• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

London Underground Challenge Help Needed

Status
Not open for further replies.

itznonbine

Member
Joined
28 Oct 2017
Messages
39
Could someone help plan out the LU Challenge. Start somewhere near Limehouse area (I know it's DLR but its where my hotel is)
I'll be doing it on the Thursday 30th July if that helps
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Enthusiast

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2019
Messages
1,043
Have you done any planning for your challenge? If you are going to cover the entire system starting near the centre will not see you complete the challenge without an overnight break somewhere!
 

itznonbine

Member
Joined
28 Oct 2017
Messages
39
Have you done any planning for your challenge? If you are going to cov ter the entire system starting near the centre will not see you complete the challenge without an overnight break somewhere!
I'm willing to get a night bus to a tube station to start
 

Enthusiast

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2019
Messages
1,043
I'm willing to get a night bus to a tube station to start

Assuming you want to begin at one of the extremities, using the Night Bus system restricts you, as far as I can tell, to Edgware, Ealing, Walthamstow, Cockfosters or Morden. None of these are the traditional starting points for the full system challenge. As far as I know these days (it is many, many years since I completed the challenge myself) many challengers begin at Amersham/Chesham, taking advantage of the single early morning working from there direct to Watford. I'm not sure your plan to use the night bus has legs.
 

bluegoblin7

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2011
Messages
1,356
Location
JB/JP/JW
A Heathrow (specifically Hatton Cross) start is possible, and Heathrow can be accessed via Night Bus. It won’t set you a record time, but you should be able to complete.
 

Enthusiast

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2019
Messages
1,043
A Heathrow (specifically Hatton Cross) start is possible, and Heathrow can be accessed via Night Bus. It won’t set you a record time, but you should be able to complete.

Yes, N9. I'm grateful. Shouldn't be too difficult to get from limehouse to Aldwych.
 

bluegoblin7

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2011
Messages
1,356
Location
JB/JP/JW
N9 to Hounslow West where you can board the first train that runs round the T4 loop. There’s no time saving versus taking some other route, although you can change for a local service in that region (I forget exactly where).

T221 in the working timetable. Work forwards from there and you should be able to complete (including Olympia) - and get back to Wembley by Tube - in a reasonable time if you choose a careful route (service conditions permitting).
 

philthetube

Established Member
Joined
5 Jan 2016
Messages
3,746
Assuming you want to begin at one of the extremities, using the Night Bus system restricts you, as far as I can tell, to Edgware, Ealing, Walthamstow, Cockfosters or Morden. None of these are the traditional starting points for the full system challenge. As far as I know these days (it is many, many years since I completed the challenge myself) many challengers begin at Amersham/Chesham, taking advantage of the single early morning working from there direct to Watford. I'm not sure your plan to use the night bus has legs.

They actually take the second service of the day round to Watford, 0618 rings a bell but not sure.

It is not possible to use the 0532 and cover Amersham and Chesham.
 

itznonbine

Member
Joined
28 Oct 2017
Messages
39
I don't neccesarily want the record. I just want to complete 270 stations in a day as I'm doing it for charity
 

ijmad

Established Member
Joined
7 Jan 2016
Messages
1,810
Location
UK
Here is a route that someone used previously (they got it done in a day but did not break the record).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WJeZPXaWWRIp9pTdw-o2A4BeYsoALpGhXUmtzsdTzPc

This has been previously posted publicly on Reddit, the author decided to share their work, so there's no secrets being leaked here.

It starts in Chesham and doesn't include the DLR - the record attempts generally haven't included the DLR and I doubt it's possible to do the Tube + DLR in a day (given it's only just possible to do the tube), so if you want to start at Limehouse and do some of the DLR you'll need to tweak obviously. It may not be possible to do the whole 270 if you don't start somewhere on the edge like Amersham, Chesham, Heathrow or Upminster.

But might be useful as a starting point!
 
Last edited:

LUYMun

Member
Joined
15 Jul 2018
Messages
776
Location
Somewhere
Geoff Marshall (champion of the LU challenge) posted this video that may be the most suitable route, starting at Chesham, terminating at Heathrow Terminal 5.
 

itznonbine

Member
Joined
28 Oct 2017
Messages
39
Starting to work On a plan from Heathrow and doing it in reverse and ending at Chesham or Amersham.
How long should i leave for changing platforms at Baker street between Met and Jubilee
 

si404

Established Member
Joined
28 Dec 2012
Messages
1,267
How long should i leave for changing platforms at Baker street between Met and Jubilee
a couple of minutes?

As someone who has done this, you can't get these changes accurate - you might have to wing it. The Jubilee is frequent enough that missing a train doesn't matter much (which is why record times have dropped quite a bit with off-peak frequency boosts), especially if you aren't going for a record. Little delays add up, for sure, and there's about a dozen where we could have got the record if things went differently. None of them were stuff like moving between platforms at stations.

Focus on the out of system links between termini. Focus on where there might be flexibility. The small stuff like fairly simple changes are less of a problem. It's nice to know what carriage to be in to be in the right place for your change, where you are going inside stations, but more important is knowing where to go when running between stations as routes won't be signed.

If you were pushing for a record, then the Chilterns wouldn't be a good idea due to half-hourly service on the branches. But with a very early start time at Heathrow, you'll make it round and get back to central London before the end of service.
 
Last edited:

ijmad

Established Member
Joined
7 Jan 2016
Messages
1,810
Location
UK
Starting to work On a plan from Heathrow and doing it in reverse and ending at Chesham or Amersham.
How long should i leave for changing platforms at Baker street between Met and Jubilee

Given you're not making a record attempt, do you really want to *stop* at each station, or are you happy just passing through? Because if the latter, you could save an hour by taking a fast Met train in to Baker Street instead of the Jubilee beside it. You will still see each station out the window!

Same with Piccadilly/District between Hammersmith and Acton Town.
 

si404

Established Member
Joined
28 Dec 2012
Messages
1,267
Given you're not making a record attempt, do you really want to *stop* at each station, or are you happy just passing through? Because if the latter, you could save an hour by taking a fast Met train in to Baker Street instead of the Jubilee beside it. You will still see each station out the window!
not Swiss Cottage or St Johns Wood!
 

bionic

Member
Joined
8 Nov 2013
Messages
883
The first outer rail circle off Hammersmith is at 0443 or something. You could have the entire circle sewn up early doors before bailing onto the NB Bakerloo and using the short street level interchange between Kenton and Northwick Park to get the top of the Met (and Jubilee) sewn up, before doing both Picc and west end District branches.
 

Hadders

Veteran Member
Associate Staff
Senior Fares Advisor
Joined
27 Apr 2011
Messages
12,978
Bear in mind that if you’re finishing very late at Amersham or Chesham how are you going to get back to your hotel?
 

bluegoblin7

Established Member
Joined
10 May 2011
Messages
1,356
Location
JB/JP/JW
Bear in mind that if you’re finishing very late at Amersham or Chesham how are you going to get back to your hotel?

As I mentioned, a good route and an Amersham or Chesham finish is easily achievable not at world record speeds, even with delays of up to an hour. You’ll only get as far as Wembley by train, but there are night buses from there and Harrow as required.

Note that many of the previously listed routes that start at Chesham are no longer achievable on weekdays since the cessation of Olympia services: a weekday route is largely only do-able using the morning Olympias.
 

si404

Established Member
Joined
28 Dec 2012
Messages
1,267
18 hours should be enough
The first outer rail circle off Hammersmith is at 0443 or something. You could have the entire circle sewn up early doors before bailing onto the NB Bakerloo and using the short street level interchange between Kenton and Northwick Park to get the top of the Met (and Jubilee) sewn up, before doing both Picc and west end District branches.
problem with that is you've cleared a lot of stations in the middle that you'll end up redoing crossing between outer branches.
 

itznonbine

Member
Joined
28 Oct 2017
Messages
39
At this moment of time my first train is at 0454 off of Hounslow West after getting the bus.
My last train on plan should arrive at Amersham at 2255.

Im working on my pace for walking and jogging for between the stations I have to do such a thing as well.

I have about 40 minutes leeway at the moment as ideally would want the last train for me from Amersham to be the 2347!

There is room for time to be made up whether I've allowed a few more minutes of changing than needed or for my pace as well so all should go to plan.

I'm knocking out Olympia by using the overground between shepherds Bush and West Brompton. Means I have to back track to Earls Court but so what. Also yes I want to stop at all stations.

I'm doing it for charity so I will add quickly the link for the fundraiser. All money donated goes straight from just giving to the charity. I don't see a single penny. The link is https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/270-tube-for-syp
 

philthetube

Established Member
Joined
5 Jan 2016
Messages
3,746
You would see swiss cottage, or at least the remains of the old station. (Still available as an evacuation point).
 

Enthusiast

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2019
Messages
1,043
And (just about) the remains of Marlborough Road which, at a stretch, you could call St John's Wood :)
 

Mountain Man

Member
Joined
15 Jun 2019
Messages
310
I wouldn't underestimate the planning required.

I've been planning my 1st attempt for a while, and there is more to think about than just a route. Things like toilets and food need to be in your consideration

On your route, think about the 3 challenging elements (Kensington Olympia / Mill Hill East / Central Line), getting those done is essential
 

DuncanS

Member
Joined
16 May 2017
Messages
277
Location
Falkirk
I wouldn't underestimate the planning required.
I've been planning my 1st attempt for a while, and there is more to think about than just a route. Things like toilets and food need to be in your consideration

This.

I'm planning an attempt for later in the year and this takes months of planning to get right - its not just what platform do I need to be on, its also things like what carriage do I need to be on for the appropriate exit or passage to the Northern Line/Jubilee/etc and then the do I take food/water with me or get someone to drop it off for me?

Also download the tfl toilet map as you will need to pee at some point during the day.

....and most importantly dont expect to complete first time out and have more than one route planned in case for example the Northern Line or the Metropolitan decide to play funny buggers with delays etc.
 

Samuel88

On Moderation
Joined
20 Jan 2017
Messages
385
I wonder what the record is to visit EVERY station in London (Underground,DLR, National Rail and tram)?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top