tubechallenge.com

OK, we all know that recently, a certain person has claimed to complete all 274 open stations in 17 hours, 10 minutes.

He claims he only used public transport. He started at Heathrow and finished at Canning Town.

We need to discuss this - is it POSSIBLE to get even close to 17 hours 10, or is this just pure fantasy?

Baker Street - Amersham and return alone is 1h40, so adding on the branches, I certainly doubt it!

A total of 2 to 3 hours I'd say.

Having sat and worked through my time logs. My whole route takes 15 hours & 44 mins actual travel time. Which only leaves 1 hour & 26 mins for all the changes throughout the day and some stations will take 2 - 3 mins to change platforms eg waterloo jubilee, Hammersmith from Dist & Pic to H & C Green Park. So in my opinion the time is pure fiction.

Assuming Geoff's Heathrow - Amersham was 19h30m, possibly knock 1hr off for bad changes etc, so 18h30m... so 18h30, then the return from Amersham, so I reckon 20h.

One argument I would put forward involves Hakan and Lars's attempt a couple of months ago, for most which I joined them.

They had very few delays and even then were only on for 18 hours 10 or something before we missed out two stations due to the power failure.

To go ONE whole hour quicker than that is just not possible.

Agreed that is seems very remote.

And Neil - we were on for a time of 18.25 - but we did have some unexpected delays (15 min at West Harrow, 10 at Aldgate and a few other ones of 5-10 minues).

I'd say it's THEORETICALLY possible to do 17h10m, but the chances of actually doing is somewhere in the order of 1 in 1000 or worse. But of course if you try it every weekday with an optimum route (including Olympic class running) you MIGHT do it once every five years or so...

So, is it possible? - YES.
Do I think anyone has done it? - NO!
Do I think ******** has done it? NO, NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT!

From my calculations, I personally think that the minimum time realistically possible is 18hrs10mins.

On a good day, I believe that you could beat 18hours - but only just. With the East London Line going - 17.30 because of how much more freedom that will give you. I also hear that Cannon Street is soon to open until the last train.

forget realistic though. if everything DID run exactly to time and there were no delays or anything, would 17:10 be possible?

i think i once worked out a route on journeyplanner years ago which came to 17:47. but add the fact that the tube doesn't work, it would obviously be slower.

Actually, he finished at Epping.

Now tell me how THAT'S possible when Woodford to Hainault stops running at 8pm ...

No, now his site says Epping to Heathrow.

If he'd stay consistent we may have some idea what he's up to ...

THEORETICALLY (not statistically) 17h10m is easily possible. My best routes have EFFECTIVE TRAVEL TIME of around 14h30m-15h. Then of course interchange and waits come on top of that. Interchanges have to be made, but THEORETICALLY each train can depart just in time for you to catch it (delayed or ahead of schedule doesn't matter)

(The chances of this actually happen are of course neglible, unless - of course - you are buddy with every driver in the system like ******** claims to be...)

If ******** would stop lying and changing his story, and present us with a FINAL version of what he is claiming, then we'd know where we were.

But he tells different people different things in an attempt to confuse them, so no wonder no one believes him.

I hope he's heard about the boy who cried "Wolf" ...

I've just realised that ******** has been made an expletive on this forum. This is great!

So I can say things like:

****,
Shit,
Bollocks,
Twat,
Fisting,
Arse,

etc etc., and it'll all be fine, but:

******** get's bleeped out!

Brilliant!

EDIT: Ok, so the c-word got bleeped out