tubechallenge.com

joy54 wrote:I believe one of RR's kids might of been a girl and done it with him, although I can't quite remember what he said, Geoff?

Yes good shout I had forgotten about that, was she only 9 or something as well?

According to the list of records, RR was never accompanied by a girl on a record-breaking run where his family were involved:

* The Date: 30th July, 1986
* The Challengers: Robert Robinson, Peter Robinson, Timothy Robinson, Timothy Clark, Richard Harris
* Their Time: 18 hours, 41 minutes, 41 seconds
* Number of Stations: 272 out of 273 (later given as 273 out of 273)

If he did take one of his girls with him, it wasn't a record-breaking run.

Hmmm, maybe his daughter was the youngest person to do the full network then... I remember seeing or reading something about it.....

Oh well looks like hats off to Sam then

rather late but i offer my congrats to the team!! well done

Yes, to re-iterate most of the above posts, Hakan and Co's achievement was phenominal. I was glancing at the online service updates throughout the day, and up until mid-afternoon it had the delightful words "Good service" scrolling across the page.

"They're going to do it," I thought, but was perturbed by the Piccadilly business. I knew that it would have been extremely galling if they'd arrived at Hatton Cross with only two stations left, and not been able to finish, even though they were well within time.

But happily things cleared up, and we now have a new record time. Eighteen hours well spent, I'd say!

That's what happened to them on their previous run - the train went straight through Gloucester Road and Earl's Court.

I was with them at the time and I had to do a double take - we didn't even slow down to the regulatory 5mph!

I was there doing adjudication for the London Underground Railway Society, who had taken over the "Roving" as agreed with GWR, so can attest that there was indeed a very nice female who beat the record. This is the one that I found on the site:

Who: Peter Altman, Marilyn Nathan & Ralph Cramer
Date: 18th October 1979
Time: 19 hours, 25 minutes
Stations: 278 out of 287

I am not sure if that was the date or not. I seem to recall it was a charity run and that they did have another go.

However strictly speaking it was setting a record as we agreed with GWR that there had been so many changes since the last record, that whomever completed the challenge would set a new record. They finished after 01.00 at Upminster with the last train of the day [there is an official photo of them handing in their special tickets to the BR coillector at Upminster], having the benefit of the last District being held for them at Monument when they came through from Bank, by my colleague Desmond Croome who spoke to the District Controller. I am sure that they started at Ongar at about 06.00 with the first shuttle of the day, so my maths suggests that this was "the one" although someone in LURS can perhaps check UNDERGROUND NEWS in the library? As far as LURS were concerned it was a record, and there were two chaps and a woman!

However the record was then broken by Robert Robinson, and then John Trafford [a police officer?] and his son, and so on.

If they missed out 9 stations how can it be a record?

287 - 278 looks like a typo to me...

BTW I'm currently rereading "Rails through the clay", so please give my best to Desmond (if you're still in touch with him) and let him know that I think it's the best book on the London Underground I've read!

I am sure it's a typo...they did indeed do all stations, and that included Olympia Exhibition only service, Aldwych, et al.

I am not sure Mr Croome is still with us! I shall have to ask.