Random 15 Championship 2024/25: Round 4

[tangy]

If you are new to all of this:

Welcome to the 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

Round 4 is just over a week away so here are the details:

When: Saturday 8th March 2025 12:30 UK local time.
Variant: Normal round, 15 LU stations in zones 1 & 2 only but with a live bucket draw (see below).
Meet up: Goodge Street station (street side of the ticket barriers).
Post challenge pub: The Blue Posts, Newman Street, Marylebone W1T 3EU.
Time limit to complete: Normal round, so four hours allowed.

A live bucket draw means instead of being given a sealed envelope at the meet up, challengers present will pick the 15 stations that need to be visited from a bucket (or other receptacle) immediately prior to the start. To ensure the live bucket draw takes place and the challenge to commence on time, challengers are requested to be at the meet up point at least 10 minutes before.

Closures affecting this challenge (correct at time of posting):
There is currently no scheduled engineering work that will directly affect the challenge, all lines and stations in zones 1 and 2 are shown as being open on this date except the Waterloo & City line. However there is still a potential Crossrail strike planned for this day which may affect your route.

Other engineering work to be aware of:
DLR: No service Stratford - Lewisham or Bank / Tower - Canning Town / Lewisham.
Piccadilly: No service Wood Green - Cockfosters
Thameslink: No service Luton / Finsbury Park - London Bridge / Sutton loop.

Please respond if you are attending so I know how many roughly to expect.

[Oggm]

Attending: Oggm (not pub)

[The Raven]

Attending: Oggm (not pub)

The Raven

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Attending: Oggm (not pub), The Raven, Lunaticonthegrass

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Southwark station is due to be closed, although trains will still be passing through. Will it still be included in the draw?

Are we all expecting Belsize Park to get drawn (again)?

And my Dad gave me a set of darts for my birthday last month, so I shall be bringing those along.

[JamesWright]

Attending: Oggm (not pub), The Raven, Lunaticonthegrass, JW

[hopeful traveller]

I'm not attending as I will be in Brighton cheering on Fulham.

[Going Underground]

Attending: Oggm (not pub), The Raven, Lunaticonthegrass, JW, GU
parkrun Ingerbourne Hill
spoons Hornchurch

[ANDY_JS]

Hoping to attend but may be difficult to get the train in the morning for various reasons. Might go to pub in afternoon/evening if don't get there in time.

[RJSRdg]

Sorry, my knee is still playing up so I won't be there tomorrow.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Sat on the train, about to leave Moor Street, and I realise that I forgot to bring my darts as promised.

At least I have everything I need for the important part of today's activities.

[ANDY_JS]

On train, supposed to arrive at Euston at 1130 but delayed to 1147. Should be okay.

[The Raven]

Live draw stations:

Goodge Street
Old Street
Stamford Brook
Clapham North
East Acton
St Pauls
Embankment
Kentish Town
Canada Water
Holland Park
Chancery Lane
Piccadilly Circus
Paddington (H&C)
Canning Town
Putney Bridge

[Oggm]

My route was thus:

1) Northern: Goodge St START to Camden Town
2) Northern: Camden Town to Kentish Town
3) Northern: Kentish Town to Bank (via Old St)
4) Central: Bank to Bond St (via St Paul's and Chancery Lane)
5) Elizabeth: Bond St to Paddington XR
6) Circle: Paddington HC to Wood Lane
7) Central: White City to East Acton
Central: East Acton to NHG (via Holland Park)
9) Wimbleware: NHG to Putney Bridge
10) District: Putney Bridge to Earl's Ct
11) District: Earl's Ct to Stamford Brook
12) District: Stamford Brook to Baron's Ct
13) Picc: Baron's Ct to Leicester Sq (via Picc Circus)
14) Northern: Leicester Sq to Kennington (via Embankment)
15) Northern: Kennington to Clapham North
16) Northern: Clapham North to London Bridge
17) Jubilee: London Bridge to Canning Town END (via Canada Water)

Worth points:

2) I just made this connection with Andrew only a few seconds behind me just not making it.
3) The train which I gained ahead meant nothing in the end with a 3 min wait at Kentish Town.
5) For me, the question was Bond Street or TCR; I ended up changing at the former as I recalled the change being shorter.
So I really should have double backed at Holland Park for Shepheard's Bush;
9) and taken the 237 to Stamford Brook rather than the wimbleware to Putney Bridge.
13) A horrible change to the Piccadilly line; a fabulous change onto the Northern line.
14) I ran in just as the doors were closing
15) Here I missed the double back by 5 seconds; and was a train ahead of Peter who caught up to me as I waited for the next n/b service.
17) I saw Andrew on a w/b train at North Greenwhich (probably already finished)

Stopwatch terminated at 03:20.46. It seemed that I either got fabulous or just horrible changes (except for East Acton which was just a bit meh)

[ANDY_JS]

Our route

Goodge St
Camden Town
Kentish Town
Bank
East Acton
White City
Wood Lane
Paddington (H+C)
Hammersmith (H+C)
Hammersmith (Picc/Distr)
Acton Town
Earls Ct
Putney Br
Earls Ct
Picc Circus
Elephant & Castle
Clapham N
London Br
Canning Town

3 hours 52 mins