Random 15 Championship 2023/24: Round 4

[tangy]

Welcome to the 2023/24 Random 15 season!

If you are new to all of this:
Welcome to the 2023/24 Random 15 Championship. I am your host (commonly known to regulars as the BERC when I am hosting Random 15 challenges). The Random 15 challenge is just that, visit 15 randomly selected stations that feature on the Tube Map (usually within zones 1-2 and using the Underground network only). There will be certain rounds within the championship that are a variation of this such as adding an extra zone or network e.g. DLR onto the challenge. So are you ready to take on the Random 15 championship?

The rules and scoring are unchanged from previous seasons but if anyone is not familiar with them, or needs a refresh, you can view them here: http://www.explorerticket.co.uk/tubecha ... 5rules.htm

Details for round 4:
When: Saturday 9th March 2024 12:30 UK local time.
Starting at: Bank (the new Walbrook entrance on Cannon Street).
Post challenge pub: The Blue Posts, 81 Newman Street, Marylebone W1T 3EU (in between Oxford Circus and TCR, north of Oxford Street). Evening meals available upstairs from 17:00.
Variant: Normal round- just 15 stations in zones 1 and 2 on the LU network only but with a "live bucket" draw.
Time limit: Normal round, 4 hours.

Closures affecting the challenge (correct at time of posting):
Circle: No service Edgware Road- Tower Hill via Victoria.
District: No service Earl's Court- Embankment/ Edgware Road/ Kensington Olympia.
Waterloo & City line: Usual weekend closure.

Other closures to be aware of:
DLR: No service Stratford international- Canning Town.
South Eastern: No trains to/from London Cannon Street.
Greater Anglia: No trains via Tottenham Hale (including to/from Stratford). Diversions via Seven Sisters.
Southern: No trains London Bridge- Streatham via Peckham Rye (Overground not affected by this work).
c2c: All trains will run to/from Fenchurch Street via West Ham.

Therefore the following stations are closed and will not be in the bucket: Bayswater, High Street Kensington, Sloane Square, St. James's Park, Kensington Olympia.

This is a "live bucket" round, so instead of envelopes to open, challengers present will pick the 14 other stations themselves out of a bucket whilst at the meet up point prior to the start. To ensure a timely start to the challenge please be at the meet up point at least 10 minutes before to allow the draw to take place.

Please reply to this post or respond to the Facebook event posting if you are planning on attending. Thank you.

Tangy.
The BERC.

[Oggm]

I'll be there with one other; we will be in a team of two.

[JamesWright]

I will be there!

[miklcct]

I'll be there

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Attending: Oggm+1, JamesWright, miklcct, Lunaticonthegrass

[Going Underground]

Sorry will be missing this something else cropped up last minute - @tangy do you have an e-mail that you want me to scan darts sheets to ?

[tangy]

Sorry will be missing this something else cropped up last minute - @tangy do you have an e-mail that you want me to scan darts sheets to ?

Email via Explorer Ticket please, Kev.

[Going Underground]

Sorry will be missing this something else cropped up last minute - @tangy do you have an e-mail that you want me to scan darts sheets to ?

Email via Explorer Ticket please, Kev.

All done for you

[hopeful traveller]

No can do I'm afraid.

[EastActionWoman]

Going to have to miss this one again. Just got back from India and heading north tomorrow morning.

Have fun everyone!

[RJSRdg]

And I won't be out for this one as it clashes with Basingstoke Model Railway Exhibition

[ANDY_JS]

Good luck to everyone doing the challenge. I won't be able to make it because I'm visiting my brother in Boston USA. Definitely hoping to be at the next one on 1st June.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

OK, write-up time.

The live draw produced an interesting set of stations. Several clustered in an awkward way around the start station, nothing out east and several remote ones north and west. As the Central and pretty much the whole sub-surface was operating with severe delays when the challenge started, this was sure to be interesting.

Normally I would have started close by, but I had no idea how to tackle the cluster and didn't want to risk massive delays. So I left BANK on a southbound Northern train with Tangy, James & Sam and possibly a few others. Change to the Bakerloo at ELEPHANT & CASTLE, where there was no train in either platform. One pulled in shortly but it was very stop-start as we headed through LAMBETH NORTH and beyond.

Changed at Waterloo to the Jubilee to do Green Park next. Green Park was at the centre of an arc with all the remaining stations, so I had a choice of doing the City cluster next and finishing at Fulham Broadway, or that in reverse. I decided to let fate decide - I would get on whichever Piccadilly train came first.

But fate had other ideas. There is often congestion down to the Piccadilly platforms at GREEN PARK, but this was by far the worst I've ever seen it. A change of plan was required, so it was on to the Victoria and head north towards Archway. Changed at Warren Street where I just missed a High Barnet branch (OK, Mill Hill East) train, and of course the next one is for the Edgware brach. So through MORNINGTON CRECSENT to change at Camden Town, where the station layout confused me and I got caught it more crowds, but eventually got a High Barnet train to ARCHWAY. Just missed a doubleback here because I didn't bother with door positions and of course it was a Bank branch train. So back to Camden Town to change again, briefly spotting James Wright get on the train I arrived on, and head back towards Bank.

Saw a train pulling away as I arrived at ANGEL for a doubleback. 4 minutes until the next one. I nearly hopped back on the train I arrived on but the doors shut before I would jump on. Good change to the Piccadilly at KXSP then through RUSSELL SQUARE to Holborn. Fortunately only 2 minutes for a Central through ST PAUL'S and a second visit to Bank. Less fortunate with a 9 minute wait at Liverpool Street for any sub-surface heading east. I considered what else I could do but I was one stop away from a station I needed and I had no plans to come back to this area, so I just waited for the promised Met to Aldgate.

Came into ALDGATE on platform 3 and nothing waiting on platforms 2 or 4. So 4 minutes here to wait for the train I arrived on to leave then a long chill through BARBICAN to FINCHLEY ROAD. Nothing in the southbound platforms on arrival so it was a brisk walk over the bridge here to be met with a Jubilee train pulling in just as I arrived. Beautiful.

Rather than go via Baker Street, I headed to Warwick Avenue by exiting at St John's Wood and running to Maida Vale (using a famous road crossing in the process). Ran into James Wright again here, who had just done that same run. One stop to WARWICK AVENUE and we both exited. James W threw me at this point by not running once out of the station, so I though he might have finished. It later turned out that he was simply to tired to run at that point. Passed Peter Smyth and Milo & Yithan on the run to Royal Oak as they came the other way. Met Andrew Baker at ROYAL OAK and James W caught us up a moment later.

Heading towards Hammersmith we all guessing that we all had just one station left - Fulham Broadway. So the usual cryptic comments and trying to outwit each other with the best route. I gambled on the Overground being faster, so exited at Shepherd's Bush Market and ran as fast as my body would allow to make a connection at Shepherd's Bush NR. Overground train ended up being 1 minute late, but I would have still made it if it was one time - just!

Into West Brompton and I see a southbound District pull away. A train I later found out had Tangy and Andrew Chilcraft onboard. If the Overground had been on time I'd have probably made it. 5 minute wait hear, thinking that I still must had been faster than James W and Andrew, but they were on the train which finally rolled in, along with Team Ian. So down to FULHAM BROADWAY and another tie-finish on the Wimbledon Branch for myself.

[Oggm]

Our route, (Milo & Yifan) was thus:

Starting station was Bank, confused myself as to what entrance Tangy was talkling about; luckily I managed to find everyone else in time. We considered multiple plans for the start: 1) Bank Central/Northern; 2) Run to Cannon Street; 3) Run to Monument (Tower Hill for Fenchurch St.).

With Aldgate being called out, we initially considered going eastbound from Monument. However, as the timers were started, and St. Paul's was called out, I made the rush decision to go Central line, westbound from Bank. We crammed ourself in the train already standing at the platfrom, made a double back at St. Paul's awkward stacked platforms, lost ourselves momentarily loosing us time, got off the eastbound Central at Liverpool St. For a clockwise circle service. Doubled back again at Aldgate for a met service, initially showing Amersham as its destination, but later changing its mind for Chesham.

We met annother team during this time, matching our route so far. So as standard, we attempted to throw them off, we got off at Barbican, said our goodbyes, but then sprinted towards the rear of the train and got back in to line up for a change at KXX. We were met crippling with embarasment by the same team we said goodbye to seconds ago, as they strolled their way through the S8 Stock to meet us. At King's Cross & St. Pancras International, we were met with a very highly concentrated crowd of humans funneling into two escalators on the Northern line. Taking instinct, we ran down the Victoria line escalators, and then followed signs for the Northern line - completely avoiding the whole crowd - we then took Northern to Angel, where we had a smooth double back for a High Barnet service, Archway was next, where yet again we doubled back, only to be met with a Y branch service in 3 minuites. We hopped off at Camden Town where I checked for a faster X branch service, but to no avail. We entered the following X branch service off the same platform, ticking off Mornington Crescent.

At Euston, I decided to use the Vic to KXX, initially the better idea until the PID indicated a 3 min wait, we desided to rest on the platform, while the train arrived. Using the shortcut against stations signs, we made our way onto the westbound (southbound) Picc to Piccadilly circus, via Russel square, Straight onto the Bakerloo to Elephant & Castle, via Lambeth North. We linned up to the cross passage for annother double back, and just made an incredible 0 second connection along with annother competitor. We gambled whether to take the jubilee to Green Park, but decided to retrace our steps, and use the spiral staircase to connect up to the Picc at Piccadilly Circus. Taking the Picc westbound, we ticked off Green Park, but alighted at Earl's Court. Up the escalator for a Wimbledon train which only took 1 min. We could enjoy an easy stroll across the footbridge to double back at Fulham Broadway (Yifans new favourite tube station). Consulting Tfl Go, I was unimpressed with the requirement to have to head to Royal Oak, via Earl's Court and Hammersmith, wasting 30 mins, but eventually I had to accept this as the fastest route at the time. Discussing various routes, leaving Royal Oak we decided to go for a jog, we met about five others on the way, but all of them running the other way. Warwick Avenue met us with a depressing 6 min wait for a southbound. Considering all options, I struggled to comprehend why two teams, just behind us were running onto each northbound train as it passed. Getting off at Baker Street, we sprinted for our final connection for a northbound met, finishing at Finchley Road (Same as our start last time). Not sure we could have ran our route much better, but considering perfect connections, we could have shaved off around 18 minuites.

Thanks be to tangy for organising

[miklcct]

This is probably my worst performance I have ever got, due to multiple cock ups I have made during the race.

Although this is a live bucket round, where all stations were known in advance before the clock started, I didn't fully take advantage of the preparation time, and did a poor start. The easternmost station drawn was Aldgate, and the starting station Bank was not far from it, while the westernmost station was Fulham Broadway where I intended to finish, so I should have used a route from east to west.

The clocked started at 12:31:05. However, I ran down to the Central line westbound immediately (12:34:58), without realising that Aldgate was on the list. I processed the list while on the Central line train and realised that I had missed Barbican and Angel as well!!! By the time I realised that I missed so many stations in the City, the train had already passed Chancery Lane where I could get off and go to Farringdon to correct my mistake. I visited Bank (1) and St Paul's (2) on the Central line, and eventually got off at Holborn (12:39:44), changed to the Piccadilly line (12:43:53) for Russell Square (3). I got off at King's Cross (12:47:19).

It was a difficult decision as I needed to visit Barbican and Aldgate on the Metropolitan line, and also Angel on the Northern line, however, these 3 stations are on the 3 different ways out of the intersection at Moorgate, which was a mistake of not running to Moorgate to start the race. I decided to use the Northern line first to go to Moorgate, but I went up the wrong escalator at the station and the down escalator back was out of service, causing massive congestion in the station. I only boarded the Northern line train nearly 8 minutes later (12:55:15), which passed through Angel (4) on the way to Moorgate (13:00:38). At that point, a double-back was inevitable. I boarded a Metropolitan line train (13:03:12) to Aldgate (5) (13:07:10), and returned on the same train (13:13:21) to Barbican (6). By then, all the City stations had been done.

Then it came to another difficult decision. Should I went south for Elephant & Castle and Lambeth North first, or went north for Archway first? I decided that I would take the 2 Zone 1 stations south of the river first, then go to Archway, and use an orbital route for the remaining Zone 2 stations. From Barbican I could either get off and return to Bank for the Northern line, or continue to Farringdon for the Thameslink to Elephant & Castle, and I opted for the latter as there is a cross-platform interchange at Farringdon (13:19:12). Unfortunately I was faced a 12-minute wait for a Sutton train, so I boarded the next train (13:22:59), got off at Blackfriars (13:27:08), and exited the station and took a route 63 bus (13:33:05) to Elephant & Castle (13:38:54).

I entered the Elephant & Castle (7) tube station and boarded a Bakerloo line train (13:40:44), which passed Lambeth North (8) on the way to Waterloo (13:44:28). Unfortunately I had to force a change at Green Park so I had to use the hellish interchange to the Jubilee line (13:49:25), changed at Green Park (9) (13:53:05) for the Victoria line (13:55:03). Then I had to make another unpleasant change at Warren Street (13:58:00) for the Northern line (Charing Cross branch) (14:00:41) because of Mornington Crescent (10). Fortunately the Northern line train went to Mill Hill East, so it was a through journey to Archway (11) (14:10:32).

I then left the station and transferred to the Overground at Upper Holloway (14:23:50), where I met James and his son. We had the same station left at that time, so we tried to outcompete each other. I talked about the possibility of running from St John's Wood to Maida Vale, while he talked about the possibility of changing from Swiss Cottage to South Hampstead. We got off at Gospel Oak (14:27:02) and changed to a Clapham Junction train (14:32:21). We then got off together at Finchley Road & Frognal (14:36:41) for an out-of-station interchange to Finchley Road (12).

At that point, the only stations left were Warwick Avenue, Royal Oak, and Fulham Broadway, and I had to decide which way to go. I initially thought that I could go to Warwick Avenue first, then run to Royal Oak, but the route from Royal Oak to Fulham Broadway either involves the horrendeous change between the H&C and District at Paddington, or a detour through Hammersmith. I then also thought if I should run from St John's Wood to Maida Vale or change from Jubilee to Bakerloo at Baker Street. Then my mind popped out that I could change to the Hammersmith & City line at Baker Street instead and do this 2 in reverse order, then it would be a simple change from Bakerloo to the District to Fulham Broadway at Paddington. Bingo! I then waited for a Metropolitan line train at Finchley Road. James and his son were also on the platform with me, they nearly boarded a southbound Jubilee line train but stepped back at the last moment. They talked about something like going back to Willesden Junction via West Hampstead, but eventually they boarded the Metropolitan line train with me (14:43:01).

Upon arriving Baker Street (14:48:30), I ran for the Hammersmith & City line, but they went down to the Bakerloo instead. I boarded a Circle line train (14:51:26) to Royal Oak (13) (14:57:23), then ran to Warwick Avenue (14) (15:07:00) for the Bakerloo to go back to Paddington (15:08:35) for the District line.

Then I slammed into the closed gate at Paddington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't realise that the line through Notting Hill Gate was also closed in addition to the line through Victoria!!!!!!!!!!!!! The poster at the station told me to take route 27 bus to High Street Kensington, but the bus stop was closed and showed that the route 27 was diverted as well! I was basically stuck totally and couldn't find a way to the correct direction. The map shows that the route 27 does not go on a direct route, Google Maps only show the District line as the possible route, and the journey planner I am developing in my job based on DfT open data also only returns Circle / District as well with my preferences.

It looks like there was no viable route to go to High Street Kensington apart from a long run through Hyde Park, and I nearly gave up at that point. After about 20 minutes, I entered the system again at Lancaster Gate (15:31:47) and changed at Shepherd's Bush and West Brompton in order to reach Fulham Broadway. Fortunately the connections at both stations were good and I arrived Fulham Broadway (15) at 15:50:33, when the stopwatch stopped at 3:19:28.

I left the station for the loo, and to buy a meal deal at Sainsbury's. I met James and his son again. We went to the pub together, and because of the District line closures, Piccadilly line had to carry 3 lines worth of passengers and got seriously overcrowded to the extent that people were left on the platform between Earl's Court and Green Park.

Unfortunately I had to rush to Folkestone immediately afterwards for the CS&PF annual dinner, where our achievement in the English Channel last year was celebrated (and I got an award as well), so I couldn't wait until the results were announced.