So, I succesfully managed to set the slowest R15 time ever recorded!
All I need to do now is break the record and I'll end up with both extremes! Here's what happened to me:
Starting the challenge was a challenge in itself! Embarrassingly for somebody on his way to a tube challenge, I forgot that the Jubilee line wasn't running from Westminster, which meant that I arrived late. I actually got out at Regent's Park just to text Kev to tell him I would be late and to start without me. Fortunately, the very kind newsagent at Willesden Green station kept hold of my copy of the stations drawn. Unfortunately, there are two newsagents at the station, and I went to the wrong one
! Much confusion ensued, until I was informed of another newsagent at the other entrance. After getting the stations, I popped outside for a quick smoke as I planned my route... by this time I was 25 minutes off the pace.
Walk back into the station to find out my Oyster card needs to topped up! I don't think it cost me a train though, and I ran down to platform getting a Southbound Jubilee line service from
Willesden Green (0:00:00 I guess...
) to Kilburn, and ran to the bus stop across the road. Looking at the traffic, I decided not to take the bus to Kilburn Park and run to Brondesbury instead. The North London Line to Richmond saw me into Willseden Junction, from where I took the Watford DC line to Queen's Park for a beautiful cross-platform change for the Southbound Bakerloo line (this was one of only two good connections I got during the day). The Bakerloo train took me from
Queen's Park (0:55:38), through
Kilburn Park (0:57:04) to Paddington (Bakerloo) for a quick run to Paddington (Hammersmith & City).
Severe delays on the Westbound Hammersmith & City line meant my train arrived 20 minutes after I arrived. I was tempted to run back to Paddington (Bakerloo) and knock-off Regent's Park, but I didn't think I would make it in time to catch the train at Great Portland Street. So, I waited, visiting
Ladbroke Grove (1:30:34) on my way to Hammersmith (Hammersmith & City). After running through the Broadway Centre to the bus station, I was greated with news that the 211 service was experiencing severe delays due to traffic between Hammersmith and Fulham... which was pretty much my route. I soldiered on and caught the 295 to Fulham Broadway, ran to Fulham Broadway station and just missed the Southbound District line. After another long wait, I got into
East Putney (2:20:16) just to see a District line service pull into the other platform with no chance of catching it! Another long wait brought me to
Earl's Court (2:34:55), where I ran down to catch the Piccadilly line (not noticing that the escalators were running in oppostite directions to normal, and almost having an accident!
) to Hyde Park Corner, passing through
Knightsbridge (2:41:01).
The No. 10 from Hyde Park Corner took me to Marble Arch, from where I caught the Central line to
Lancaster Gate (2:56:38), for a double-back to Oxford Circus. Onto the Bakerloo line to
Regent's Park (3:11:54), from where I ran to Warren Street. At this stage, I considered stopping as I was so far off the pace, and so close to the pub! However, looking at the drawn stations, I thought everybody was going to be slow, and although I would be last, I was hoping to beat the 5-hour mark.
Took the Northern line to
Chalk Farm (3:29:02), just missing a train going back into the city. Caught the next train and changed at
King's Cross St. Pancras (3:38:28) for a Northbound Piccadilly line to
Manor House (3:51:43), for my second and last beautiful connection Southbound to Holborn. Transferring onto the Central line, I passed through
St. Paul's (4:11:22) on my way to Liverpool Street, where I just missed an Eastbound Hammersmith & City service. Next train to Aldgate was in 6 minutes, and the next train to Aldgate East was in 8 minutes, so there was no point in running from Aldgate... although I probably could have run between Liverpool Street and Aldgate East, but this didn't occur to me.
As I got into
Aldgate East (4:28:06), I just missed a District line service going back. A few minutes behind it, the next train was a Hammersmith & City service. I took it to Moorgate, and ran down to the Northern line platforms. By this time, I knew that it would be tight for me to beat the 5-hour mark. I was right, as I arrived at
Clapham Common at 5:02:20.
Had I managed to get to the start on time, I probably would be 25 minutes ahead of that. Additionally, if half of my connections had worked out well and there were no delays on the Hammersmith & City line I might have shaved off another 20 minutes. I would still have been an hour off the pace though (if the Hammersmith & City line had been working correctly for everybody else too), as my route wasn't very good... but I was so pleased when I came back to the pub to find that I hadn't come "last"!