Longest tube journey.

[londonbridge]

A woman broke the record for the longest ever journey on the underground by spending 48 hours in the system. Apparently she was given a special pass to avoid incomplete journey penalties for not tapping out.

Woman gets special TfL pass to avoid fines when visiting all 272 Tube stations

She has called it an 'absolutely wonderful experience' but would never do it again

www.mylondon.news

London Underground: Woman gets special TfL pass to avoid fines for not tapping out when visiting all 272 Tube stations​

She has called it an 'absolutely wonderful experience' but would never do it again

A woman has broken the world record for the longest ever journey on the London Underground - lasting 48 HOURS. Ali White completed the mammoth challenge after a gruelling two day stint on the Tube.

The epic trip started on Friday, November 19, and finished just after 11am on Sunday. During the challenge, she visited all 272 tube stations on the network - including stop offs at places including Kensington, Uxbridge, Edgware and Upminster.

She whizzed up and down all the different Tube lines and was joined by friends on Saturday and Sunday to let her nap and get her through when she was "lagging" on energy. Ali who is also a volunteer with the British Transport Police was also given a special Transport For London (TFL) pass so she won't receive a penalty fair after not tapping out for 48 hours.

Reflecting on her two-day ordeal underground, the policy advisor from Shepherd's Bush, London, said: "It's been ok, it's a nice way to spend a weekend. "Exploring bits of London I have never been to before.

She added: "I had a bunch of rules that I have to stick to - I couldn't tap out or hang around on a platform and let trains go past. I could only stop to swap trains, go to the loo or have some food.

"I was also be taking part in mini-challenges, little bits on the tube, little quirks. "For example, the deepest Tube station is Hampstead, it is 15 stories deep and my mini challenge was to climb those steps". Reflecting on the 48 hour stint, Ali said: "I feel absolutely overwhelmed by the support from people on Twitter and social media. We've ended up raising over three times what I originally aimed for, which is just absolutely incredible."

Describing her challenge, Ali said it was "Absolutely wonderful experience, but never, ever again."

Asking what her favourite tube station was, she added: "Tufnell Park, it's a quiet, cute station out on the Northern line." Ali took on the challenge after her dad Andrew White, died unexpectedly in 2016 from a pulmonary embolism - a blocked blood vessel in the lungs. Since his death, Ali has been raising money every year for charity but missed out on three years due to the pandemic.

This led to Ali taking on three challenges in three months to make up for lost time. Called "The Trifecta of Stupidity" she took part in a 100-mile cycle through the Yorkshire countryside from her dad's birthplace in Middlesbrough to the National Museum in York. On October 16, 2022, Ali ran the Oxford Half Marathon after attending University there. And Ali has completed the challenge of spending 48 hours on the London Underground.

She added: "Overall, I'm hoping whatever money this raises goes to help some of the most vulnerable in society, and makes someone's life somewhere a little better. "My dad made my life a hell of a lot better. "He made me who I am today, so by donating, you're helping me pay that favour forward and say thanks for who he was." Since taking part in the "Trifecta of Stupidity" Ali has raised more than £1,600 for her three chosen charities which are Mind, Centrepoint and the NSPCC.

Ali said: "Mind has done some incredible work campaigning to end the stigma against mental health and to advocate for improved services and treatment for those who suffer with mental ill-health. "At various times during my life, I've found myself without a permanent roof over my head. I was lucky. "I either ended up in temporary accommodation or my friends let me sofa surf."

Ali Added: "However, there are far too many vulnerable young adults who are in insecure housing. Centrepoint provides practical help supporting 14,000 young people a year."

On her work with the police and transport, the challenger said: "Volunteering with the British Transport Police means I've found out all too well about vulnerable young people who end up on the railway for whatever reason. "

The NSPCC not only works to raise awareness about the signs of child abuse, domestic violence and child exploitation but gives children a voice through the Childline hotline and the abuse reporting tool."

But did she manage to ride the Kennington loop??

 

[BoroAndy]

Is it possible to visit all stations in one operating day?

 

[LalRattyMember]

Oh it's been done many times - see Wikipedia

 

[TFN]

Apparently she was given a special pass to avoid incomplete journey penalties for not tapping out.

She’s stated on Twitter that she has a TfL staff pass which obviously doesn’t charge anything. A very Clickbait title.

 

[Chris M]

She’s stated on Twitter that she has a TfL staff pass which obviously doesn’t charge anything. A very Clickbait title.

MyLondon, the publisher of the article, is the very definition of an unreliable source! It has more mistakes than the Daily Mail and Evening Standard combined. If the headline is the only factual error I will be surprised.

 

[Enthusiast]

Is it possible to visit all stations in one operating day?

I did it in 1968 and, as above, the "Tube Challenge" is still a regular thing.

I don't know quite what this lady did. The Tube Challenge involves visiting all the stations as quickly as possible and you are allowed to leave the system to change lines (though only using public transport). The most recently published record is currently something over 15 hours and I am not aware of any attempts that have been made since the Northern Line Extension was opened last year. If this lady spent 48 hours on the system I wonder whether she didn't leave it at all and when she reached (say) High Barnet she retraced her steps back into the centre before venturing on to another line. The normal Tube Challenge strategy from there is normally to leave the system and to make your way to Cockfosters.

 

[Trainfan344]

The crucial thing that's been missed is this was a fundraising effort for charity.

 

[steeevooo]

This sounds like a simple world record to beat though, since starting on the first train on a Friday (which I believe is a train on the Circle/Hammersmith & City out of Hammersmith) and staying on the network, using Night Tube on both Friday and Saturday nights before finishing on the last terminating train on the Sunday evening (which I believe is a train on the Metropolitan line into Uxbridge) would break the record. As Trainfan344 has noted above though, the key point is that this was a fundraising effort which no doubt raised some good funds for charity.

 

[185143]

This sounds like a simple world record to beat though, since starting on the first train on a Friday (which I believe is a train on the Circle/Hammersmith & City out of Hammersmith) and staying on the network, using Night Tube on both Friday and Saturday nights before finishing on the last terminating train on the Sunday evening (which I believe is a train on the Metropolitan line into Uxbridge) would break the record. As Trainfan344 has noted above though, the key point is that this was a fundraising effort which no doubt raised some good funds for charity.

That's well over 60 hours on the tube.

Not sure "simple" is the word I'd use!

 

[zwk500]

I did it in 1968 and, as above, the "Tube Challenge" is still a regular thing.

I don't know quite what this lady did. The Tube Challenge involves visiting all the stations as quickly as possible and you are allowed to leave the system to change lines (though only using public transport). The most recently published record is currently something over 15 hours and I am not aware of any attempts that have been made since the Northern Line Extension was opened last year. If this lady spent 48 hours on the system I wonder whether she didn't leave it at all and when she reached (say) High Barnet she retraced her steps back into the centre before venturing on to another line. The normal Tube Challenge strategy from there is normally to leave the system and to make your way to Cockfosters.

In the article it says that she set herself conditions, and one of her rules was that she couldn't tap out so presumably she didn't leave the system. It also says she couldn't 'hang around' on the platform, but had to take the next train regardless. Must have been frustrating on the Northern line or at Earls Court!

 

[greyman42]

In the article it says that she set herself conditions, and one of her rules was that she couldn't tap out so presumably she didn't leave the system. It also says she couldn't 'hang around' on the platform, but had to take the next train regardless. Must have been frustrating on the Northern line or at Earls Court!

What would she have done regarding toilets?

 

[zwk500]

What would she have done regarding toilets?

If you read the article, it does say she gets off a train, uses the toilets in the station, then goes and gets on another train.

 

[greyman42]

If you read the article, it does say she gets off a train, uses the toilets in the station, then goes and gets on another train.

Thanks, i missed that.

 

[Route115?]

Whilst is good that TfL gave a charity attempt a special pass all you need is a weeky travelcard zone 1 -9 and you don't need to worry about tapping in and out. Zones 1 - 6 is £70.30 though and getting to Chesham more.

It reminds me that in the 80s we did a study tour stopping off at each station on a branch to look at the architecture of the station and we were given a special ticket allowing us to stop off at each station. No travelcards then although then although I think that go as you please tickets existed.

 

[Chris M]

Whilst is good that TfL gave a charity attempt a special pass all you need is a weeky travelcard zone 1 -9 and you don't need to worry about tapping in and out. Zones 1 - 6 is £70.30 though and getting to Chesham more.

It reminds me that in the 80s we did a study tour stopping off at each station on a branch to look at the architecture of the station and we were given a special ticket allowing us to stop off at each station. No travelcards then although then although I think that go as you please tickets existed.

As noted in post #4, she didn't get given a special pass (this is shoddy "journalism" from MyLondon) she has a pass because of something else she does (she's a BTP Special Constable so I presume it's that)