Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

All you need to know and discuss about the 2008 Zone 1 Challenge.
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Root
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Root »

A thoroughly enjoyable day indeed.

I was very happy with the starting station, my team's route and our first ten changes, but not so happy with our eleventh change - Aldgate East / Aldgate. If we had been a bit smarter, we could have easily claimed second place, with a slight chance of first... we'll never know. Matt, we must have another go at Zone 1 sometime!

It was a shame to be without many of the old (experienced) challengers, but also great to meet some new people - special mentions to Richard, Justin, Keith and Sonny, and of course Geoff!

Congratulations and thanks to the organisers.
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by tubeguru »

By the way, who was it who was determined to have a photo of himself taken in my girlfriend's LU fleece?
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by snudge27 »

One of Perry Vale and Rick Mansworth... not sure which one though!
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by jamesthegill »

Likewise, really enjoyed it :) my writeup's on my blog here.

I'll warn you, it's detailed.
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by A2 »

Thank you very much to the organisers for a very enjoyable and well planned day.
The nominated start station idea worked very well in my opinion, and Kings Cross proved an interesting start.

Herein follows my story:

Final Time: 3:25:00
Finish Station: High Street Kensington



I started with an unusual route, in that I went down the Victoria line, south to Warren St.
At Warren St I thought that the Northern line platforms were closer to the Vic than they actually are, and so had to trundle up and down the escalators. I almost ended up on a Vic Northbound as I thought they were cross platform and it was only the on-train announcement that made me realise.
The double back at Goodge St was flawless cross platform. and then the long change again at Warren St back to the Vic and down to Vauxhall.
A slow train into Waterloo, but I was at the front, and as it happened, directly opposite the Jubilee line entrance.
Jubilee line to London Bridge was slow with the driver making special announcements to stand inside the doors, and a 3 minute wait for a Northern Line south to E&C.
Bakerloo line departed promptly, but a long 4 minuteish wait at Lambeth North slowed the train down and increased congestion further up the line.
At Paddington I saw a couple of others running down the platform and then had ticket problems at the "new style" barriers at Paddington H&C. After discussions in the pub later, it seemed that a few people had had problems with those barriers. Perhaps they aren't as tolerant to creased tickets as the normal ones. In the course of this I think I missed a H&C as there were a lot of people coming at me as I got through the gate.
Soup Dragon and PingPon caught up with me at that point and we trundled along to Moorgate where they ran for a Northern. I walked and caught the same train with time to spare.
At Kings Cross (my 3rd visit), our routes diverged and I went down to Earls Court on the Pic. Flawless double back at Earls Court on Pic and then changed to District at South Kensington. Unfortunately it was only going as far as Tower Hill, and so I hopped out at St James park to wait for the next Upminster train 2 minutes behind.
Aldgate East to Aldgate was pretty uneventful, but had a 4 minute wait at Aldgate for the train to depart, possibly due to the Watford services being disrupted by the signalling problems at Moor Park.
A change, albeit slow, at Liverpool Street for the Central line across to Queensway, and then a jog downhill to Bayswater where there were no trains on the board. When one eventually showed up 8 minutes later it made a long stop at Notting Hill Gate, eventually finishing at High Street Ken in 3h25.00
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by icbinb »

For the second time we popped down from Norwich and yet again had a superb day. Cheers to Hakan and his team for a well organised event.
We were well chuffed with a time of 3.07.58, a massive improvement on our finish of last but one in 2007.
Look forward to seeing some of you at an event in the near future
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by snudge27 »

Here beginneth the story of team (I hope we're not) Down At The Tube Station At Midnight:

Time - 03:04:53
Finish - Angel


I'd drawn up a circular route for this one or two weeks in advance as a back-up should a station like King's Cross have been drawn. Had there been fewer options out of the start station I would have most likely had a crack at planning something better. Originally planning to go solo again, I was joined by Steven (Joy54) on the SSL platforms at King's Cross who'd only gotten out of bed at about 1215 and therefore had missed his team. He tried to regain contact with them but in the end decided to tag along with me instead.

We ended up waiting the best part of 10 minutes for a H&C train to Aldgate East from which we had a most uneventful run to Aldgate, joined by Rick Mansworth and Perry Vale. At Aldgate we had little more than about a two minute wait for a Circle train during which time we received some very enthusiastic interest from some business-like looking gents; which was all very fun! Rick and Perry left us (I believe) at either Mansion House or Temple with their intention being to run it up to St Pauls IIRC... rather them than me! And we continued down to Victoria (via Sloane Square) where we had a very swift change down onto the southbound Vic.

Two stops down to Vauxhall and here's where things started to get hardcore... the run up to the mainline station was a piece of cake, passing The Subways going the opposite direction down the tunnel and high-fiving them as we passed. Up to the mainline station and its incredibly long stairs up to the platforms (just what you don't need when you've already done enough running!) So I trailed behind Steven up to platform four where I heard a cry come down of "train arriving, platform seven, move it!!" so I summoned the last of my energy to get myself down the stairs, along the rest of the concourse and up to platform 7 with Steven passing me pretty quickly. Almost collapsing up the stairs I heard Steven ahead of me yelling for anyone to hold the doors for us, soon followed by shouts of "open the f***ing doors". This can't have been good I thought... I got up to the platform and see Steven stuck either side of the closed doors in a somewhat comical fashion (sorry Steven) with the guard yelling back at him that "no I won't open them; you shouldn't have jumped through closing doors". So with a little struggle we manage to prise the doors open and it's off to Waterloo we go... and I'm sure you can tell by now that I wasn't looking forward to the next 10-15 minutes or so...

Waterloo... off the train we jump, hoping to have been in the right position for the mid-platform dive-down for the Jubilee platforms. No such luck - some idiot had decided to put a gate across it. So another lung-busting run across the concourse, down the myriad escalators and eventually losing sight of Steven. Coming down the stairs to the Jubilee platforms I hear frantic cries imploring me to hurry up... which I try to. I get there and dive through the open doors, to be told by Steven that I'd almost missed the train with the doors having closed properly moments before but for some reason re-opening. The last two runs of the southern loop pass without major incident with a two-minute wait at London Bridge and about a one-minute wait at E&C and it's off up the Bakerloo for a nice rest, all the way to Paddington.

Off the Bakerloo at Paddington and the "wrong way" up the platforms. I have trouble with the new ticket barriers (I sense a theme here) and Steven and I get split up taking two different routes. So for me it's up platform 8 and over the footbridge and down on the H&C platform... to see Steven waiting across the tracks. Thankfully there wasn't a train in at the time and he makes his way over the bridge to join me. Annoyingly there isn't another train in for the next 3-4 minutes or so. (Note to TFL: platform indicators are there to tell us when the trains are... NOT what line we're on! Please credit us with a modicum of intelligence!)

Paddington across to Euston Square again goes off without incident and we somehow manage to avoid any major problems at Edgware Road (the place where logic takes its lunch break!) and we come up the stairs at Euston Square to find a Euston-bound bus just pulling in which saves us a run and probably 2-3 minutes. Here's where we start thinking that sub-3 could realisitically be on the cards and hopefully a top-10 finish (little did we know...) Down to TCR we go and through some awful crowds in the tunnels down to the westbound Central. A little confusion over earlier discussions to route amendments saw a frantic moment when we jumped on a westbound and I somehow got it into my head that we needed to be on the eastbound sitting in the opposite platform. It would appear though, that Logic had actually used that train to return from its protracted lunch-break and normal service was thus resumed with no loss of time. It was here we met up with Editorsfoot and we all made our way to Queensway.

It transpired that Editorsfoot was ever so slightly ahead of us as far as routes were concerned and thus the gauntlet was thrown down! We kept pace with each other all the way down the Bayswater Road and down onto the southbound platform only to be met with Circles across the board (we all needed District for Earl's Court). We eventually persuaded ourselves to take the first Circle and check the platforms at HSK seeing as a District would be more likely there. No such luck and we decided to chance our hand with the Cromwell Curve and a quick Piccadilly double-back to Earl's Court. Bad move...

HSK to Gloucester Road went off with no problems and a minimal wait at the Cromwell Curve. Quick lifts down to the Piccadilly and bang a five, yes folks, five minute wait for Earl's Court. You'd expect this late night/early morning, not at 3:30-ish in the afternoon! Much cursing later and we find ourselves at Earl's Court with another long wait for a Piccadilly up to Russell Square for a double-back to Holborn. Once again (yup, you guessed it)... problems with the Piccadilly. "Easy" we thought as we came across to the platform and saw a southbound train due... then the next one becomes due... and the next one... and the control room aren't even answering the information phone. It was here we thought something had gone seriously wrong... but no, five-or-so minutes later a train pulls in and we leg it down to the Central at Holborn knowing that sub-3 is definitely out the window now thank-you-very-much-Piccadilly...

Holborn to Bank goes swimmingly and it's a seamless change down to the Northern line where we catch our final train of the day up to Angel, clocking in at 03:04:53.

All in all a cracking run - especially with a circular route - and with a little more luck in the final stages we may well have placed higher [/cliche]

Just one note from it all - (TFL take note) five minute waits for trains in the middle of the day is NOT normal service, so next time I hear one of your sodding anouncements to the contrary, you'd better run!

And finally, a big thanks to Steven for helping out with door info throughout the run and of course, door holding at strategic moments too!
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Going Underground »

A big thank you to our whole team of Swedish organisers..... Not just for Z1 but for the help in R15 the previous night before......Great to meet the legend that is Geoff for the first time and look forward to seeing any photos or video footage taken by anyone on the day if you can post links please.....
Fairly pleased with the the time Ryan and I clocked of 3hrs 5mins 20secs which included a route change as we knew we could not out run Antony & Phil who I found out after 4 changes had the same plans as us....
If Hakan gets a chance I would love to hear the winning route again as I didn't really catch it all at the pub but it sounded like more stations were connected by running than train :shock:

Finally I really appreciated so many of you staying behind and playing darts until late into the evening.... I certainly enjoyed that especially as it is something I can win at....... :D :P 8)
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by editorsfoot »

My route planning mainly consisted of working which way round my circular route fitted each station, but when Kings Cross came out of the bag was distinctly lacking in confidence.

Heading off on the Northern Line I soon found myself all alone when I had expected a few other teams might have had the same route as me, this only increasing my sense that I wasn't doing it right. The train I needed pulling off as I ran up the stairs leaving me with an 8 mnute wait at change one only made things worse and left me feeling that I up against it for the rest of the challenge.

My luck changed at Waterloo where I caught a train running four minutes late and a train in the platform at Vauxhall, and by the time I got to Sloane Square I felt as if I had got back most of the 8 mins lost earlier on. My final change was an agonising run from Russell Square to Goodge Street, where, after taking a short cut through the edge of a fountain, I caught the final train to Euston where chaos was happening due to a fatality at Kings Langley.

I was very surprised to have come second with 3:01:47, if only I had bothered to write my time down at Angel I could have gone sub three hours for the first time.

Thanks to Hakan and Co for organising.
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by palkanetoijala31 »

Well we found out the station was Kings cross we got out a few maps and just started drawing on them to come out with our route.We decide to get Paddington out of the way a few teams did that and everybody started running i was caught up in the moment and forgot the shortcut down the quieter platform and then couldnt get my card through the machine again typical.

We got out at Oxford circus and went westbound on central to Queensway and ran to Bayswater only done this run once but had it memerised in head we were joined by nozzacook and son at this point a circle came in so i held it up slightly and got out at High Street Kensington missed the olympia service due to not knowing which platform it was on.

Down to Earls Court where Nozza and son went down Starkeys steps we waited for a train to victoria really badly held up here and cost us a 3h finish.Victoria change was good and a Vauxhall double back of 18 secs very good :D

After that we went up to Aldgate and ran to Aldgate East good train out up to Liverpool Street and cross to the central line out at Chancery Lane for a run to Farringdon didnt know this run had to rely on Martin for directions.Martin lost his puff quite quickly on this run and shouted all the way down the road at me i think if i know where i was going i have made the train that was in the station quite easily.

Down to Moorgate where Starkey was sitting down and all of us went up to Euston to change branches follow starkey up the escalator boy that guy can jump 2 at a time we sprinted off ahead as he waited for his teammate we got in the door and was holding it open for about 10 secs i think i saw his shoes coming down the steps Sorry starkey had to let train go.

went to Waterloo good change to Bakerloo here and down to Elephant & castle up to London Bridge and cross the Jubilee line to Green Park where i think Martin fell over on the stairs.

Reasonable double back at Knightsbridge and up to Russell Square and finish if we have had more time im sure we have come up with a route better but for my first Zone 1 I was happy with a close 3 hour finish i be back again next year

I organised a quick get together quiz afterwards im sorry i wasnt prepared but i have been doing a lot of challenges and Eggheads as well but next year i have a cup for the winners this year and a more better quiz.
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Soup Dragon »

I was delighted with the King's Cross start, initially I was going to put down Russell Square but with the number of teams entered I thought that this could create chaos, so King's Cross & Holborn were the two stations we selected.

We set off from Kings Cross at 12:54:46 on the Piccadilly for our first change at Earls Court, several other teams getting on the same train. On arrival at Earls Court we were soon joined by Matt Scrivin who had just missed the first train we had caught. We waited over 10 minutes :shock: at Earls Court for a District line service to Bayswater, and before we departed we were joined by Alasdair Brown who had not departed Kings Cross until 13:04 as he was one of half a dozen that got seperated from the main group at the start. Somewhat discouraged by the fact we were 10 minutes down on at least one team we pushed on. The rest of our route went really well and as Kevin has already said we soon realised that we both had the same route (brothers must think alike). :)

Kevin decided that he and Ryan could not outrun myself and Phil so decided the only chance he had to beat us was to change his route saying goodbye to us on the Bakerloo northbound from Elephant & Castle. For myself & Phil things went really well, we bumped into A2 (Andy) at Hammersmith and only had to wait around 30 seconds for an H&C to arrive, comparing routes and stations visited so far Andy reckoned we were well up on him at that stage and I still thought we could easily get inside 3 hours.

The route continued pretty well until Liverpool Street we ran from Central to the CIR/H&C line and connected in exactly 1 minute. I thought we had got on a Circle line to Aldgate but sadly it was an H&C to Aldgate East. On arrival Aldgate East we were one carriage out from the exit and saw Root & Dudey sprinting out of the correct carriage, we chased them for all we were worth knowing that they probably had a similar finish to us we could not afford to lose them. Root & Dudey decided to run through the subway and I took my chances dodging traffic and road works, unfortunately Phil didnt notice and also took the subway. I was first to arrive at Aldgate to see Hakan & Co come out the station (I guess they just arrived on the Circle Line). I dashed into the station and halfway down the stairs the Circle line train closed it's doors, had we been in the right carriage I would have probably made it. Within 30 seconds Root, Dudey & Phil caught me up and we bumped into Nozza waiting for a Met service to depart.

At this stage we still thought we would be sub 3 hours, maybe an 8 minute wait for the next Circle line, unfortunately we were wrong, the wait ended up being 18 minutes :cry: by which time Kevin & Ryan had also caught up with us. The final changes proved to be very exciting with two quick changes at Sloane Square and Victoria, and bumping into more teams as we went along (Scrxisi & Greatkingrat).

Despite the two considerable hold up we finished in a very respectable 3:05:20 and as with Root & Dudey we could have possibly done better had we done things different at Liverpool Street. If only we had been part of the group that left after 1pm we would have posted 2:55 and claimed 1st place... oh well there's always next year :wink:

Many thanks to Hakan & co for organisig the biggest Z1 event in history!
Last edited by Soup Dragon on 01 Jun 2008, 20:09, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by al »

My second Zone 1 was much more enjoyable than last year's - probably down to knowing what happens a lot more and knowing my way around the network more too.

I started on a southbound Piccadilly in the 'third wave' of people along with Luke and co (sorry - forget names easily!) down to Earls Court, where a Wimbleware was awaiting. Off at Bayswater and saw the Brown's in front of me, so followed them as it was the first time I have done that run. Found out in the lift at Queensway that they had started before me so felt more confident. A different carriage position on the Central suggested a different route going forward, however.

Came across Matt (scrxisi) on the Bakerloo, who out ran me at Paddington, but as he said, to no avail. The most frustrating part of the day at his point, as a long wait for a train was compounded by a slow journey through the Bermuda Triangle which TfL persist in calling Edgware Road. Matt was more desponded than I was, however, and I waved goodbye to him at Euston Square, intending to go to Aldgate East. The following trains were not appealing however (5 mins until a Met and no Circle listed) so changed plans and alighted at Moorgate, only to get on a Northern and sit there for a while due to an incident at Kings X.

Everything else went OK, the main highlight being a Northern turning up at E&C when none were on the board. My route gave me a slightly unusual Chancery Lane finish, which at least was handy for getting to the pub!

My thanks to Hakan et al for the organisation, and I look forward to next year, although I am seriously tempted to travel out of the smog once more this year to join in on the Full Network Challenge during the Olympics...
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Starkey7 »

That's okay Andy - not to worry!

We started off okay, right up until the first change. The Paddington run was okay, but for the fact that on looking back I saw that Joy really was struggling. I think that she was rather amazed by everyone's excitement! We then decided that we would walk all the subsequent changes. (I was also wearing a nice pair of trousers and a shirt so didn't want to go nuts.) We boarded the next Bakerloo down to Elephant and Castle and I remarked to Joy that we were surprisingly the only team to do that route - but I'd forgotten that most people had made the earlier Bakerloo.

We headed up to Bond Street after doing the usual stuff around London Bridge, and then had fairly nice changes at Bayswater and Earls Court. We almost missed our stop back up at Kings Cross as we'd taken advantage of the eighteen-minute journey to have a deep conversation about various things. Then it was Moorgate and another of my secret stairs down to the Northern line. We met Andy and Martin here and travelled with them as far as Euston. Sadly the change didn't go well, but we caught a Kennington train two minutes later and charged off down to Tottenham Court Road. Not a lot happened at Liverpool Street; we saw Geoff and Neil going great guns at Aldgate though. They were shouting something like "Circle train in!" as we went out of the station. We hadn't noticed a Circle train in!

After a nice photo outside Aldgate East of us and some scaffolding, we waited a rather long time for a Wimbledon train to Sloane Square. One unusually leisurely change later we were coming into Victoria. Straight down to Vauxhall for a time of 3:23'51".
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Perry Vale »

A fantastic day, and great to meet so many people.

Our route was planned between Argyll Street and Kings Cross, a fact reflected in our 3hr 22 min time and numerous unneccessary runs and changes. Somehow we ended up running from Regents Park to GPS & Southwark to Lambeth North, which I imagine was unique on the day. Poor planning on our part ensured a route far too confusing to attempt to explain (or even remember!), but that was our first Z1, and we are confident of a competitive time next year - and Ric Mansworth and I will definitely be back with a GWR attempt in the Autumn.

May I add my thanks to the Hakan and the organising team. Splendid job, just a shame I couldn't stay for darts - look forward to a leg or two with you next year Going Underground.

Yes indeed tubeguru, it was me who had a photo taken in the LU fleece - pass on my thanks/apologies to your girlfriend. Amazing what a couple of lagers makes one request...
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Re: Zone 1 Challenge Cup 2008 May 30:th 2008

Post by Going Underground »

Perry Vale wrote: May I add my thanks to the Hakan and the organising team. Splendid job, just a shame I couldn't stay for darts - look forward to a leg or two with you next year Going Underground.
That would be splendid, the competition on Friday weren't up too much.... :wink:
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