Random 15 Championship 2024/25: Round 1

[Going Underground]

Attending: RJSRdg, Lunaticonthegrass, Oggm, Jameswright, GU
parkrun: Morden (Also runners at Roding Valley)
Spoons; Wimbledon (Also Stratford)

[tangy]

What about Battersea Park?

Battersea Park only sees LO trains during the early morning or late evening, so outside the time window of the challenge. Therefore as Battersea Park can only be visited by SN trains (thus NR only) during the duration of the challenge, it will be outwith the criteria of the challenge and will be excluded from the bucket.

[tangy]

News regarding the pub / post challenge meet up:

Following discussions with the manager (and a personal midweek visit to the premises) I would like to invite you to:

The Carpenters Arms, 12 Seymour Place, W1H 7NE.

It is the home of the West London branch of CAMRA so has a good selection of real ale and cider. Hot meals usually available all day (if you like your pies) and it is under five minutes walk from Marble Arch and the Edgware Road.

[The Raven]

Attending: RJSRdg, Lunaticonthegrass, Oggm, Jameswright, GU
parkrun: Morden (Also runners at Roding Valley)
Spoons; Wimbledon (Also Stratford)

Are people going to Morden Parkrun? I'll see if I get there as well

[Going Underground]

Attending: RJSRdg, Lunaticonthegrass, Oggm, Jameswright, GU
parkrun: Morden (Also runners at Roding Valley)
Spoons; Wimbledon (Also Stratford)

Are people going to Morden Parkrun? I'll see if I get there as well

I'm at Morden, A2 and Mr Chilcraft at Roding Valley

[The Raven]

Mmm.... I don't think I'll be able to get to Roding Valley in time. I'll head to Morden

[Going Underground]

Mmm.... I don't think I'll be able to get to Roding Valley in time. I'll head to Morden

If I have to re-route to Wimbledon like last time due very delayed bus I will pm you

[Capelblue]

As JimBob sang in 1992, 'Hello, good evening, welcome, to nothing much', and after today that too is how I feel about New Cross.

We all met up at Paddington (H&C) for the season opener, I was on my own today. Learning from previous mistakes I took some time to look at the station list and map where they all were, taking the simple decision to head for the eastbound platform as there was nothing west of the start. The platform was full of challengers, so I had not lost anything so far.

We headed off towards Baker Street where my intention was to head for West Hampstead, I followed the crowd and was a little surprised that they headed for the southbound Jubilee line, I twigged just in time that Bond Street was on the list so joined the others on the platform and we all got a fast double back at Bond Street and headed up to West Hampstead (LU). A 5 minute wait for the Overground train allowed a little more planning for the maze of North London overground stations we needed to visit, and we all headed through Finchley Road & Frognal before a few of us left the train at Hampstead Heath for the run up to Belsize Park. A good connection here saw me on the way to Camden Town on a Charing Cross train, I made a late decision to get Angel done now as I couldn't easily fit it in with the rest of my route so I changed to a Bank branch train at Camden Town with Vincent and doubled back at Angel onto a waiting High Barnet train to Archway. I was on my own finally at this point, but that would soon change. Exiting at Archway I was joined by Glenn and James W and we all headed off for Upper Holloway where my luck for the day began to turn, we arrived at the top of the ramp to the station to see the train leaving and a 15 minute wait for the next one after reconciling ourselves that there was unfortunately no better option than waiting. While waiting we were joined by several more challengers including Richard, Kev and A2, and we all got the Goblin up to Blackhorse Road when it finally arrived, changing there to the Victoria line and just catching a train as the door closed leaving some challengers behind. However they all caught us up on the overground platform at Seven Sisters as we waited for a train to Stamford Hill (and the deep joy of the crowd control for Spurs games at Seven Sisters). We all headed south, only I got off at Stamford Hill to double back and that was the last I saw of anyone until the pub.

I had made that decision as there should have only been a 3 minute wait for the northbound train, but that became 6, and when I got to Seven Sisters I charged onto the Victoria line platform only to find that the train there was terminating, and it then proceeded to stand there for 5 minutes until I could carry on to Highbury & Islington and change to a Stratford overground service ticking off Canonbury on the way. At Stratford I made a pretty smooth change to the Jubilee line and got another decent change at West Ham onto the District line. It was now clear that New Cross was the key, and my app told me if I made the 3:22 out of Upton Park I would make a smooth connection at Whitechapel. As we pulled into Upton Park the Westbound service was just pulling in, luckily the platform that side was busy and I made the connection thinking that the route was panning out pretty well. At Whitechapel I raced down to the Overground platform only to see the New Cross train pulling out and no other one for 15 minutes, very annoying. I had planned to get a SE train from New Cross to Cannon Street, so decided to get down there to see if the same tracks rule would apply. I got the next train down to New Cross Gate, and ran to New Cross, by now Tangy had replied to me that the same tracks rule did not apply, so I knew I would have to take the overground, and ran into the station to find it leaving and another 15 minute wait !

Reconciled to my fate now I waited it out, got the next one back to Whitechapel, changing onto the District line to Embankment - picking up Blackfriars en route, and changing to the Northern line to Kennington where I got a smooth change onto a Morden train and finally finished at Colliers Wood in a time of 4:36:05

The New Cross fiasco probably cost me over half an hour as it prevented me taking an 11 minute train to Cannon Street, instead taking 35 mins (in addition to the 15 minute wait) on the overground/tube. I should have waited for the next New Cross train at Whitechapel, and would have done if I'd known the same tracks rule did not apply. With that and the wait at Upper Holloway my time could have been much better. Hats off to Andrew though, his route was better than mine and he deserved the luck of the changes. Onto the next one.

[RJSRdg]

Another exercise in "How not to do an R15 Challenge" from me.

It started well, and was the same as Ian's as far as Belsize Park so I won't repeat all that. However I blundered with door positions at BP (entered "anticlockwise" instead of "clockwise" into First Off The Tube and consequently found myself at the wrong end of the train and lost time getting out of the station, although I did pass Kev outside and briefly caught up with some of the other challengers until the uphill stretch proved too much for me to run and I droppped to a walk. Another challenger passed be on the downhill stretch and had already descended by the time I reached the lift. The boards said next Bank branch train 2 minutes, of course the length of time spent waiting for the next lift (and some confusion over which end to exit the lift from - the EXIT OTHER END lights didn't change to EXIT THIS END until the lift had nearly reached the bottom) meant I arriived on the platform just in time to see the train depart. Kev and A2 arrived and caught the next Charing Cross train, but seeing that there was another Bank train two minutes behind that, I opted to wait for that and save myself an extra change at Camden Town or Euston. Down to Angel for a double back, where I met Kev and A2 on the platform having presumably just got off the same train I'd been on. As we travelled up to Archway, I realised my stopwatch had lost 10 minutes, so I rest and Kev gave me the time on his (1 hour 6 mins) to add on. Following some some confusion over where to go out of Archway station we headed to Upper Holloway where we were reunited with Ian, James, and the other challengers Ian listed. Again, as per Ian's route to Stamford Hill (albeit with some more confusion at Blackhorse Road where I followed a group of challengers up the footbridge only for everyone except Ian to turn right and double back, while he and I turned left and took the Victoria line).
From Stamford Hill, I carried on down with the crowd to Hackney Downs, Hackney Central and Canonbury. By now I realised that I had mislaid my copy of the list (I normally photograph it after opening the envelope but hadn't this time), and was quite surprised to see everyone jump on a Crystal Palace train (as I knew that didn't go to New Cross). I checked with the other challengers that it was New Cross we were supposed to be going to rather than NXG, someone said "Yes", and someone else said "Check your envelope" (I did have the envelope, but not the piece of paper inside it....)

Everyone else got off at Whitechapel. Supposing that they were all taking the District Line to Blackfriars, I stayed on the Overground to Surrey Quays and a ten minute wait for the next train to New Cross, where I found myself in the same carriage as Andrew Chilcraft. He jumped off and ran ahead, I wasn't too far behind him but paused to check the departure board at the end of the subway as I thought I had five minutes to make the next train, but the board said the late-running previous train was still in the platform. That pause was enough for Andrew to catch the train whilst I arrived just after the doors were locked and had to catch the train thee minutes behind (which was the one I had intended to get). Round to Cannon Street and on to the Subsurface through Blackfriars to Embankment (I did contemplate getting a Thameslink from Blackfriars to Tooting but wasn't able to check Realtime Trains in time). Down the Northern line to Kennington then change to a Bank branch train down to Colliers Wood. As I travelled south, a sense of foreboding came over me as I could only remember having visited 14 stations (including the one I was on my way to). I was contemplating whether to lap my watch, go to the pub and compare lists there (with a potential dash to whichever station I might have missed) when I put my hand in my trouser pocket and found the missing list - and yes, I had missed a station - Upton Park!

Back up the slow Northern Line to London Bridge (where I did at least spot a shortcut from the Northern Line to the Jubilee which I must remember if I do another FNC), round to West Ham and a rush to the District Line, avoiding any number of pushchairs en route. Eastbound train just pulling in and I took it two stops to Upton Park, stopping the watch on 3 hours 20, plus the 1 hour 6 minutes from Kev's watch giving a total of 4 hours 26 (sorry can't remember the seconds as the battery has now gone in my stopwatch). Back along the District Line somewhat dejectedly kicking myself for the mistake and believing myself to have come last and out of the points - neither of which turned out to be true - to Edgware Road then walked to the pub.


Thoughts on the pub - handy location (especially for getting back to Paddington), but somewhat noisy and the food was disappointing. Whilst the sausage roll (the only thing on offer) was big, at the price I would at least have expected it to be warm.

Stayed for the results and a (very long) round of darts, then walked to Paddington, had a quick explore of the new Bakerloo Line entrance (I wasn't expecting to have to go UP a flight of steps to get to the ticket hall!) and still somewhat disoriented by it! Then on to the 20:48 to Swansea, first stop Reading and home.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

As soon as I was through the ticket barriers at PADDINGTON (H&C) I tripped over somehow, fortunately without injury. It could only get better from here. Down to the platforms where I opened the envelope and quickly checked to see if I should jump on the westbound train which had just pulled in. There were no stations out west so, along with everybody else, I marked the required stations off on the map and took the next eastbound train.

I think we all got off at Baker Street to change to the Jubilee. By the time we reached the stairs down from the Met line platforms I was leading the pack but then got stuck behind someone carrying a pushchair down the stairs. Glen was sneaky and went down the up side of the stairs, putting himself ahead of me. Most of us headed south to BOND STREET. Everybody else doubled back here but I stayed on the train to Westminster. Good connection here and I passed through BLACKFRIARS to Monument and ran though to Bank. Very little wait for the next northbound train but it was up the High Barnet branch and the next Edgware train was 4 minutes away, so it would be a change at Camden Town. Through ANGEL to Camden Town where I just missed and Edgware train and had a 4 minute wait for the next one, which must have been the one I could have caught at Bank.

Up to BELSIZE PARK where I then ran to Swiss Cottage. I just missed a lift at Belsize Park so had a long wait for the next one, then didn't know which side was the exit so got caught in crowds there. Ran down the hill to Swiss Cottage and just missed a train, so a 2 minute wait for a train to WEST HAMPSTEAD. Then run to the Overground station of the same name and it's a 7 minute wait for the next eastbound train.

Checking live train times on my phone, I was elated to see that I should only have a 2 minute connection to the quarter-hourly Goblin service at Gospel Oak. So the delays I had suffered were inconsequential. Through FINCHLEY ROAD & FROGNAL to Gospel Oak and on to the train to Barking Riverside.

A load of other challengers got on at UPPER HOLLOWAY, and this was the start of a long period as a large group, occasionally changing who was in the group and sometimes trying to outwit each other but ending up back together. I doubled back at BLACKHORSE ROAD to with an almost perfect connection, with Glen being the only other person to do this, everyone else heading for the Victoria Line. The pair of us ran to Seven Sisters, where we couldn't get in the main entrance and were directed to the back entrance by a very helpful TFL person. We all ended up back together on the same train south, through STAMFORD HILL and walked or ran though the link between Hackney Downs and Hanckney Central to reach CANONBURY. Our train was a bit late coming in, so what should have been a 2 minute connection to a South London Line train was more like 20 seconds! Thank goodness it was a cross-platform or we wouldn't have made it.

James W and I were at one end of the train as we pulled into WHITECHAPEL with everyone else at the other end. The pair of us made a tight connection to an eastbound sub-service, wondering where the others had gone. We thouugh they might have gone to the Elizabeth line to get out to Upton Park by some crazy route, but then James remembered that there were 2 ways of changing at Whitechapel and so they were probably on the train behind us. We just missed a double-back at UPTON PARK and, sure enough, Kev, Andrew B, Glenn and Peter got off the next eastbound train and caught us back up.

We all made a good connection to the Jubilee at West Ham and were then very lucky at Canada Water where we had a 1 minute wait for a quarter-hourly service to NEW CROSS. We chilled in the late summer sun for 10 minutes here, discussing why The Amersham Arms outside the station was so named (more on that in Off-Topic Chat) before catching a South-Eastern train towards London Bridge.

I left everyone at London Bridge and ran the ridiculous length to the Underground station, and was greeted with a southbound Northern line train waiting in the platform. No-one else got on this train, so I was once again, for the first time in about 2 hours, alone as I headed south to finish at COLLIERS WOOD.

Certainly the most sociable R15 I've ever been on, and a set of stations which could have been a lot worse with this twist!

[The Raven]

A strange set of stations. Nothing west of Paddington.
No Bakerloo, no central, no piccadilly, no victoria.
Highlights:
- Very vicious doors on the district to Upton Park, that nearly cut me in half.
- The Tfl staff member at Paddington who started asking me loads of questions just as I was trying to circle stations off the list!
- Fighting throught the Spurs fans at Seven Sisters

My route
Paddington (H+C) Bakers Street Bond Street West Hampstead West Hampstead (Overground) Hampstead Heath Belsize Park Camden Town Angel Archway Upper Holloway Blackhorse Road South Tottenham Seven Sisters Hackney Downs Hackney Central Canonbury Whitechapel Upton Park West Ham Canada Water New Cross London Brige (southeastern) Blackfriars (Thameslink) Embankment Kennington Colliers Wood

3:58:37

[Capelblue]

The Raven, when did you go to Bond Street ?

[tractakid]

Paddington H&C, onto Baker Street, Bond Street, and West Hampstead. I almost considered heading all the way to Colliers Wood first but realised just in time this was foolish. At West Hampstead, having checked realtimetrains, I knew not to rush over to the NLL station, so I conserved some energy and walked over.

I continued my research into route options, analysing whether it was better to remain on the NLL train or head to Belsize Park. I didn't think to check the connection time at Gospel Oak, so I was more just thinking about whether it would be awkward to head back to Belsize Park later, and decided that it would be. I found Hampstead Heath was the closest station and looked at the running route to Belsize Park. I ran there with Vincent. I got there first, just managed to catch the lift with the doors closing, which Vincent also made as a result. A brief conversation and explanation with other lift passengers occurred, as they had asked me how far I had run. Vincent insisted that he was doing the same thing as me, but better, whilst not disclosing that he hadn't even done the starting station yet!!

I did, however, check to see whether I could head up to Archway from Camden Town and make a connection at Upper Holloway. It looked good, so that sealed my decision to go there and not yet Angel. I saw Vincent head for the southbound platform at Camden Town, and I caught the next train to Archway. I ran between the two and had 2 minutes til the next Goblin train turned up.

I checked the timings for a double back at Blackhorse Road, and again pondered if this was a better option than descending to the Victoria line. The timing: a 0 minute connection. Realtimetrains suggested the other train was a minute behind schedule- perfect. I decided to go with it. At South Tottenham, I ran across to Seven Sisters, and discovered the match day one way system. I had no idea where to go so I went past the people exiting the station until the security and police turned me around and weren't particularly helpful. I went the wrong way initially, finally finding the way to the back entrance. I saw a train leaving over the bridge which I would have made without the diversion and confusion, but only because that train was running late. So I didn't feel too bad, and made my intended train anyway a couple of minutes later.

Down to Hackney Downs, running across to Hackney Central- my worst wait of the challenge at 5 minutes. Not bad at all. Across to Highbury and Islington, Kings Cross, and then Moorgate via Angel. Ran up to the H&C platforms, saw an Aldgate train depart, the next two were a Circle and another Met, no H&C in sight. so I ran to Liverpool Street Crossrail platforms and transferred to a District line train to Upton Park. I only just made the train, which I would probably have made more easily had I not got the wrong end of the Crossrail train on arrival.

A good turnaround at Upton Park, and another good transfer at West Ham to take me to Canada Water. Bingo, the next train was to New Cross, in 4 minutes. As I walked to the front of the train in order to get to the right door position, I saw Richard Standing, who was pondering whether he had made good route choices.

I had been keeping an eye on realtimetrains again, and saw that there was a late running Southeastern. The train pulled into the platform simultaneously with the LO terminator, and I dashed under the subway and made the train, leaving Richard behind.

Up to Cannon Street. I had gone to the front of the train in order to get the best door position. Except when traversing a curve north of London Bridge, I realised I was only at the front of the unit, not the whole train!!

Two more decent changes at Westminster and Kennington for the long drag down to Colliers Wood.

[The Raven]

The Raven, when did you go to Bond Street ?

Sorry missed out Bond Street double back from my route

[RJSRdg]

A strange set of stations. Nothing west of Paddington.
No Bakerloo, no central, no piccadilly, no victoria.

Whether or not there's no Victoria depends very much on the chosen route, as Blackhorse Road is on the Victoria Line and some of us took that line from Blackhorse to Seven Sisters.