Random 15 Championship 2023/24: Round 3

[tangy]

The results of round 3 of the 2023/24 Random 15 Championship held on Saturday 20th January 2024.

This was the National Rail twist round whereby National Rail stations within zones 1 and 2 were added into the mix (this included Overground and Crossrail stations).

Therefore the stations that needed to be visited were:
--Finchley Road (LU) [meet up/start]
--Edgware Road (Bakerloo)
--Hoxton
--Finchley Road & Frognal
--Swiss Cottage
--Highbury & Islington
--West Kensington
--Shadwell (NR)
--Kensal Rise
--London Cannon Street (NR)
--Turnham Green
--Drayton Park
--Euston (LU)
--Royal Oak
--Putney Bridge

There was a high turnout for this round, including three new teams. 26 challengers competed split into 16 teams. The finalised results are as follows:

16th: Andy & David JS- 04:47:15 at Finchley Road LU
15th: James & Sam Beck- 04:25:22 at Kensal Rise
14th: Brady Sahr, Nick and Kate- 04:16:55 at Edgware Road Bakerloo
13th: Richard Standing- 03:57:03 at Cannon Street NR
=12th: Andrew Chilcraft- 03:52:46 at Drayton Park
=12th: Milo Ogidel and Ethan- 03:52:46 at Drayton Park
10th: Edward Hill, Tom Hardy and Joshua Valdez- 03:48:52 at Putney Bridge
9th: Rhys Benjamin- 03:46:51 at Royal Oak
8th: Michael Tsang- 03:29:47 at Putney Bridge
7th: James Wright- 03:24:11 at Putney Bridge
6th: Vincent Karthaus- 03:22:58 at Turnham Green
5th: Kevin Brown, Andrew Baker and Matthew Cook- 03:19:31 at Euston LU
=2nd: Ian McIntyre and Ian Imrie- 03:17:07 at Putney Bridge
=2nd: James Ramsbottom- 03:17:07 at Putney Bridge
=2nd: Rhys Jackson- 03:17:07 at Putney Bridge
1st: Tangy- 03:03:55 at Euston LU

The leaderboard now looks like this:

1st: Tangy (34 points) (3 rounds attended)
2nd: Ian McIntyre (24) (3)
3rd: James Ramsbottom (22) (2)
4th: Kevin Brown (18) (3)
5th: Andrew Chilcraft (17) (3)
6th: James Wright (15) (3)
7th: Ian Imrie (14) (2)
=8th: Vincent Karthaus (13) (3)
=8th: Rhys Jackson (13) (2)
10th: Rhys Benjamin (12) (2)
11th: Richard Standing (11) (3)
=12th: Glen Bryant (10) (1)
=12th: Peter Smyth (10) (2)
14th: Andrew Baker (8) (2)
=15th: Matthew Cook (6) (1)
=15th: Michael Tsang (6) (2)
17th: Michaela Mrockova (4) (1)
=18th: Edward Hill (1) (1)
=18th: Tom Hardy (1) (1)
=18th: Joshua Valdez (1) (1)
=21st: Milo Ogidel (0) (1)
=21st: Ethan (0) (1)
=21st: Brady Sahr (0) (1)
=21st: Nick (0) (1)
=21st: Kate (0) (1)
=21st: James Beck (0) (1)
=21st: Sam Beck (0) (1)
=21st: Stephen Moore (0) (1)
=21st: Andy JS (0) (3)
=21st: David JS (0) (3)

Thank you all for attending. The next round is scheduled for the 9th March 2024. It will be a LU only normal round.

Tangy.

[Capelblue]

A nice clear but cold January day welcomed us to Finchley Road station, along with the myriad of options available to start the challenge, the only thing that was certain was that we definitely wouldn't be taking a northbound Met line train ! We decided that if there was a station on the Jubilee line northbound or a nearby overground station that we would go that way, so once we spotted Finchley Road and Frognal on the list we headed down to the northbound platform and getting a train in a couple of minutes (spotting Swiss Cottage on the list while on the platform - aargh !). We got off the train at West Hampstead and raced across to the overground station for a westbound service to Kensal Rise where we doubled back onto the eastbound platform along with several other challengers only to find a 6 minute delay for the train to Finchley Road & Frognal, where all of us bar Andrew C got off and bolted down the road back to the start station. Here we took a Jubilee line train southbound having shaken off all but Rhys J and passed through Swiss Cottage before changing at Baker Street to the sub-surface for a train to Euston Square. Here we did the run across to Euston, Rhys got away from us and beat us to the Victoria line where we got a train through Highbury & Islington and changed at Finsbury Park to a Great Northern train where we met Rhys again on the platform, and got onto the train through Drayton Park before changing at Highbury and Islington onto an overground train (although the boards gave us duff information and we ended up briefly on platform 1 with a 14 minute wait, Ian saved the day by saying go up and check and there was a train sitting there which we got on and found Rhys and James W on there too. It trundled along through Hoxton, before reaching Shadwell where I made the impetuous decision to get off to try and break away from the others, we got onto the DLR and the first train was to Bank which we took, here we made an error as we did not realise how close Cannon Street was by foot, and we took a Northern line train (albeit a quick change) to London Bridge, where we caught a South Eastern train to Cannon Street. Here we changed to the district line down to Embankment where we changed to the Bakerloo line and went up to Edgware Road, running down to the D/C station we missed a Hammersmith train by seconds and had to wait 5 minutes. We passed through Royal Oak and changed to the District line at Hammersmith where we met up with with James R (always a good sign to be with him at the end !) and the very impressive Brady, Nick and Kate who were in London for only a month during their studies but decided to join this madness and gave it an excellent go. We all went down to Turnham Green and had a really quick double back passing through West Kensington before changing at Earl's Court for a Wimbledon train where we met up again with Rhys J who had had to endure a 9 minute wait, and we all went down to Putney Bridge to complete in a time of 3:17:07. Brady Nick and Kate still had a couple of stations to go so left us on the way back at West Brompton.

It was a really fun set of stations, lots of options, not least at the start, where with hindsight running to FR&F, then to KR, back to West Hampstead and down the Jubilee might have been the better option. We were lucky that my impetousness at Shadwell didn't cost us, and I felt Rhys was unfortunate as he got away from us a few times only for us to catch him due to long connecions.

[hopeful traveller]

Well that was one big cock-up of all my own doing.

Deciding at Finchley Road that I would, for once, do "gateline first, envelope second", on the grounds that I was almost certainly going to be taking a Southbound Met, Tangy appeared to have superglued the envelope so I struggled to open it once I was through the gateline. I heard the words "Baker Street" and "Edgware Road" from behind me, so went onto a Met line, finally managed to get the envelope open, saw Swiss Cottage, so dived onto a Jubilee Line train. No harm done, but not the best start I've ever had.

As I went down to Baker Street I was able to come up with a route from the stations I read (or at least I thought I had) and debated whether starting at Finchley Road & Frognal would have been better, but it was too late now. I saw a few people get off at Swiss Cottage - presumably to run to South Hampstead - but I stayed on to Baker Street, and ran up the escalator, two flights of stairs, and down a third set, onto the Westbound Circle... at which point I saw the station list was Edgware Road (Bakerloo). Not Edgware Road Met. Upon arrival at Edgware Road I duly ran to the Bakerloo Line station, and picked up a Stonebridge Park train, but by this time I realised I had wasted maybe 15 minutes for no gain, and already knew I was not going to win. In the confusion I made a snap decision to stay on my train to Willesden Junction and essentially reverse my route, but this would mean having to do Royal Oak and Euston later on. In hindsight, this was a bad call, and I really should have got off at Paddington and stuck to my original plan.

From there, though, things started to pick up and ran largely uneventfully. A 3-minute change at Willesden Junction, through Kensal Rise and Finchley Road & Frognal, before James W joined my train. I briefly debated whether to abandon ship at Camden Road so I could divert to Euston, but seeing the connections at Highbury & Islington, I decided it was not worth the gamble. James left me behind at H&I - the one-way system catching me out - but we both still made the same train to Drayton Park and back. I then saw that my options were a 2-minute change or a 13-minute change, so I decided I could make the 13-minute AND get to Euston and back. This would have been a masterstroke had I not had a problem with the doors on the train ahead of me on the return leg to Highbury & Islington, but somehow I made the resulting -1 minute connection onto the East London Line. Through Hoxton, turn around at Shadwell, and just miss a Westbound train at Whitechapel. I am then District Line-d as my next train CRAWLS to Cannon Street, meaning when I get upstairs to Cannon Street (NR) I am left with an unenviable 10-minute wait.

Tangy then joins me, informs me we have just left team Kev behind, and we both get off at London Bridge. Tangy then promptly leaves me behind on the ever-lengthening route to the Jubilee Line, where I just make a Westbound train to Westminster. I just miss a Richmond train which annoys me as it means I cannot now change at Earl's Court for a Wimble-ware train. I try getting on the Circle Line, but it gets held up at Gloucester Road, ending all chance of using HSK for the Wimbledon branch, so I am forced to wait at Gloucester Road for the next direct Wimbledon train.

To Putney Bridge, back up to Earl's Court, where I see Rhys (the other one) waiting for a Wimbledon train some 8 minutes away, I jump on an Ealing Broadway train to tick off West Kensington and Turnham Green, and seeing 6 minutes for a return train I decide to gamble and stay on to Acton Town. That doesn't work, and although I do get a Piccadilly Line train back in, I change between the two Hammersmiths (where I seemingly come across the entire population of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham), onto the Slammersmith & Pity line with a 2-minute wait, and finish at Royal Oak.

Without the errors I think I might have been 30 minutes quicker.

[RJSRdg]

Well, that was an excellent turnout with lots of new faces

My Challenge had a bit of a rocky start, a solid middle and a terrible ending.

Started at Finchley Road but ran to Finchley Road & Frognal. I took a wrong turning to start off with, which meant when I got to FR&F, David had got there before me and was waiting for Andrew to catch up. Down on to a westbound Overground, Andrew C boarded at West Hampstead and Kev and A2 at Brondesbury. Out to Kensal Rise where I think about half the field made it over to the other platform and a lengthy wait for the return service that had been "2 minutes" away! I got chatting to Kev and Iain on the way back and consequently forgot to change at West Hampstead and had to disembark at FR&F again, where a LO employee seemed to be doing her best to stop people disembarking! Consequently Iain and Ian got away from me and disappeared off into the distance. I arrived back at Finchley Road a couple of minutes after them (ticking it off as I hadn't caught the tube from there at the beginning). A bit of a fumble looking for my ticket ensured Iain and Ian got a train up. I caught the next one, down through Swiss Cottage to Baker Street where poor door positioning cost me a Bakerloo Line train. Over to Edgware Road (Bakerloo). More poor door positioning and I just missed a Hammersmith train at the other Edgware Road. 4 minute wait for the next one. Through Royal Oak and down towards Hammersmith, with David and Andrew joining me partway (always worrying, as it means I'm a long way down!). Over to the other Hammersmith, just missed a Picc, which allowed D&A to catch me up again. Out to Turnham Green on a Richmond train, doubled back and caught the District back to Earl's Court via West Kensington. Disappointment at Earl's Court as two Wimbledon trains were shown on the west/southbound platfroms. but one with a 7 minute wait and the other with 9. The 9 minute train came first and the three of us boarded but it was held and the other train came in on the other side. Taking a gamble, I raced across and boarded that one, and it was first to go, leaving D&A behind. This was the last I would see of anyone before the finish. Down to Putney Bridge, back round to Victoria and up to Highbury & Islington via Euston. At H&I, I crossed over to the NCL platform and saw that the next train was in 5 minutes. I opted to hop back on the Vic, go up to Finsbury Park and work back. Nice change at Finzo, back to H&I via Drayton Park (pass through as station closed due to the football). Change on to the Ovwerground via Hoxton and Shadwell. I had thought of going to New Cross and catching a train from there, but I was on a West Croydon train, so instead I opted to catch the Jubilee from Canada Water to London Bridge. Just one stop over the Thames to go....

Checking the boards, it appeared that there were no trains to Cannon Street for over 15 mins. I looked at Realtime Trains to verift tghis and it said there was a train to Cannon Street about to depart from Platform 1. I caught it, and the train set off .... eastwards! First stop Deptford, and a 10 minute wait for the next train back! Finally finished in 3:57:03, with that last mistake having cost me a points scoring position.


Round to the pub for results and two games of darts, which included my first ever double 1 finish in the first game, and an (accidental) score of 100 with three darts in the second. Then back to Paddington via Central line and walk from Lancaster Gate, getting there shortly before eight, only to find that there had been a fatality at Twyford and no trains exoected west until after 9pm. Down the Bakerloo to Waterloo and on to the 20:30 to Reading via Kingston (owing to the engineering work in the Richmond area). Arrived in Reading at 22:15, 45 minutes after the first train from Paddington had got through!

[RJSRdg]

Tangy appeared to have superglued the envelope

The way this season's going, I think somebody needs to superglue Tangy's envelope!

[Lunaticonthegrass]

I opened the envelope on the street side of the barriers at FINCHLEY ROAD and both Finchley Road & Frognall and Swiss Cottage jumped out at me. So through the barriers and onto the southbound Jubilee train waiting in the platform, along with several other teams. Most of us got off at SWISS COTTAGE and ran to the northbound platform. My original plan was to do Finchley Road and Frognall next, but near the bottom of the list I saw the word 'Euston'. Remembering that running from Swiss Cottage to South Hampstead for the 12:43 southbound was a planned opening of mine, I exited here, I believe the only one to do so. I'd not done this run before but the required exit from Swiss Cottage was well marked and the run was short and a gentle downhill - 10/10 would recommend. 7 minutes at South Hampstead before leaving for Euston. It was then that I looked more closely at the station list and saw that it was the Underground part of Euston that I needed, not the National Rail. Ah well, I would be levaing by underground anyway so not the worst blunder.

Got a bit lost in the underground station, not helped by the escalator to the southbound Bank branch platform being closed for repairs, so I had to go down the spiral staircase. Finally left the correct EUSTON (LU) heading for Cannon Street. Because of timetables, it was slightly quicker for me to go from London Bridge into Cannon Street, even though the other way was shorter. So out at London Bridge (LU), make the stupidly long run to London Bridge (NR) and then into CANNON STREET (NR). Wanting to get to Shadwell on the DLR, I ran back into Bank. The new(ish) entrance right next to Cannon Street was closed for some reason - Physically open but people weren't being let in. No idea why. I didn't stay to find out. So another stupidly long run into the usual entrance, down to the Central line, along the platform, up and over the westbound track, see that the escalator to the DLR is also closed for repairs so take the lift and eventually make it to the DLR platform. 1 minute wait before we head off.

Into Shadwell (DLR) and run to SHADWELL (LO). Tried to get in through what turned out to be the exit side of the station, so ran around the block to the entrance, down the steps and saw a northbound train pull away. Most annoying. 5 minutes for the next one.

Up through HOXTON to HIGHBURY & ISLINGTON. Here it turned out that the various small setbacks I'd encoutered didn't have any effect as I was fortunate enough to have a 2 minute wait for a Northern City line train. Through DRAYTON PARK to Finsbury Park (the idea of a double back never occured to me and I don't know why) and Victoria back to H&I.

Overground west through FINCHLEY ROAD & FROGNALL to KENSAL RISE. Moving to the back of the train here I met Vincent and we both ran to Kensal Green and headed down the Bakerloo. Rather annoying moment at Queen's Park when we were held outside the station and saw an empty train in sidings enter the station before us. Coming into EDGWARE ROAD (BAKERLOO) Vincent told me that he'd never done the Edgware Road run before so followed me. We both went to ROYAL OAK, then Vincent surprised me by exiting here. I carried on to Hammersmith (H&C), ran past the Keep Cash protests to Hammersmith (D&P). A westbound District train was 1 minute away, and stayed 1 minute away for about 4 minutes. I was about the get on the Piccadilly train which had pulled into the other platform when it finally arrived.

Met Team Ian and Brady, Nick & Kate on this train. The Ians had also come from the other Hammersmith so must have been on the train behind me. As already mentioned, we made a tight turnaround at TURNHAM GREEN and then went back through WEST KENSINGTON to Earl's Court, where we picked up Rhys Jackson and all 7 of us headed to PUTNEY BRIDGE.

Really good to have so many people taking part yesterday, especially all those doing it for the first time. Sadly, I don't think we'll see Brady, Nick and Kate again as they come from Minnesota, so a bit far to come! Oh, and I got my first ever triple 20 in darts, along with some very low scores.

[miklcct]

With a Finchley Road start, there are many starting strategies as it is the intersection of 3 lines, Therefore I stayed outside the gate line when opening the envelope in order to check how many stations on the North London line. Upon seeing Finchley Road & Frognal, I ran to that Overground station along with a few others, and scanned the list for North London line stations. I saw Highbury & Islington, Drayton Park, Hoxton and Shadwell, so they would make a good clockwise route.

I boarded an eastbound train from Finchley Road & Frognal (1) at 12:33:43. The route to Cannon Street was obvious and I was busy working out route choices afterwards, so I forgot to check the train times of Northern City line, which ran only once every 15 minutes, until seconds before arriving Highbury & Islington (2) at 12:49:13.The next northbound departure would come in 1 minute so I didn't think I could make the connection, therefore I decided to go out of the station and run 700 m to Drayton Park, but some others apparently made that connection. Unfortunately I hadn't checked the train time back from Drayton Park and I missed the 12:55 southbound train by 2 minutes. If I acted faster when alighting the Overground (I stood on the platform near the pink reader to decide if I would go out or go down), and ran raster, I might have made the 12:55 train. That was a fatal mistake which cost me 15 minutes and a few ranking places at the end. I ended up rejoining some others from the Overground train who went to Drayton Park by train, and returned on the 13:10:09 southbound departure from Drayton Park (3).

While on the Overground, I planned how I should go to the remaining stations after Cannon Street, in particular, if I should continue going clockwise and end at Swiss Cottage, however, Euston was a tricky one and I finally decided to cut across Central London first before going out again, with a Putney Bridge finish as it was relatively isolated with the SWR being unavailable.

After returning to Highbury & Islington at 13:11:38, I changed to the East London line southbound, waited for about 4 minutes after missing a train, and headed off at 13:17:11 for Hoxton (4) and Shadwell (5), and stayed on the train until Canada Water (13:38:17) for a Jubilee line connection (13:41:31) to London Bridge (13:45:16), for a Southeastern train (13:49:35) to Cannon Street (6) (13:53:07).

Then I travelled on the Northern line from Bank (13:59:54) to Euston (7) (14:10:17), Victoria line (14:12:03) to Oxford Circus (14:14:28), Bakerloo line (14:18:30) through Edgware Road (8) to Paddington (14:26:32) and Hammersmith & City line (14:31:43) to Royal Oak (9) (14:32:53). This was a minor mistake as I didn't know that Edgware Road was a better interchange than Paddington between Bakerloo and Hammersmith & City lines.

I then exited and re-entered the station in order to start a new journey on my Oyster card, such that it wouldn't time out when I travel outside my Travelcard Zones 1-2 later, and headed for the return journey at 14:36:56 to Baker Street (14:44:18), for the Jubilee line (14:48:10) through Swiss Cottage (10) and Finchley Road (11) to West Hampstead (14:55:36).

The next move, which I think no one else did, was to venture outside Zone 2 on a Richmond train which was scheduled to run only every 15 minutes, a risky move but I couldn't think of a better way to handle Kensal Rise. There was a delayed Clapham Junction train when I entered the Overground station, which affected the Richmond train I had to take as well. I waited for about 7 minutes in total for the Richmond train to come (15:03:42). I passed Kensal Rise (12), and the train was held outside Willesden Junction while the delayed Clapham Junction train cleared passengers out for fast running. Fortunately an eastbound District line train, which is scheduled to run only every 10 minutes, pulled into the platform at the same time as the westbound Overground train I was on (15:30:34 - 15:31:06).

Afterwards it was basically a smooth sailing for the remaining stations: Turnham Green (13), West Kensington (14). When I arrived Earl's Court (15:46:42) a Wimbledon train pulled in at the same time as well but I couldn't change platforms in time to catch it, and I boarded the next one 4 minutes later (15:51:27). I finally arrived Putney Bridge at 15:59:47, i.e. 2 hours, 29 minutes and 47 seconds.

In hindsight, if I saw the words "Swiss Cottage" at the same time as "Finchley Road & Frognal", I would have done my route 1 - 11 in reverse order, taking a through train from Highbury & Islington to Gunnersbury, which would save me a run between the Finchley Road stations, a run between the West Hampstead stations and a change.

Checking the boards, it appeared that there were no trains to Cannon Street for over 15 mins. I looked at Realtime Trains to verift tghis and it said there was a train to Cannon Street about to depart from Platform 1. I caught it, and the train set off .... eastwards! First stop Deptford, and a 10 minute wait for the next train back! Finally finished in 3:57:03, with that last mistake having cost me a points scoring position.

Platform 1 is an eastbound platform! I didn't even bother look at the train time at all as the train on this route ran frequently, and just ran to platform 3 religiously.

[tangy]

Well that was one big cock-up of all my own doing.

Deciding at Finchley Road that I would, for once, do "gateline first, envelope second", on the grounds that I was almost certainly going to be taking a Southbound Met, Tangy appeared to have superglued the envelope so I struggled to open it once I was through the gateline. I heard the words "Baker Street" and "Edgware Road" from behind me, so went onto a Met line, finally managed to get the envelope open, saw Swiss Cottage, so dived onto a Jubilee Line train. No harm done, but not the best start I've ever had

My usual supplier of envelopes recently closed down (Wilko), so had to source alternatives from a well known major supermarket. Don't blame me, I don't (and cannot) prepare them anyway!

[tangy]

The winning route as explained at the results:

Upon opening the envelope Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road & Frognal and Kensal Rise caught my attention straight away. So it was onto a southbound Jubilee that had just pulled in for the one stop hop to SWISS COTTAGE and reverse back to Finchley Road. Due to the "passback time out" on my Oyster the barriers would not let me back out so had to seek assistance and then play catch up with Brady, Nick and Kate on the run to FINCHLEY ROAD & FROGNAL. This proved crucial as I arrived to see a westbound train depart (and as usual the one with the big gap behind it) so had to just let those 10 minutes slip by.

Alighted at KENSAL RISE and left the station via the side exit onto the bus station for the run to Kensal Green whereby I arrived with the Bakerloo seemingly in disarray with the first two southbound departures showing as "delayed" but a Bakerloo train came within 3 minutes to take me to EDGWARE ROAD (BAKERLOO). Out and over the Circle line station for a 5 minute wait for a train towards Hammersmith.

I was with Kev, A2 and Matt for the next section as we covered ROYAL OAK, TURNHAM GREEN and WEST KENSINGTON together without much fuss. As we pulled into platform 1 at Earl's Court I noted a train waiting in platform 4 so dashed over and it was Wimbledon bound, team Kev also made it aboard so again we travelled together to PUTNEY BRIDGE and return with a good 2 minute turnaround (as it appeared there was only a 10 minute Edgware Road service operating). Swap trains at Earl's Court again to head eastbound whereby team Kev alighted at Westminster but I stayed on to Cannon Street.

This is where the remainder of my route just fell in place as I ran upstairs to CANNON STREET (NR) and onto a train that was departing imminently, walking through the train to get to the correct door position for London Bridge and saw Rhys B on the same train. We both alighted at London Bridge but I soon got ahead of him on the long internal run to the Jubilee line (via the Northern line barriers) where there was an eastbound train just pulling in. Alighted at Canada Water and went upstairs to the East London line for a 2 minute wait for a through train to Highbury & Islington. Thus onwards through SHADWELL (NR) and HOXTON to HIGHBURY & ISLINGTON.

Approaching H&I, I consulted an online train tracker for the times of Northern City line trains and noted my ELL train would arrive two minutes after a NCL train departs. However the ELL train had a clear run in and arrived early so thought I still had a chance of catching the NCL train. Battling through the Arsenal crowds made progress slow so arrived at the northbound NCL/Victoria circulating area not expecting the NCL train to still be sitting there! Quickly jumped on and the doors closed seconds after... win!! The aforementioned Arsenal match meant a scheduled closure of DRAYTON PARK (but the train stopped anyway to change from DC power to AC) so it was onwards to Finsbury Park. A quick run down the Victoria line to the finish at EUSTON (LU) 3 hours, 3 minutes and 55 seconds after I started.

[al]

My usual supplier of envelopes recently closed down (Wilko), so had to source alternatives from a well known major supermarket. Don't blame me, I don't (and cannot) prepare them anyway!

The thought of you cackling maniacally while gluing everyone else's envelopes was quite appealing....


Sounds like it was a cracking day. It's a shame I can't make any except in the proverbial blue moon.

[RJSRdg]

Checking the boards, it appeared that there were no trains to Cannon Street for over 15 mins. I looked at Realtime Trains to verift tghis and it said there was a train to Cannon Street about to depart from Platform 1. I caught it, and the train set off .... eastwards! First stop Deptford, and a 10 minute wait for the next train back! Finally finished in 3:57:03, with that last mistake having cost me a points scoring position.

Platform 1 is an eastbound platform! I didn't even bother look at the train time at all as the train on this route ran frequently, and just ran to platform 3 religiously.

The train I got on was indeed going to Cannon Street - however it was a Cannon Street- Cannon Street circular!

[ANDY_JS]

Our route

On foot to Finchley Rd & Frognal -> WIllesden Grn
-> Edgware Rd (Bak)
-> Warwick Av
On foot to Royal Oak
-> Hammersmith (H&C)
Hammersmith (Distr) -> Turnham Grn
-> Earls Ct
-> East Putney
Tried to take train from Putney to Waterloo but closed so took bus replacement service to Clapham Junction (very slow due to roadworks and heavy traffic)
Clapham Junction -> Waterloo
Waterloo -> London Br
-> Cannon St
-> Monument
Bank (DLR) -> Shadwell
Shadwell (NR) -> Highbury & Isl
-> Fins Pk (NR)
Fins Pk (Vic) -> Euston
-> KCSP
-> Bak St
-> Swiss Cottage

Probably wasted about 30 to 40 mins by attempting to take the train at Putney.

[RJSRdg]

I presume you mean Willesden Junction rather than Willesden Green

Willesden Junction - Edgware Road (Bakerloo) then back up to Warwick Avenue and on foot to Royal Oak seems a convoluted route when you could have just gone from one Edgware Road station to the other one....

[Lunaticonthegrass]

16th: Andy & David JS- 04:47:15 at Finchley Road LU

Is this the first time a team has finished a Random 15 challenge at the start station?

[RJSRdg]

I'm not sure - but on my first R15 (two-envelope twist round) I had to go back to the start (Euston) to open the second envelope as I realised I had run from Euston to Euston Square at the start and so hadn't "visited" Euston.

This caused some confusion when I reported to Tangy.
"Where did you open the second envelope?"
"Euston."
"No, where did you open the second envelope?"
"Euston!"