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Tubefest 07: Zone 1 Challenge Friday 18th May

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 08:36
by tpfkar
With almost a month to go now till the big event, it's time to finalise the details for the TubeFest 07 Zone 1 Challenge on Friday 18th May. (The warm up event on the Thursday evening will be planned at a slightly later stage, but Ric is now confirmed for it, and will still appreciate input from interested participants on how it will run.)

After a lot of thought, we have decided to keep the format the same as for previous years. This will mean meeting at the Argyll St entrance to Oxford Circus tube station at 12p.m. before the race starts. (Had we gone for the finishing station idea, we would have met by Big Ben to synchronise watches, but that's for another time!) Then and only then will we draw the starting station, where all attempts must start at. We are hoping to have a celebrity starting station drawer, however I want to get a measure of how many people will be attending before announcing publically, as I want to make sure there will be a good crowd for her - she's a busy & prominent London figure. (Guess away.....)

People can take part as individuals or teams, and amusing team names are encouraged. If you're new to this, or even if you're not, I'm sure we'll be able to find someone to link you up with on the day if you'd rather go around with someone else.

If you want to take part but know you can't make it for 12, we can text/phone you with the starting station once it is drawn if you give us your number.

We'll then head to the mysterious starting station, and will begin at roughly 1 p.m. 60-something stations later, stop your watch as you get out at your last station, and head to the post-event venue, The Angel in the Fields pub, W1U 2QY which is where we went last year. There are details of the pub here including a map. It is near Marylebone, Bond St stations etc.

The first person to the pub may not be the winner however, as times will depend on the time you set off and get to your last station; the tubeguru himself will be working out who the winners are. There will be some apres-tube entertainment run in the venue, being co-ordinated by David Scard.

In terms of rules, my ideal set would be:

1)Start at the starting station with everyone else.
2)Visit all Z1 stations and stop your watch when you get to the last one.
3) Use common sense.

However I appreciate that some people want something more formal, so.....

1)Use common sense. Still a key rule.

2)All Z1 stations will be possible start stations, save St James Park, Sloane Square, and Vauxhall as they have been used before.

3)You must depart on the first train after 1pm on the named line you want in the direction you want from the starting station. (e.g. if it's Cannon St, you can choose between the first district/circle in the right direction as you wish, if it's Earl's Court + you want to leave on the district you can choose first train to High St Ken or first train to South Ken - but you can't hold out for an Edgware Rd train if the first is for High St Ken only.)

4)The timer starts when the doors close on your first train.

5)You must visit all stations in Zone 1, or on the boundary of Zones 1 and 2. You must pass through Regents Park on a Bakerloo line train. The pedantic definition of 'visiting' a station is: either arriving or departing a station by a tube train, where the doors open. There is no need to get out at each station, as long as your train stops there you have been there.

6) You may run/walk between stations as you see fit, and as you feel fit. You may also use public transport such as buses or trains. No private transport such as bicycles, taxis, cars, or TARDISes may be used however.

7)The clock stops when you set foot on the platform of your final station. Make your way to the pub and tell tubeguru your time. While everyone will talk about how they did, please don't give away your final time until the results are announced.

8)Should ******** turn up, he will be babysat for the entire event.

(He will also receive a punch up the bracket from me - Tubeguru)

9)It's a fun competition, so enjoy it!

As we've put a deposit down for the venue, and as I said above because of wanting to ensure there is a good crowd to make it worth the starter's while, I'd be grateful if you would sign up for the event by emailing Kevin Brown (Going Underground) on kevin.brown@uk.tntfreight.com ensuring that he has an email address and mobile number should we need to get in touch with any last-minute changes. Or send him a private message on this forum. By all means post on here that you are coming but please let him know directly.

Finally, you are especially welcome if this is your first attempt at a Z1 challenge; it was my first attempt back in 2005, and I had a great day meeting people on the forum, and running the wrong way out of stations and getting stuck behind a mass of people getting down a narrow corridor is all part of the fun for the first couple of attempts. I hope you have a great day - although not too great - my record might well be in jeopardy.

Hope to see you on the 18th....the days are counting down!

All the best,

Ric

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 08:45
by Going Underground
Ric has just had a slight dyslexic moment the e-mail is kevin.brown@uk.tntfreight.com

Cheers :wink:

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 09:07
by tubeguru
I think I can guess who the mystery station-drawer may be.

Re: Tubefest 07: Zone 1 Challenge Friday 18th May

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 09:13
by tubeguru
tpfkar wrote:it was my first attempt back in 2005, and I had a great day meeting people on the forum, and running the wrong way out of stations and getting stuck behind a mass of people getting down a narrow corridor is all part of the fun for the first couple of attempts.
And quite a few people found your "team name" amusing too ...

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:06
by hwolge
Tow tiny, tiny comments on the rules:
tpfkar wrote:3)You must depart on the first train after 1pm on the named line you want in the direction you want from the starting station. (e.g. if it's Cannon St, you can choose between the first district/circle in the right direction as you wish, if it's Earl's Court + you want to leave on the district you can choose first train to High St Ken or first train to South Ken - but you can't hold out for an Edgware Rd train if the first is for High St Ken only.)
Firstly, I would like to say:
You must depart on the first train that arrives (opens its doors) after 1pm on the named line...

Worst case you'd otherwise be in a situation where you don't know if the train departs before or after 1pm (if it arrives just seconds before 1pm). (However, since clocks are started individually, it's not a big problem if you depart a second early or just misses one that departs a second after 1pm - unless this would lead to disqualification). This should be clarified, either in the rules or on the day.

Secondly, I think it would be more correct to define the Wimbleware and the HSK-Ken (O) shuttle as two separate lines - thus allowing participants to choose either. (However, according to time table the first two trains should be Wimbleware at 13:02 and 13:10 followed by an HSK at 13:15 - so most likely it won't matter anyway...)

As I said, these are really minor issues...

And, of course, I and Patrick will be there (the "66 Feet Under" team)!

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:21
by Going Underground
I don't see it being a major problem if a team or individuals wants to start a couple of minutes early or even say 10 or 15 mins after 1pm to wait for the correct train required for their route....

Like you say we are starting watches individually so I guess the slighlty staggered starting time is not a problem, however perhaps we should say departure between 1300 - 1315hrs otherwise someone could spend 2-3 hours planning depart at 3 - 4 pm and then not get to the pub until 8pm :shock:

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:36
by tubeguru
As with Jack Welsby last year, I shall be hanging around at the start to make sure everyone gets off OK.

Unless we start at King's Cross, in which case, sod you :)

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:45
by Going Underground
tubeguru wrote:As with Jack Welsby last year, I shall be hanging around at the start to make sure everyone gets off OK.

Unless we start at King's Cross, in which case, sod you :)
Yes was debating the Kings X start with Soup Dragon yesterday...

Think of the fun you could have dashing around all those platforms :lol:

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:52
by tubeguru
I think that was why in 2005 we excluded all multi-line stations to help in the starting procedure.

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 10:55
by tpfkar
email corrected - you'd never guess I was up at 7am after being away all week, would you? Sorry if anyone sent to the wrong address.

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 11:05
by hwolge
Going Underground wrote:Like you say we are starting watches individually so I guess the slighlty staggered starting time is not a problem, however perhaps we should say departure between 1300 - 1315hrs otherwise someone could spend 2-3 hours planning depart at 3 - 4 pm and then not get to the pub until 8pm :shock:
I'd say that'd be overly generous. Stick with the rules above but add something like "or any train after 12:50". Then the question about seconds would be purely academic.

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 11:35
by tubeguru
What is the reason for insisting that people leave the station on the VERY FIRST train that comes, whatever it is?

Are you saying that people can't wait for the right train?

E.g. We start at Euston. One team wants to go south via Bank, and the other via CHX on the Northern line. Are you saying that both teams must take the first train after 1pm, regardless of its destination?

Doing something like that can negate planning to some extent, because I'm sure some people will have planned for starting at Euston and starting on the Northern line.

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 11:55
by hwolge
tubeguru wrote:What is the reason for insisting that people leave the station on the VERY FIRST train that comes, whatever it is?

Are you saying that people can't wait for the right train?

E.g. We start at Euston. One team wants to go south via Bank, and the other via CHX on the Northern line. Are you saying that both teams must take the first train after 1pm, regardless of its destination?

Doing something like that can negate planning to some extent, because I'm sure some people will have planned for starting at Euston and starting on the Northern line.
I agree, but in all fairness he says the first train "you want in the direction you want from the starting station". I think the purpose of this is that people can't skip a train just to gain planning time. What I wrote on HSK/Wimbleware above should certainly apply to Northern line at Euston as well. However, a clarification is in order. How about: "the first train going to your intended first changing point." This may sound overly complicated but to make my point clear:

Assume we're starting at Temple and you plan to go to Earl's Court first - but you still haven't planned your whole route and need more time. Would it be fair of you to say - "I'm not taking the first WB District train - I want an Ealing Broadway one." Well clearly not, in my mind.

BTW there was a long discussion on similar topics two years ago: http://www.tubechallenge.com/forum/view ... highlight=

(I love defining rules... :) )

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 12:38
by tubeguru
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with people waiting as long as they like, so long as they leave eventually, and time it properly.

Maybe you should allocate a "departure window" of 20 minutes.

You have between 13.00 and 13.20 to leave the station. In that time, you can wait for whatever trains you like.

That way, people get the chance for a train they want to come without being penalised. Those who don't care about such things can just leave on the next train.

I don't think it gives any unfair advantage. If your plan says "we need this train", I think you should be given a certain amount of time to wait for it - in the example above that would be 20 minutes.

Posted: 20 Apr 2007, 20:26
by moley
Otherwise a team that wants planning time will start at Angel and wait for the first train to Mill Hill East and Goodge Street and wait for the first train to Morden in the middle of the day when technically you should see neither until the pm peak.