Can the "Race The Tube" challenge be done on National Rail?

[swt class 450]

Many of you may be aware of the viral "Race The Tube" youtube video back in 2014 where a man successfully alighted from a LU (Circle or District) train at Mansion House station and raced it to the next station and boarded the same train at Cannon Street station.

Here is the video for those who haven't seen it:

It has since been successfully copied on the metro systems in Denmark (Copenhagen), France (Paris), Germany (Berlin), Norway (Oslo), Poland (Warsaw), Sweden (Stockholm), USA (New York), and many other systems all around the world. Just search for "race the tube" on youtube and you will find lots of attempts.

So basically what you have to do is travel on a train and then alight at a station and race the train on foot to the next station and then reboard the same train.

So my question is could this be done on National Rail? Are there any two stations on the National Rail network that someone could successfully race the train between?

 

[Jimini]

City Thameslink to Blackfriars could be a goer. Downhill straight down New Bridge Street. The lights at the bottom might scupper you though.

 

[xotGD]

Alight from a TPE train at Man Vic, take a stroll to Pic and reboard the same train for a run to the Airport.

 

[Eccles1983]

You could definitely do it from Piccadilly to Victoria.

As it takes a good 10 mins to get through Ordsall lane.

 

[Esker-pades]

I reckon with the dwell times that some trains have at Glasgow Central Low Level, one could do a run from there to Argyle Street.

 

[Highlandspring]

It’s true that most of the 2Cxx Milngavie - Mtherwell/Cumbernauld services have up to 4 minutes dwell at Central but I think you’d have to be pretty athletic to run from Central LL to Argyle Street or vice versa and beat the train.

 

[Esker-pades]

It’s true that most of the 2Cxx Milngavie - Mtherwell/Cumbernauld services have 4 minutes dwell at Central but I think you’d have to be pretty athletic to do Central LL to Argyle Street or vice versa.

If one used the dedicated LL entrances on Argyle Street to leave Central, one could whack straight up to Argyle Street in 3 minutes (dependent on traffic lights and tourists).

 

[cyclebytrain]

Strood to (new) Rochester is probably doable on foot, especially if you pick a train that has to wait at the junction. What you need for this sort of thing is a sharp curve with a low line speed, where you're able to cover a lesser distance on foot or bike (going over a hill that the train goes round works well if you're doing train vs bike) and a long dwell time or a junction with plenty of conflicts is helpful too.

Of course if you count circular services like the Wimbledon loop, then there are examples like walking from Mitcham Eastfields to Tooting where there'd be time to stop for coffee on the walk and still beat the train!

 

[bishdunster]

Back in the summer the saturdays only service waterloo to corfe castle service it would be feasable to alight at Dorchester west and walk across to dorchester south and even have time for a leisurely pint (or a swift couple !)on the way.

 

[[.n]]

Back in the summer the saturdays only service waterloo to corfe castle service it would be feasable to alight at Dorchester west and walk across to dorchester south and even have time for a leisurely pint (or a swift couple !)on the way.

I was just about to suggest this one!

 

[Cowley]

I wonder if it would be possible (if you were quick on your feet) to alight from a Paignton bound service at Exeter Central, exit the station, run down Queen Street and the hill to St David’s, before hopping back on?
The train reverses at St David’s which would give you a few precious extra minutes.
It might depend on the ticket gates being open though. It’d hurt running full pelt into one of them.

 

[robbeech]

I think a lot of this depends on dwell times and potential junctions.
A good medium distance runner could likely get between Newark Northgate and Newark Castle if they included the dwell time at Northgate for the reversals.

A longer distance runner able to keep their speed above 13mph for 20 minutes might make Darnell to Meadowhall if we are including skip stops (the Manchester Victoria to Piccadilly option above skips Oxford Road)

 

[Kite159]

I wonder if it would be possible (if you were quick on your feet) to alight from a Paignton bound service at Exeter Central, exit the station, run down Queen Street and the hill to St David’s, before hopping back on?
The train reverses at St David’s which would give you a few precious extra minutes.
It might depend on the ticket gates being open though. It’d hurt running full pelt into one of them.

And also hoping the traffic lights are green for you to cross the roads

Although I wouldn't like to run full pelt down that steep hill/steps

 

[Cowley]

And also hoping the traffic lights are green for you to cross the roads

Although I wouldn't like to run full pelt down that steep hill/steps

If you were up for it, I’ll happily film you Kite. This is a challenge I’d love to see you take on.

 

[Temple Meads]

Although I wouldn't like to run full pelt down that steep hill/steps

I've done it down the hill, I might've imagined it but I thought I could smell the burning rubber off my shoes!

 

[xotGD]

If we are restricting it to consecutive station stops, then Man Vic to Oxford Road would be doable, especially when the train has to wait its turn to get through Deansgate.

Do any KX to Aberdeen or Inverness, or XC services have a long enough wait at Waverley to allow a sprint to Haymarket?

 

[Failed Unit]

I think a lot of this depends on dwell times and potential junctions.
A good medium distance runner could likely get between Newark Northgate and Newark Castle if they included the dwell time at Northgate for the reversals.

Not many trains do it now, but I have done this walking quicker than the train. Some trains back in the CT days used to take 20 minutes between arrival at Newark Northgate and departure of Newark Castle.

 

[Esker-pades]

If we are restricting it to consecutive station stops, then Man Vic to Oxford Road would be doable, especially when the train has to wait its turn to get through Deansgate.

Do any KX to Aberdeen or Inverness, or XC services have a long enough wait at Waverley to allow a sprint to Haymarket?

Ex-London most services have a 10 minute wait. The Aberdeen to Penzance has a 12 minute wait. It arrives at Haymarket at 10:47 and departs Waverley at 11:06. I think one could walk it in that time.

 

[robbeech]

Not many trains do it now, but I have done this walking quicker than the train. Some trains back in the CT days used to take 20 minutes between arrival at Newark Northgate and departure of Newark Castle.

Very few indeed. The morning one is I think about 12 minutes and a fasting walk takes a little under 15 from experience so I think there would need to be at least some jogging required. Possibly another service has a longer dwell time.

 

[Failed Unit]

Very few indeed. The morning one is I think about 12 minutes and a fasting walk takes a little under 15 from experience so I think there would need to be at least some jogging required. Possibly another service has a longer dwell time.

About 10 years ago, all Grimsby - Birmingham (and beyond) services eastbound did it. Resulted in some exceptional overcrowding between Lincoln and Newark. Still some to be found on Sunday for now.

 

[30907]

Liskeard to Coombe Jn is 0.6m on Googlemaps and the downhill train is allowed 9mins to departure, so a fast walker might make it. Wouldn't fancy it uphill, even with the 2 extra minutes timetabled.
If you had a train with a random long layover, Cardiff QS to Central might work.

 

[Esker-pades]

Liskeard to Coombe Jn is 0.6m on Googlemaps and the downhill train is allowed 9mins to departure, so a fast walker might make it. Wouldn't fancy it uphill, even with the 2 extra minutes timetabled.
If you had a train with a random long layover, Cardiff QS to Central might work.

The problem is that trains either start or terminate at Liskeard on the Looe branch. One wouldn't be able to alight at one and then re-board at the other.

 

[Kite159]

Liskeard to Coombe Jn is 0.6m on Googlemaps and the downhill train is allowed 9mins to departure, so a fast walker might make it. Wouldn't fancy it uphill, even with the 2 extra minutes timetabled.
If you had a train with a random long layover, Cardiff QS to Central might work.

I've done something similar, on the Saturday afternoon service which calls at Coombe, the inbound service from Looe arrived at Liskeard at @ 14:40 and it was a very fast walk down the hill (which is steep in places) to board the train at Coombe at 14:50. That narrow lane isn't the nicest to run down

 

[rg177]

On a Sunday evening you can easily fit in some Newark related exercise. 30 minutes allowed from Castle to Northgate. I've just done it in 13

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C61137/2018/12/16/advanced

 

[swt class 450]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realise how many were possible. I may try one of these ones soon. I will provably go for an easier one where i don't have to run extremely fast.

Southampton Central to St Denys is probably possible by alighting at 08:23 at Southampton Central and reboarding at 08:53 at St Denys on that service that has a very long dwell time at Southampton Central. That would give you 30 minutes which is more than enough time. You could probably even just walk it.

 

[Cowley]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realise how many were possible. I may try one of these ones soon. I will provably go for an easier one where i don't have to run extremely fast.

Southampton Central to St Denys is probably possible by alighting at 08:23 at Southampton Central and reboarding at 08:53 at St Denys on that service that has a very long dwell time at Southampton Central. That would give you 30 minutes which is more than enough time. You could probably even just walk it.

I was thinking about this again last night, and having given it some thought I reckon it may be even easier to run from Exeter Central to Exeter St Thomas to catch up with a Paignton train.
I might try it some time too.

 

[PeterY]

For the super fit and that's not me, how about Bedington to Port Sunlight, the run roads parallel to the railway. Traffic would be the main problem.

 

[AnthonyRail]

It’s been s long day, can some explain the rules. So it needs to be the same train.

 

[Cowley]

It’s been s long day, can some explain the rules. So it needs to be the same train.

Yes the same train. The YouTube clip in the first post shows it from the angle of the runner and also his friend who films him leaving the train and then jumping back on a station later.

 

[adrock1976]

Although not necessarily running on foot, I believe it is possible to alight from the mid morning ex Crewe - Swansea/Abertawe via Llandovery at Pen-y-Bont and catch a bus to Llandrindod Wells to be there 12 minutes before the same train departs at midday.

This is possible owing to the train having a 17 minute or so layover at Llandrindod Wells due to the single track section so as to await the ex Swansea to pass there (and change over train crew).