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sir_quirky_k (

sir_quirky_k) wrote,
@ 2008-04-14 18:04:00

This might be the best or worst thing I ever do
On May 1st, I will be doing this.

The aim: to battle my sensory issues with a bit of shock therapy, doing something that I'll find challenging yet oddly fun, and raising money for the National Autistic Society in the process. Several friends at university have already said it's a good idea and that they'll support me.

I just hope I don't have a meltdown on a crowded train...

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This icon is a hint...

daweaver
2008-04-14 05:51 pm UTC (link)

...more so than at least one other commentator's.

Ooh, coolness. Two things spring to mind.

1) If you're interested, I can dig out some notes I made about four years ago when I toyed with the idea of covering all the Zone 1 stations in an afternoon. They mostly cover the best coaches to be in for the appropriate interchanges, and the approximate layout of those stations. Only if you want it, mind.

2) You have a sponsorship form I can link to? Or is it cheques made payable to the Quirks Soft Drinks Fund..?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: This icon is a hint... sir_quirky_k 2008-04-14 06:04 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, now coaches to be in (and layout of stations) would be terribly useful. Regarding the sponsorship form; still trying to work out just how to do that, am doing a hard-copy one for the Southampton people, but as for everyone else... not sure. All I know is that I am not going to use Justgiving.com with their 5% commission... (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: This icon is a hint...

daweaver
2008-04-16 05:11 pm UTC (link)

Oh, now coaches to be in (and layout of stations) would be terribly useful.

OK, give me a little time (read: Friday if you're lucky, Monday if you're not) to decipher and write up my notes. They're targeted primarily at doing the slightly larger Zone 1 challenge, which is probably not perfectly efficient, though reasonably easy to adapt to the Circle constraints.

In addition to the hint in the icon, you will wish to note all, some, or fewer of the following facts:

* Bank is taking major works, and to change from Central to Northern requires one to go via the booking hall just below the surface. (There will be a post about this on the main blog at some point. Probably just before the works finish.)
* There is a cross-platform interchange at Baker-street between northbound Jubilee and northbound Bakerloo.
* There is a cross-platform interchange at Oxford-circus between Victoria and Bakerloo trains in the same direction.
* It is possible to walk between Bayswater and Queensway.
* It is possible to walk between Aldgate and Aldgate-east.
* It is possible to walk between Regents-park and Great-portland-street.
* It is possible to walk between Warren-street and Euston-square
* All of the above are easier than walking between Edgware-road and Edgware-road.
* Bacon comes from a pig.
* Most southbound trains from High-street Kensington go to Earl's Court. All northbound departures, though not all arrivals, go to Paddington.
* No-one has ever been able to find Russell-square from the street. Ever.
* Though Knightsbridge is in the middle of nowhere, there is a very nice Italian restaurant just past Harrods.
* Butter is better than marge.
* The underlying network is a nice little Operations Research problem. There exists a model solving it on the interweb, but it assumes that interchanges within nodes are instantaneous. This may not be the case.
* The route I've adapted from Zone 1 does not reverse on itself.
* A route that I've quickly concocted starting and finishing at (almost) the same place as the computer-generated route does not reverse on itself.
* My routes are probably not optimal, but they are easy.

I don't propose to take the fun out of the event, and part of the fun is planning a route only to see it fall to bits because the Circle line is completely stuffed up (ie running as normal). I will put up details for the interchanges I would use, though not necessarily in the right order, and look over your planned route if you wish.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Those interchanges in full

daweaver
2008-04-24 05:30 pm UTC (link)

Better late than never (for reasons explained elsewhere), those platform changes in full. I'm going to list them strictly from west to east, and include a few that you might not use.

Definitions: front of train is car 1. Trains are 6 cars in length except Bakerloo (7), Central, Met, Victoria (8). Circle line is deemed a triangle, with corners at Paddington, Earl's Court, Aldgate East (where east and west meet); usual topological rules need not apply.

Earl's Court - footbridge across District lines at back of train. Help points are roughly at car 2 and car 5. If coming up from Picc, car 2.

Notting Hill Gate - Car 2 northbound, car 5 southbound; extreme rear on Central.

Bayswater - Car 2 northbound, car 5 southbound.

Bayswater to Queensway - out of station, turn right, it's about 330m and up a slight incline. Station is on your right, just before major road junction. Lifts, then more stairs; you'll come out around car 2.

Gloucester Road - from District / Circle, car 3 eastbound, car 5 westbound. From Picc: extreme east end of platform. Steps and escalators.

Paddington - Middle of Bakerloo train; escalators to the main ticket hall. Do not pass through barriers. Eastbound D/C is on ticket hall side.
From D/C, car 4 northbound, car 2 eastbound.

South Kensington - From D/C, car 4 westbound, car 5 eastbound. From Picc, car 3 eastbound, car 2 westbound.

Lancaster Gate, Regents Park, Goodge Street, Russell Square, Covent Garden - lifts only.

Knightsbridge - south side (front heading to Heathrow, back to Cockfosters) or middle.

Baker Street - cross-platform Jubilee to Bakerloo, any car. Do not try to change between subsurface lines here, Edgware Road has more choice on island platforms, and GPS is same-platform.

Victoria - Wouldn't recommend it.

Green Park - best not to change here.

Oxford Circus - cross-platform Bakerloo to Victoria, any car.

Russell Square - extreme south side of train.

Charing Cross - very long tunnel between Bloo and N.

Westminster - Very long walk (and deep escalators) between D/C and Jub.

KXSP - has been completely remodelled since I was there last. Northern is still physically below (and I think accessed via) Pic.

Embankment - short tunnel between Bloo (car 3) and N (car 4). Fairly long walk and escalators from D/C (5 eastbound, 4 westbound).

Bank ~~For Monument~~ - Do Not Change Here. It is a scene of chaos.

Moorgate - What part of do not change at Bank is confusing?

Liverpool Street - Central escalators are on the outside of the Circle. Car 5 either direction on H&C/Met/C, car 7 on Central.

Aldgate - Cross bridge is at car 3, but has poor view of platform announcers.

Aldgate East - bridges at extreme front and rear. Probably best to take extreme rear on arrival.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	gizensha 2008-04-16 07:51 pm UTC (link)
	In my very limited experience, the tube is actually less stressful than London Overground. Good luck, and let me know once you sort out the sponsor form, though :) (Reply to this)

jiggery_pokery
2008-04-22 11:29 pm UTC (link)

Good cause, good challenge. Where should I send the tax-efficient matched-by-where-I-work Charity Cheque? (NB am going on holiday so may not arrive for at least a week or two after you complete the ride.)

I don't mind JustGiving much. Sure, 5% is a moderately hefty rake, but I don't mind paying some degree of premium for convenience. Perhaps a reasonable comparison might be PayPal, who take o.t.o.o. 3% from most transactions.

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	sir_quirky_k 2008-04-23 06:53 am UTC (link)
	Donations straight to The National Autistic Society is probably the best option. They have an online donation system using WorldPay, no idea as to their charges (and even the WorldPay website is hardly abundantly clear). Still working out the least-bad online donation approach; you are by no means the only people who wish to make online donations. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	jiggery_pokery 2008-04-23 10:34 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, but that's not as much fun - you (personally) don't get to see the charity cheque to motivate you! I have donated through the Charities Aid Foundation. (I think that the last line of that .pdf suggests they have taken a flat £4 from my donation, which is pretty chunky.) Are you keeping a tally of how much you have raised? :-) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Update from Victoria Station sir_quirky_k 2008-05-01 03:52 pm UTC (link)
	Completed. Not revealing the outcome (yet) or the route (possibly ever, though I probably will reveal it at some point) but will do so tomorrow. I feel glad just to have completed it. (Reply to this)