by **CrunchySaviour** » 04 Mar 2005, 10:02

I doubt that the "no changes on foot" would be applied as it woould take some of the variety out of the whole thing - and why have one rule for one challenge and another for all the others?

tubeman · Post by **tubeman** » 04 Mar 2005, 11:39

I did the Bakerloo Edgware Road, Marylebone and Regents Park stations because they were included in the map. I also changed on foot between the two Edgware Road stations (losing my bearings slightly in the process). I think that even if the Bakerloo stations were not officially in, I would have done them anyway as my route included the Bakerloo from Embankment - better to stick on a train that is running than try to U turn on the Circle - with its somewhat patchy service.

My route was quite different from Stephen Knight's route, though I started at a station fairly close to his start point, and ended up at Bank.

S

G Force · Post by **G Force** » 04 Mar 2005, 18:27

I also included the Bakerloo Paddington bit, as it is inside the Circle on the present map. There was one short run between stations in my route.

My route is not perfect though, despite very few changes needed, there are quite a few stations visited twice. So I'm sure with a bit of luck (i.e a Circle turning up!), the record will be beaten.

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 23 Mar 2005, 09:28

I believe the best route possible would be:

Bank-Queensway-(run)-Bayswater-(full circle)-Paddington-Charing Cross- Euston-(Victoria line, probably)-King's Cross-Knightsbridge...

This is resembles the route used by done by Stephen Knight (2h 13m 4s):

http://www.geofftech.co.uk/tubechalleng ... /index.htm

EXCEPT that you don't change twice at Tottenham Court Road (thus switching start and end stations)! This should shave some 5 minutes off Stephens "record". Furthermore, without delays this should be possible to do in around 1h 56m...

Please try it out, anyone! I live in Sweden so I can't easily try it myself...

HÃƒÂ¥kan

hwolge · Post by **hwolge** » 23 Mar 2005, 09:36

I just discovered that this route could be even quicker - especially for a good runner...

Aldgate-(clockwise Circle)-Edgware Road-(run)-Edgware Road(Bakerloo)-Regent's Park-(run)-Great Portland Street-Liverpool Street-Holborn-Russell Square-Knightsbridge-Piccadilly Circus-Charing Cross-Warren Street-Oxford Circus-Queensway

According to my calculations (based on fast walking rather than running) this should be seconds quicker than the one posted above...

HÃƒÂ¥kan

Root · Post by **Root** » 16 Mar 2006, 15:06

Compare these two maps, both "official" (thought I'd slip that in after what happened to Geoff

) TFL productions:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/lon_con.pdf
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/colourmap.pdf

And look at said section of Bakerloo line (Baker Street towards Harrow & Weald).

Doesn't exactly make it clear, does it? I suppose the deciding factor is that they are geographically outside of the bottle.

This may all be on Geoff's website for all I know, but the page seems to be down at the moment.

standclearofthedoors · Post by **standclearofthedoors** » 16 Mar 2006, 15:43

Please don't bump...

Root · Post by **Root** » 16 Mar 2006, 15:58

Ack. I saw the previous post was in March, didn't notice it was 2005.

Let alone the 23rd, which we haven't even had yet.

I do apologise, I'm aware of how annoying bumping can be. Sorry.

The JLE · Post by **The JLE** » 16 Mar 2006, 16:31

Please try it out, anyone! I live in Sweden so I can't easily try it myself...

I am in London from May 15th... I believe you'r there aswell... Why not try to do this one together, or with a group? Split up at some points to discover the Ultimate route.

standclearofthedoors · Post by **standclearofthedoors** » 16 Mar 2006, 17:39

Think doing Bayswater- Queensway could be a bit difficult...

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