Glen & Iain's attempt - 18/5/12

[The Raven]

Yes, we are at it again!

Hopefully, will not have the problems of last time!

[palkanetoijala31]

i was going to ask/post .. "Is there anyone going out this week?", because there is an Olympia service between Weds-Fri. expect a few attempts then, methinks...

I suppose that is a hint that u be out urself then? as for iain and Glen im their official starter and support man.

[Nigel]

i was going to ask/post .. "Is there anyone going out this week?", because there is an Olympia service between Weds-Fri. expect a few attempts then, methinks...

Silly me - I was contemplating an attempt this month, but somehow had confused myself that the Olympia opening wasn't this week, but in a couple of weeks time. Various thing have cropped up to prevent me doing anything this week, so it looks like I won't being going out this month after all.

[tractakid]

Have fun and good luck!

[Iain]

Thanks tractakid - we'll be tweeting via @down_the_tubes

[Rhys1995]

Hope you guys are doing well today. Enjoy, I'm jealous as I'm doing an exam today

[MylesHSG]

Yes, I did find that rather amusing

"Starts with cheese and ends with ham" also giving him away a bit.

[Urzzz1871]

Having never come across Audioboos before I must say they are a great addition to tweets for following Tube Challenges.

Unfotunately they don't seem to be available for Blackberry. Must remember to upgrade to an i-phone before our day out in September!

[Nigel]

It's gone very quiet since first thing, any news on how they are getting on? The service doesn't appear to have been too bad, although a few minor delays at various times.

[al]

I believe they are still going, they certainly were at 7.

I'll hijack their thread temporarily just to say that I was also out today, but after an earlier missed connection by four seconds, I was making it up on the hoof all day. Eventually I gave up after missing an Olympia by 1 min after missing a previous train by only a few seconds.

lost some time due to signalling issues on the Central, but most problems were caused by the two aforementioned misses. Did try some new things today though, which were more successful than I thought they would be, so that was good.

[The Raven]

We've done it! All 270 stations in a time of 17h:37m:09s

More details to follow.

[Iain]

If you know how to change the twitter account it copies the boos to then please letmeknow, I spent a frustrating ten minutes trying to find out how. It just seemed to default
to my account

A good day in many ways, frustratingly we managed to avoid all the lines with problems until the last few hours, when every line we used had minor delays or worse, and of course then there isn't anything left todo without doing ugly double visits to places.

Note for Kev -our driver at T4 stopped for a pee as well!

More details tomorrow, we need to sleep now

[Nigel]

Well done! Look forward to hearing more later. In the meantime, I've shown yesterday's time on the list of times for full network completions. It's now 21st in the all-time list for current configuration (269 or 270 station) completions.

[Iain]

Hmm I tried that, it seemed to only have the option to link to twitter or not and not have the option to change twitter account.

Thanks for passing on the message about stuff being on my other twitter a/c - I was trying to set up down_the_tubes to be like to_the_trains.

Hope you enjoyed my school song extract!

[palkanetoijala31]

Well im sure iain and Glen will add there write up to this attempt for the record i will state i did not visit the following stations with them.

Amersham,Buckhurst Hill to Epping,Croxley,Gunersbury to Richmond,Heathrow t1232 and 5,Highbury & Islington,Morden,Preston Road Russell Square,Wanstead to Roding Valley,Watford,West Acton and West ham to Upminster

The day started for me really on the Thursday with a bit of a surprise a quiet day so i asked for some toil and managed to finish at 3pm got changed and drove up to London to park my car then join Iain and Glen for a few pints and a curry in the Spoons at Sutton very nice too.After a lumpy night sleep on the sofa actually better than the last time i did an attempt we drove up to Chorleywood where they have some free parking and made way up to Chesham.

This is My supporters role route I proceeded down to North Harrow to go back up to Moor Park there is a reason why i did this if the train was early which it was last time iain and Glen would have a 4 min window to decide a possible change of route plan to compensate for this (it also involved some brilliant use of them in a no risk situation where they would have to wait anyway Win Win)Not the case today though train a little late for a change so ok to carry on and who should be at Moor park but in his trusted Red shirt and shorts Mr Al Brown.

1st support over and time to head back down to North Harrow and low behold good luck a bus H9 just there coming up road as they exited the station Bus 1 Runs 0 i was giving the role of Iain Bag Carrier good thing as well im sure if he had it on his back he have keeled over at end of day it was so heavy i ran into the station and saw a pic on the move so shouted to the other two to get in fast up on schedule.

Well i couldnt get away without doing some running myself and so at a leisurely pace had to go opposite way to them with the train up this was not the critical connection it was so they had plenty of time to do this themselves without support i joined then for a long time until a certain decision was made whether to double back or not i obviously wasnt going to do the double back anyway then chose to get off with me and decision was correct as we arrived at Holborn Woodford Via Hainault 2mins.

Stopping off at leytonstone to change for Woodford and getting 3 coffees all white 2 with sugar (attractive cafe girl no longer here by the way but there is one at South Woodford on southbound a blonde with huge tits might be a worth a look on future challenge)unfortunately they arrival in Woodford was just too slow would have to held doors for over 30s in order to make it this was they only real main loss of day after a brief chat I left to make my way back to Snaresbrook and a lovely walk via the duck pond over to Wood Street.

After waiting sometime for them told them to walk when they missed the one they could have got if supreme runners i worked out that they could do a their double back and have around the 30 min mark to make Cockfosters to High barnet with a good MHE as well.Now i practiced this run with Iain so he was used to it but unfortuantely they had to run the majority of this connection Buses 1.5 Runs 1 i had to run all of it without the heavy bag for the last part in order to mak eit ahead for a tightish connection at High Barnet me and Glen literally pulled the exhausted iain on to the train with seconds to spare.

After spotting that they could make a connection to the right branch of Northern line that they wanted we were joined by SteveO for a while i left them in his company for a while as i had to make a better connection up the line for them rejoining me at baker Street i left again to make my way to Canons Park to bus watch and possible Stanmore prediciting.

as they passed at Canons Park i told them to be alert at Stanmore as it could be a tight connection they made a nice double back and were back quicker than i thought although the buses were not there it was probably the correct decision for them to wait for bus i think i have been ahead of bus if i ran but i couldnt be bothered.Buses 2.5 runs 1.5 (due to the fact that Edgware high street was chocker)Making the better branch of Northern Line again no change at Camden Town
we made a good connection at TCR for the central line although not the destination that they wanted.

Some quick strategising by myself which hurt Iain head figuring it all out i suggested a change of plan that involved them changing to take out ken o earlier than planned and it worked im quite proud my R15 skills are coming through into Full challenges Ken O wait 3 mins max at HSK and lovely bus from there into Hammersmith buses 3.5 runs 1.5 with a slight delay after the loop for the West Ruislip train i think negated by the fact that Ken O was now gone.Plus an attractive tfl girl at Earls Court who when ken o was held slightly said i made her day when i said she was gorgeous.

Out of West Ruislip 3 out of 3 oh yes shout from me U1 U1 U1 taken all the way to Uxbridge in and out of Uxbridge 0 secs i walked to Kenton from Northwick park whilst they did a db i did think at the time i should go up to H&W good thing as they made kenton easily but were worried that the train was coming in off their overground train i told walk as board said 4mins.After taking out Bakerloo line in 1 whole gulp the last outlying stretch to Upminster via Jubilee Line was made i had time to Wait at West Ham i decided to go to Aldgate for them instead i should have done earlier as i have been able to get a good pint in spoons between the run waiting outside the entrance which where a pedestrain asked me where Shoreditch High street was i pointed him in right direction he went the wrong way was delighted 10 mins later when i saw him coming back towards me lol.buses 4.5 runs 1.5

Aldgate well saw the mins ticking by saw them in the distance and went down saw the that the train was ready on board but not in platform this enabled them that actual min or two to scramble on to train some good conversation was had with people in carriage and my duties were nearly over helped at Victoria despite some time lost here due to defective train and tfl backing up the trains.

all the gubbins and down to Morden no buses luck for them so Buses 4.5 Runs 2.5 from South Wimbledon the rest is self explanation down to Richmond with no running for me and into heathrow i went to get car parked outside t4 for the two who were held up a little there and drive back to Chorleywood arrival time back in Bmth 2am.