Olympia Shuttle

[kateyay]

The "weekend service only" message seems very interesting. Was this on a new (ie Olympic) carriage line diagram, on a district train?

[Iain]

Yes it was Kate

[andytube]

Can someone please calrify the actual situation of the Ken O service? Looks like this is the station that messes up your planning completely.

From what I have been able to see so far, there are 3 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening? Is this correct and does anyone know the actual times?

Tfl web site isn't very clear. I can see that one leaves at 0550.

Has anyone ever started their journey from Olympia?

[Nigel]

Can someone please calrify the actual situation of the Ken O service? Looks like this is the station that messes up your planning completely.

From what I have been able to see so far, there are 3 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening? Is this correct and does anyone know the actual times?

Tfl web site isn't very clear. I can see that one leaves at 0550.

Has anyone ever started their journey from Olympia?

Kensington (Olympia) needs to be visited either arriving or leaving on a District line train. Unless there is a special exhibition service running (and it is unclear when in the future that will be), the the only weekday services are I think still as listed on the final page of this leaflet:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ ... 11-dec.pdf

You can always check in Journey Planner that these services still exist (although the last time I checked Journey Planner wasn't listing any District line services past September, which may mean there is a timetable change coming).

To my knowledge nobody has tried an Olympia start, but the current service pattern certainly makes finding a good route somewhat challenging.

[andytube]

Thanks Nigel.

From that leaflet (page 1):

The current weekday service between Kensington (Olympia) and Earl’s Court will be withdrawn from 11 December (2011) to reduce delays across the remaining District line service.

Yet on page 3, services are still running. Doesn't make sense:

From Kensington (Olympia)
0550 and 0632 to Edgware Road.
0606, 0615, 0624 to High Street Kensington
1958 and 2038 to High Street Kensington

From High Street Kensington to Kensington (Olympia)
1941 (1945 Earl’s Court)
2021 (2025 Earl’s Court)

I suppose I will have to arrive by foot or overground to Ken O between 0545 and 0630 to guarantee getting on a train.

[Urzzz1871]

On the bright side, the District Line on the journey planner has now been updated to 23rd December.

There are morning Olympia trains right through until then at least.

[Iain]

...and yet the line diagrams indicate a weekend service only - bizarre!

I just wish they'd be cler about it rather than this weird half and half situation

[Nigel]

Guinness would then have to rule either that:

- the challenge must be be done with Olympia, and could therefore only be attempted on Saturdays
- the challenge still cannot be done at the weekend (as they always insist) and then it could be done for 269 station instead

it's a very annoying situation, for sure.

For reasons that I will reveal in another post shortly, a few weeks ago I formally asked Guinness about the legitimacy of a Saturday record attempt, and also for confirmation of the status of Olympia and how it has to be visited given the current situation. Other than an automated response acknowledging that they have received my query, I've not yet had a response. I'm not not holding my breath expecting a speedy (or necessarily sensible) reply.

[nozzacook]

If Guinness are consistant Saturday records are not allowed ask the browns as there record attempt they did back a few years ago was rejected as the attempt was on a saturday.

[Nigel]

If Guinness are consistant

Hollow laugh. The pack that Guinness originally sent me on the specific requirements for setting this record is already riddled with inconsistencies.

[moley]

Guinness would then have to rule either that:

- the challenge must be be done with Olympia, and could therefore only be attempted on Saturdays
- the challenge still cannot be done at the weekend (as they always insist) and then it could be done for 269 station instead

it's a very annoying situation, for sure.

For reasons that I will reveal in another post shortly, a few weeks ago I formally asked Guinness about the legitimacy of a Saturday record attempt, and also for confirmation of the status of Olympia and how it has to be visited given the current situation. Other than an automated response acknowledging that they have received my query, I've not yet had a response. I'm not not holding my breath expecting a speedy (or necessarily sensible) reply.

I do not believe that Guiness were correct in their prior assertion that it could not be done on a Saturday.

Are they going to say it cant be done during the Olympics because there are extra trains into the early morning?

[Nigel]

i still never get details (Anthony?) on when the Brown attempt was. what date, what time, etc... I'd like to add it to my website *****.co.uk/tube/others.html as a valid attempt, and valid time, even though it's not Guinness approved. as far as i'm concerned, you did the full network and should have some recognition!

you know my email address gentlemen ...

I think you will find the details of this unratified record on this thread: http://www.tubeforum.co.uk/forum/index. ... =viewtopic

and if you are updating that page Geoff could you add my time from last month to your list towards the bottom of the top times for 270 stations?

[nozzacook]

Antony Brown (Soup Dragon ) will be able to give you full details on why they refused to recognise it.

[moley]

Mr Dragon - drop me a line with the details if you would be so kind.

We can't change the past but together we can influence the future....!

[Soup Dragon]

Step 1. I lodged my intent to do the attempt on a Saturday as it was a rare occasion when all stations would be open.
Guinness acknowledged my attempt to take place on that date.

Step 2. We beat the record and submitted it to Guinness but they initially rejected because they said that not all stations are open on a Saturday.
We appealed this and asked Guinness to look at the evidence we provided and that all stations were open and visited by our team.

Step 3. Our record claim went to the appeals panel and was rejected because:
1. The tube is less busy on a Saturday so the record would be easier to obtain.
2. It would be unfair to the existing record holders to award us the record on this basis.

We were advised that no further appeal was allowed and that our claim was closed.

If somebody can get Guinness to change their minds on this then I wouldn't have a problem as long as we were awarded the record retrospectively, after all we stuck to the rules and were cheated out of the record.