tubechallenge.com

The possibility of a challenge involving all National Rail stations within the London Zones has been discussed at length in the past. Consensus seems to be that it wouldn't be possible to do it in one day, and as far as I am aware, no-one has tried.

By taking over a significant chunk of the National Rail network within London and creating the London Overground, TfL have given us a much more achievable and meaningful challenge - to visit every London Overground station in the shortest possible time.

Having had a brief look at the map, I can't see any obvious routes which everyone would instinctively follow, unlike the South London Challenge for example. This makes it a lot more interesting to me. Of course, there is one obvious starting point, but where would you finish?

The rules are pretty much what you'd expect them to be, except for one which may not be so obvious: If you wish, you can use London Underground services running on the same tracks as the London Overground trains (applies to Bakerloo services between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, and to District services between Richmond and Gunnersbury).

All the London Overground stations that can be seen on the current standard Tube map must be visited, including Watford Junction, so you will either need to buy the 'special' ticket, or just take your chances.

What do you think?

Good thought, but I must say the London Overground total topology is not that inspiring... I think I'll pass on this one.

I agree, but it's a new challenge, and that makes it a little bit exciting

I was trying to find an interesting shape that it resembled, but the best I could come up with was a brontosauras with an extra leg. I think that should probably stay as the unofficial name for it though.

Indeed the possibility of doing this challenge was discussed at length while we were doing the "Sports Relief" challenge on Saturday..... There were several maps in the train carriages showing the London Overground network and various routes were discussed, none of which I can remember.....But this certainly has scope for a possible challenge day........

I will start the bidding at a theoretical time of 4hrs 10min.

I shall undercut you for a theoretical 3 hours 47 mins.

hwolge wrote:Good thought, but I must say the London Overground total topology is not that inspiring... I think I'll pass on this one.

How about when the East London Line has fully opened?

Should we have a LO challenge day to celebrate?

(Of course, it'd have to be after the NLL has reopened as well)

Edgemaster wrote:

hwolge wrote:Good thought, but I must say the London Overground total topology is not that inspiring... I think I'll pass on this one.

How about when the East London Line has fully opened?

Should we have a LO challenge day to celebrate?

(Of course, it'd have to be after the NLL has reopened as well)

We could wear something "orange"

I wonder how long it would take to cover all TfL-run rail lines? Underground, Overground, DLR and Croydon Tramlink .... Could be an interesting day out .... or longer!

Roger.

Not sure interesting is a word i'd use to describe it.... but each to their own

***** wrote:Err, surely the more obvious challenge to do here is thus : The regular 269 tube stops, PLUS the overground stations/lines. Now that 269 is down to under 17 hours, doing the Overground now as well as part of it, would bump the total time back up to around the 19 hour mark again ...

If you do that, surely it would be logical to visit the DLR as well? And then, like Rhubarbrhubarb said, Tramlink. Just doing the Underground and Overground would seem a bit strange, although you could call it the Womble Challenge.

You lot have rather stolen my thunder as I've already started planning for (what I personally thought was) the realistic extension to the tube challenge, the GWR 270 + the DLR 40. I'd ruled out the Overground due to infrequent services (and because after all it's just a glorified bit of National Rail) and ruled out Tramlink as it's not too well connected with the rest of the tube network. I also thought that you may as well maintain it as a one day challenge, otherwise it's just a spin off from the (self styled) "Travelcard Triathlon" which I may have detailed somewhere else on the forum. (If not then I'll tell you.)

P.S. So as not to offend any LOROL employees reading this post I'll add that the Watford DC line isn't just a glorified bit of National Rail as to be fair it is materially different from the rest of LO, but even still won't be considered as part of the TfL 310 challenge.

You must have a lot of time on your hands if a) you have the time to be planning this and b) if you actually go out and do it as there is zero reward for this. At least for the Tube Challenge there is a potential GWR at the end of it....

As for LO, yes it is NR so if you're going to include that then you may as well include all NR in zones 1-9

If I'm honest with you Sam, the thrill of definitely being the first recorded person to do this superseeds the thrill of a possible Guinness World Record. But that's just me personally.

The ELL isn't part of NR for the majority of the newly re-laid sections.