My two recce runs almost two years ago for my 1614 'Improved Labyrinth' route went wrong at the first and third changes respectively, wasting two days off work and two £50 peak Travelcards.
So, for my 1544 route, I decided on a change of tack. Instead of taking a full day off work, starting the recce run at a mid-morning point, I opted to start the critical early evening session (commencing just after 7pm). Not the best of starts - I headed for the wrong Paddington station on my way to the starting point! That resolved though, I commenced the recce run as planned. First change went so well I got a train up on where I expected to be. What I didn't manage to do, though, was to get in the right carriage. Having realised this mistake, thinking I was in Coach 2, I changed coaches at the next station, and the one after that - only to realise I had started in Coach 6 and moved to Coach 8 (I was aiming for 4!). Worked my way back up the train at the next few stations and wound up in Coach 3 (near enough!).
Crossed platforms in the time I'd planned for at the next interchange, leaving me two minutes up and just waiting for the next Circle Line train, which turned up five minutes late! Already I knew I'd missed my next connection and I hadn't got on this one yet! So, change of plan, I opted to skip part of the route in order to attempt another crucial but tight change at the proper time. Got to Earl's Court in time, and ran up from the Picc, expecting to see the next train in the platform, but no sign of it. Eventually it turned up, again, late enough for me to have already missed the next connection. Something was obviously up as there were long periods with no trains visible, and some Richmond-bound trains were instead diverted to Parson's Green (which isn't even on the way to Richmond!), even though the platform indicators and train lights still said Richmond. Through all this chaos, the tannoy continued to announce that there was a "good service on all lines"....
Popped out of EC for a bit to do another timing run, came back in to find the station in the middle of a fire drill! So rather a chaotic evening, and whilst some useful information was gleaned, it certainly wasn't as productive as I had hoped for
