tubechallenge.com

My, I seem to be very behind on the activities of my fellow tube enthusiasts. I don't seem to get email notifications as I should: I've reset them so I'll see how it goes.

So, belated congratulations and commiserations, as appropriate, to everyone who's tried the challenge since I was last here. Especial congrats to David, Gabriel, & Milo for beating my record by a whopping 22 minutes.

Now, a question. I'm aware of the rule which requires keeping the clock running to the next station if the last required station wasn't arrived at by tube, but what about the opposite where the first required station isn't departed by tube?

Example: take a northbound from Rickmansworth to Amersham then a bus from Amersham to Chesham. Does the clock start on departure from Chalfont & Latimer or on arrival at Amersham? I think the former because of its similarity with the other rule, but does anyone know for sure?

Departure from Chalfont

al wrote: ↑04 Feb 2026, 07:59 Departure from Chalfont

You mean arrival at chalfont

I don't think so, it read to me that he was staying overnight at Rickmansworth, travelling up on an early train to Amersham but then catching a bus to Chesham, so effectively starting at Chalfont on that first train.

Yes, indeed. My view is that if one starts at Amersham by arriving at it but then leaving by bus, then the clock must have to start at Chalfont in order to be the reverse of the rule about not stopping the clock at the last required station if one didn't arrive by tube.

This, of course, does beg the question about where the rules are defined and published. Other than the ones for the alternative challenges I've never been able to find them.

The clock starts when the door unlocked lights go out, which happens when a train is about to depart from a station.

So you can't start the watch when you get off a train, you have to start it when you leave the previous station.

Alan White wrote: ↑05 Feb 2026, 15:47 Yes, indeed. My view is that if one starts at Amersham by arriving at it but then leaving by bus, then the clock must have to start at Chalfont in order to be the reverse of the rule about not stopping the clock at the last required station if one didn't arrive by tube.

This, of course, does beg the question about where the rules are defined and published. Other than the ones for the alternative challenges I've never been able to find them.

As the guidance from Guinness states, 'The clock must start the moment the doors close on the first train taken by the challengers.' I would interpret this to mean at Chalfont (as the arrival at, and therefore the journey to, Amersham must be included).

Guinness will send their guidlines on request, you will need to create an account. They have been posted here
[http://www.tubechallenge.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3417], and are mostly unchanged, excepting the addition of the (contradictory)

No person under the age of 18 may attempt this record. Persons between 16 and 18 must be in possession of a document signed by their parent or legal guardian, giving them permission to compete.

Should we be getting worried?