EAW's intermittent alternative challenges

[EastActionWoman]

Whilst recuperating from this year's health problems, I've been working out routes for some of the alternative challenges. As I'm in London once a month for work, I'm going to try to incorporate a challenge into my schedule each time. A few of the challenges (Zones 1&2, Mouse, Points of the Compass etc) require changes at Moorgate or Kentish Town or both, so I've shelved them until those stations are properly back in action.

This month I'm going to try South London as it shouldn't take too long and there don't seem to be any access issues. Did a test run last night for the Northern/Victoria/Bakerloo/Jubilee interchanges which seemed to go ok though it was pretty humid. Tonight I'm going to find out how long it takes me to get from Putney to East Putney and also have a look at how to get between Wimbledon and Morden - current thinking is bus to South Wimbledon and a double-back.

Doing the whole thing on Thursday morning - fingers crossed for all the lines behaving themselves. There's an Overground train which gets to Richmond nicely for interchange onto the Richmond-Putney direct train, so hopefully that will work rather than having to hang about there for six minutes. Will let you know how it goes.

[EastActionWoman]

Yesterday's recce was definitely worth it:

• only 6 mins 40 secs walk platform to platform for Putney to East Putney

• 93 from Wimbledon is OK, but the stop at South Wimbledon for other bus routes is closed, so will need to get out at Merton Road instead if necessary

• love the train in the middle platform at Morden having doors open on both sides

Now just need to keep fingers crossed for the weather tomorrow.

[EastActionWoman]

Thursday morning I woke up to severe delays on the District line, but they had mostly cleared by the time I started the challenge. They were also due to signal failure at Plaistow so the Wimbleware route was unaffected. The predicted heavy rain stayed further south too, but it was still pretty muggy.

The first part of the challenge went like a dream - fast train from Richmond to Putney was waiting in platform as I arrived on the Overground from Kew Gardens; the walk to East Putney was done in 5m40s with only a couple of minutes to wait for the Wimbledon train; a run to the bus stop just as the 57 arrived; getting off at Merton Road and walking to South Wimbledon tube was actually quicker than if I'd stayed on to the nearer bus stop (if it had been open) due to bad traffic, and a train pulled in just as I got to the platform. By the time I got to Merton I was three minutes up on my planned schedule and it seemed like the tube challenge gods were on my side.

By the time I got to the Battersea branch, I was six minutes up on schedule and thinking I was going to smash the record. But it wasn't to be - as I arrived on the platform - "sorry, no trains, there's a dog on the track at East Finchley". Apparently the dog was OK, but refused to be caught. The current had been turned off between Edgware and Camden Town so the Northern line was buggered. Trains started running again not long after but it meant that instead of being six minutes ahead of schedule leaving Battersea I was seven minutes down. After that I kept just missing connections or just hitting gaps in the service, losing more time. I finished at North Greenwich in 2:07:49 - about three minutes outside the record.

On the plus side, it did confirm that my route would be a fast one if everything worked. I'll try again at the end of September when I'm next in London.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Dog on the track - that's a new one for me!

Golden rule for Tube Challenging - Don't count your chickens...

But good to hear that you're back out there following your recovery.

[DavidC]

Well done - congratulations on the connections ... and pushing me down a place!

[greatkingrat]

I was at High Barnet being delayed by the same dog!

[EastActionWoman]

Back in London for the week. Headed to Kew Gardens this morning and failed at the first interchange: Overground delayed by a couple of minutes ago I saw the Putney train pulling out as we were pulling in.

Will attempt to get an earlier train up north instead.