Christmas Parks Challenge 2025 - Tuesday 30th December - Upton Part 2

[Lunaticonthegrass]

In summary - you must visit all 24 "park" stations by LU - you must take an external photo of all 24 "park" stations..
How that is done is down to you

Just a naughty thought/loophole - if you were to visit all the stations first, and then go round them all taking the photos, would you still need to use scheduled public transport? Or could you hail a taxi/have a conveniently parked car and go round them all again?

Surely, as taking photos is part of the challenge, the stopwatch must be kept running and usual Tube Challenge rules must be followed, i.e. No private transport.

It's a fairly pointless discussion anyway, as no way would it be faster than taking photos as you go.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Network status update for 30th December:

The network will be running to the Saturday timetable.

District Line: No service to Kensington (Olympia).
Piccadilly Line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge (Metropolitan line unaffected).
Mildmay Line: No service between Camden Road and Shepherd's Buch/Richmond. A special service will run between Camden Road and Willesden Junction via Queens Park.
Weaver Line: No Service between Liverpool Street and London Fields.
Windrush line: No service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction.

No confirmation as yet as to whether or not Hyde Park Corner and Green Park will be exit only, or even closed completely. I'll keep an eye on the TFL website.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

Final plug for this.

Still no definite information about entrance/exit status at Green Park and Hyde Park Corner. This could make things fun!

If you not coming to The Blue Posts after the event, please tell me and I'll message you my phone number, so you can send me your time, route details and external stations photos.

Weather for London tomorrow is clear and sunny, with highs of 7 degrees celcius.

Right, I think that's everything. See some of you tomorrow!

[penguin]

I'll be there! Just a (couple of) small question(s)... if this'll reach you in time: how does the "start window" work? You can start at any time in that window? So, theoretically, people could finish on the same train, but have different times? Similarly, is the start station forced to be Upton Park, or is it just a meeting point?

Undecided about whether I'll make the pub, as I've done competitive trainspotting today so I'll be rather tired! I'll get your number tomorrow and let you know accordingly as and when.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

how does the "start window" work? You can start at any time in that window? So, theoretically, people could finish on the same train, but have different times?

Yes, you can start at any time in that window. The start window isn't massively important. It's only real function is to make sure that there aren't any seriously late finishes and results can be delivered without hours of waiting.

Similarly, is the start station forced to be Upton Park, or is it just a meeting point?

All challengers must start the challenge at Upton Park station by photographing the station exterior. How you then proceed is up to you.

Hope that answers everything for you.

[miklcct]

I plan to attend.

However, I am not sure if I have time to go to the pub afterwards as I plan to go to Wimbledon in the evening (I will start as early as possible tomorrow).

P.S. I want to go to Wimbledon at 19:15 and I have a viable route ending at Wimbledon Park, hope that the pub will be close to there.

P.S. I planned my route so late in the evening that I am now doubting if I should start later and skip the Wimbledon evening instead.

[Golf]

I Have decided not to come along tomorrow i would have to get up stupidly early and return stupidly late and i also have to get up same time next day to fly to belfast for a parkrun. if it had been today i have stayed up in london from yesterday! it just circumstance but i had some good runs planned an 7h 01m time!

good luck all those whom do run!

[miklcct]

I Have decided not to come along tomorrow i would have to get up stupidly early and return stupidly late and i also have to get up same time next day to fly to belfast for a parkrun. if it had been today i have stayed up in london from yesterday! it just circumstance but i had some good runs planned an 7h 01m time!

good luck all those whom do run!

7:01?!

I have planned two routes but still can't break an 8h finish, one ending at Moor Park for 8:10 and one ending at Wimbledon Park at 8:17.

Please DM me the your phone number in case I can't get to The Blue Post in time to go back to Wimbledon by 19:15.

[mps247]

On my way to Upton Park (running a bit late). Sorry, won't be able to join you at the pub afterwards. Will post my time on here after I finish. Good luck everyone!

[miklcct]

I have started my challenge at 10:25 and will finish at Wimbledon Park if there isn't a disruption.



I'm running with an orange T-shirt, grey shorts and a brown backpack, try to catch me if you can.

Progress update 12:58
6/24 photos taken, currently 11 minutes ahead of plan.
Hint if you want to catch me: I haven't entered zone 1 yet since the beginning of the challenge, and I have used 3 buses already.

Progress update 15:08
12/24 photos taken, a delay caused my train waiting for signal approaching Stonebridge Park and I missed the critical North Circular bus 112 as a result and the 50 mph speed run on the A406 didn't happen

[Golf]

I Have decided not to come along tomorrow i would have to get up stupidly early and return stupidly late and i also have to get up same time next day to fly to belfast for a parkrun. if it had been today i have stayed up in london from yesterday! it just circumstance but i had some good runs planned an 7h 01m time!

good luck all those whom do run!

7:01?!

I have planned two routes but still can't break an 8h finish, one ending at Moor Park for 8:10 and one ending at Wimbledon Park at 8:17.

Please DM me the your phone number in case I can't get to The Blue Post in time to go back to Wimbledon by 19:15.

PARK CHALLENGE ROUTE

UPTON PARK 09:22:00 1C 1DR

ELM PARK 09:38:30 BUS 252 OR RUN 3.5KM TO

ROMFORD 09:54:00/10:02:00

SEVEN KINGS 10:09:00 RUN 1.7KM TO

NEWBURY PARK 10:22:00

STRATFORD 10:37:00/10:43:00

HIGHBURY & ISLINGTON 10:58:00/11:01:30

FINSBURY PARK 11:03:55/11:07:00

NEW SOUTHGATE 11:17:00 BUS 221 11:21:00 OR RUN 3.5KM TO

WOODSIDE PARK 11:36:00

TUFNELL PARK 11:50:30 RUN 2.3KM TO

BELSIZE PARK 12:09:00

WARREN STREET 12:17:30 RUN TO

REGENTS PARK 12:24:30

OXFORD CIRCUS 12:27:00/12:27:40

GREEN PARK 12:29:35/12:32:15

HYDE PARK CORNER 12:34:15 RUN VIA GREEN PARK

ST JAMES PARK 12:50:30

WIMBLEDON PARK 13:15:00/13:17:00

EARLS COURT 13:32:30/13:33:45

RAVENSCOURT PARK 13:41:15/13:46:15

CHISWICK PARK 13:51:15 RUN 1.4KM TO

ACTON TOWN 14:05:15

PARK ROYAL 14:12:15

HANGER LANE 14:18:15

HOLLAND PARK 14:31:30 RUN TO

LADBROOK GROVE 14:42:30

WESTBOURNE PARK 14:44:00 RUN 2KM TO

KILBURN PARK 14:57:30

QUEENS PARK 15:00:00/15:03:30

STONEBRIDGE PARK 15:14:00/15:19:00

KENTON 15:27:30 RUN TO

NORTHWICK PARK 15:33:30

WEMBLEY PARK 15:38:30/15:40:15

CANONS PARK 15:49:15/15:51:30

WEMBLEY PARK 15:59:30/16:02:30

MOOR PARK 16:23:00

[miklcct]

Here is my timing for Moor Park finish which I am NOT using today (I'm using Wimbledon Park finish):

09:00 Upton Park District
09:19 Elm Park District to Barking → 169
10:06 Newbury Park Central to Stratford → Greater Anglia to Tottenham Hale → Victoria
10:47 Finsbury Park Victoria
11:01 Green Park Piccadilly
11:06 Hyde Park Corner walk
11:21 St James’s Park District
11:50 Wimbledon Park District to Notting Hill Gate → Central
12:24 Holland Park District to Shepherd’s Bush → walk
12:49 Ravenscourt Park District
13:02 Chiswick Park District → Piccadilly
13:24 Park Royal 112
13:46 Stonebridge Park Bakerloo / Lioness
14:02 Queen’s Park Bakerloo
14:05 Kilburn Park walk
14:23 Westbourne Park Circle / Hammersmith & City to Baker Street → Bakerloo
14:41 Regent’s Park Northern
15:00 Tufnell Park Northern
15:24 Woodside Park Northern to Camden Town → Northern
15:54 Belsize Park Northern to Edgware → 79 / 340 / 186
16:25 Canons Park Jubilee
16:41 Wembley Park Metropolitan
16:50 Northwick Park Metropolitan
17:10 Moor Park FINISH!

I planned the above timings using Aubin with preference switched to fastest routes and walking speed tuned to the maximum (about 8.39 km/h), and 2 minutes at each station between arrival and departure.

[Lunaticonthegrass]

FYI, I'm not far off finishing, and should be in the pub in an hour. Can't wait!

[miklcct]

I am finishing soon - the damn District line failed me and couldn't make 8 hours today, waited for 7 minutes for shunting at Parsons Green

[mps247]

Just finished at Woodside Park. A rather slow time of 8:42:29. It was interesting experience doing a tube challenge after so long.

Have fun at the pub!