Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Moderator: James Robinson
Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Charlie Reams makes an unexpected return to Countdown today, disguised as challenger Tom Curran. Fooled nobody.
Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Is he related to George Raison from back in October?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Two-thirds of George Raison's shows were in September.Jon Corby wrote:Is he related to George Raison from back in October?
Slight nit-picking I know, but you did it to me yesterday.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Or Apterous Prune.Jon Corby wrote:Is he related to George Raison from back in October?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Except what I said was perfectly correct, and you weren't.James Robinson wrote:Two-thirds of George Raison's shows were in September.Jon Corby wrote:Is he related to George Raison from back in October?
Slight nit-picking I know, but you did it to me yesterday.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Right, onto today's nitty girtty info.
Graham is now the champ after beating Jennifer yesterday.
I'm not quite convinced about how good he is, especially after missing that fairly simple numbers game early on. His letters were fairly good though, despite that phantom N in his DINGO declaration.
I wonder if Tom will despose the Curran-t champion Or not.
Graham is now the champ after beating Jennifer yesterday.
I'm not quite convinced about how good he is, especially after missing that fairly simple numbers game early on. His letters were fairly good though, despite that phantom N in his DINGO declaration.
I wonder if Tom will despose the Curran-t champion Or not.
Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
We can't all be human calculators.........James Robinson wrote:I'm not quite convinced about how good he is, especially after missing that fairly simple numbers game early on.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Based on my performances, I was more like a calculator with a couple of bugs inside.D Eadie wrote:We can't all be human calculators.........James Robinson wrote:I'm not quite convinced about how good he is, especially after missing that fairly simple numbers game early on.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I think you misspelled "burgers".James Robinson wrote: Based on my performances, I was more like a calculator with a couple of bugs inside.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
MEDIANTS for round 2
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
TONNAGES looks good on Lexplorer
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
1st numbers: ((100 / 2) X 7) + 6 + 5
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Loved Rachel's blooper.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Surely a fleet of ships can have different TONNAGES?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Maybe, he might be given the points later.Phil Reynolds wrote:Surely a fleet of ships can have different TONNAGES?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
R9: ANTERIOR
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
LMFAOCharlie Reams wrote:I think you misspelled "burgers".James Robinson wrote: Based on my performances, I was more like a calculator with a couple of bugs inside.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
R1 DC-equaller WOOLLENS
R12 DC-beater HEIRESS
R12 DC-beater HEIRESS
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Yeah, my dad beat me with HEIRESS - I was quite impressed.Malcolm James wrote:R1 DC-equaller WOOLLENS
R12 DC-beater HEIRESS
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Does anyone else think that Graham is a dead ringer for a hobbit ?
He has a bit of a look of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins lol !
He has a bit of a look of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins lol !
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I don't know, but he Mordored his opponent today.Mark Kudlowski wrote:Does anyone else think that Graham is a dead ringer for a hobbit ?
He has a bit of a look of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins lol !
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Nice alternative for R5
(100/5 - 1) x ((6 x 2) + 7) = 361
(100/5 - 1) x ((6 x 2) + 7) = 361
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Tom looked mortified at only getting a 5 in the 1st round, lol.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Reams didn't play to his usual standard today. It's like when you try to fare dodge when riding a train - you keep thinking "what if I get caught?", and you can't concentrate. It's never worth it.
Last edited by Derek Hazell on Fri Nov 27, 2009 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
What happened Rachel on the first numbers?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I assume that paper is attached with magnets as well, like the tiles. That would explain the four little circles in the corners. Was very funny though, and her reactions were great.Eoin Monaghan wrote:What happened Rachel on the first numbers?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
What happened though?Derek Hazell wrote:I assume that paper is attached with magnets as well, like the tiles. That would explain the four little circles in the corners. Was very funny though, and her reactions were great.Eoin Monaghan wrote:What happened Rachel on the first numbers?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
One or more of the magnets must have slipped.Eoin Monaghan wrote:What happened though?
Or the board suddenly lost its magnetic polarity or something.
Better ask Dinosthechemist for a more detailed explanation.
(Yeah, I know it's closer to physics, but he still knows a lot about science)
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Cool, ERRATIC was there as an equaller.Derek Hazell wrote:One or more of the magnets must have slipped.Eoin Monaghan wrote:What happened though?
Or the board suddenly lost its magnetic polarity or something.
Better ask Dinosthechemist for a more detailed explanation.
(Yeah, I know it's closer to physics, but he still knows a lot about science)
Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
The white squared numbers sheet is pinned to the board with drawing pins, onto a cork backing. It's been used repeatedly for a long while, so over time, what with all the pins going in and out, the holes have merged into one large crater and the pins no longer stick in properly, hence the sheet falling off.
Make up your own jokes.
Make up your own jokes.
Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
We deliberately disallowed TONNAGES to discredit Lexplorer and all those involved in creating it.Marc Meakin wrote:TONNAGES looks good on Lexplorer
Just waiting for Charlie to finish it completely, then we'll change dictionaries.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Maybe you need some liver.D Eadie wrote:The white squared numbers sheet is pinned to the board with drawing pins, onto a cork backing. It's been used repeatedly for a long while, so over time, what with all the pins going in and out, the holes have merged into one large crater and the pins no longer stick in properly, hence the sheet falling off.
Make up your own jokes.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Marc Meakin wrote:Maybe you need some liver.D Eadie wrote:The white squared numbers sheet is pinned to the board with drawing pins, onto a cork backing. It's been used repeatedly for a long while, so over time, what with all the pins going in and out, the holes have merged into one large crater and the pins no longer stick in properly, hence the sheet falling off.
Make up your own jokes.
That's offal.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I thought it was Scott Mearns, having taken some kind of age-reducing serum. Unfortunately, it also seems to have sapped his Countdown ability (sorry, Tom).D Eadie wrote:Charlie Reams makes an unexpected return to Countdown today, disguised as challenger Tom Curran. Fooled nobody.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Yeah I was surprised how poorly Tom played (sorry Tom) given he's a young male, although I suppose he picked up a bit after round 6. Probably nerves I'll bet.Mike Brown wrote:I thought it was Scott Mearns, having taken some kind of age-reducing serum. Unfortunately, it also seems to have sapped his Countdown ability (sorry, Tom).D Eadie wrote:Charlie Reams makes an unexpected return to Countdown today, disguised as challenger Tom Curran. Fooled nobody.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
He did seem to be seriously lacking in self-confidence and belief right from the start.Dinos Sfyris wrote:Yeah I was surprised how poorly Tom played (sorry Tom) given he's a young male, although I suppose he picked up a bit after round 6. Probably nerves I'll bet.Mike Brown wrote:I thought it was Scott Mearns, having taken some kind of age-reducing serum. Unfortunately, it also seems to have sapped his Countdown ability (sorry, Tom).D Eadie wrote:Charlie Reams makes an unexpected return to Countdown today, disguised as challenger Tom Curran. Fooled nobody.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Cork refusing to play ball. Nothing new there.D Eadie wrote:The white squared numbers sheet is pinned to the board with drawing pins, onto a cork backing. It's been used repeatedly for a long while, so over time, what with all the pins going in and out, the holes have merged into one large crater and the pins no longer stick in properly, hence the sheet falling off.
Make up your own jokes.
(Gaelic games fans will understand)
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
If you do get caught you can end up with a criminal record.Derek Hazell wrote:It's like when you try to fare dodge when riding a train - you keep thinking "what if I get caught?", and you can't concentrate. It's never worth it.
Railway authorities often have a zero tolerance policy in fare dodging cases and insist on prosecuting. I've seen many aspiring solicitors, doctors and other young professionals in tears when they realise that their attempt to avoid paying 50p may have compromised their future career hopes.
Be warned. Derek is right - it's never worth it.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I'm not sure this is the case. I've seen loads of people without a ticket when the inspector comes along, and normally they just pay the fare there and then. I think if they're being strict they'd charge them a penaty fare as well. The prosecution normally only happens when they don't have the money to pay so it's assumed they were fare-dodging rather than being too slow to buy a ticket.Philip Jarvis wrote:If you do get caught you can end up with a criminal record.Derek Hazell wrote:It's like when you try to fare dodge when riding a train - you keep thinking "what if I get caught?", and you can't concentrate. It's never worth it.
Railway authorities often have a zero tolerance policy in fare dodging cases and insist on prosecuting. I've seen many aspiring solicitors, doctors and other young professionals in tears when they realise that their attempt to avoid paying 50p may have compromised their future career hopes.
Be warned. Derek is right - it's never worth it.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Same. Maybe it's different on some lines but at least in my area (Cambridge/Ely/London), I've seen people be incredibly abusive to the ticket inspector and still receive nothing worse than the statutory fine. I wouldn't advise fair dodging because, as Derek says, it's just really embarrassing if you get caught, and it means you spend your journey fidgeting nervously instead of checking out the hot railway poontang.Gavin Chipper wrote: I'm not sure this is the case. I've seen loads of people without a ticket when the inspector comes along, and normally they just pay the fare there and then. I think if they're being strict they'd charge them a penaty fare as well. The prosecution normally only happens when they don't have the money to pay so it's assumed they were fare-dodging rather than being too slow to buy a ticket.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Is that train spotter terminology?Charlie Reams wrote:and it means you spend your journey fidgeting nervously instead of checking out the hot railway poontang.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
As a kid I always dodged fairs because the lads riding the Waltzer were scary
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I think your hilarious parody of my homophone mix-up may be slightly undermined by your own disregard for capitalisation and punctuation.Richard Adams wrote:As a kid I always dodged fairs because the lads riding the Waltzer were scary
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
That's a bit unfare.Charlie Reams wrote:I think your hilarious parody of my homophone mix-up may be slightly undermined by your own disregard for capitalisation and punctuation.Richard Adams wrote:As a kid I always dodged fairs because the lads riding the Waltzer were scary
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
As above. I've travelled on many many trains without a ticket, a mix of deliberately and accidentally - got away with it half the time, and of the other times I've never once been forced to pay a penalty fare or got in any trouble. Just once I was told I wasn't allowed to use my railcard for discount (fare was only a few quid anyway) and that's the worst it ever got. It does help to have the gift of gab when you do get caught, most situations can be explained away fairly innocently.Charlie Reams wrote:Same. Maybe it's different on some lines but at least in my area (Cambridge/Ely/London), I've seen people be incredibly abusive to the ticket inspector and still receive nothing worse than the statutory fine. I wouldn't advise fair dodging because, as Derek says, it's just really embarrassing if you get caught, and it means you spend your journey fidgeting nervously instead of checking out the hot railway poontang.Gavin Chipper wrote: I'm not sure this is the case. I've seen loads of people without a ticket when the inspector comes along, and normally they just pay the fare there and then. I think if they're being strict they'd charge them a penaty fare as well. The prosecution normally only happens when they don't have the money to pay so it's assumed they were fare-dodging rather than being too slow to buy a ticket.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Philip Jarvis wrote:Derek Hazell wrote:It's like when you try to fare dodge when riding a train - you keep thinking "what if I get caught?", and you can't concentrate. It's never worth it.
If you do get caught you can end up with a criminal record.
Are they giving out Susan Boyle records to fare dodgers instead of a fine now?
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Once I bought a ticket from a machine but it didn't print the ticket, just some crappy debit card receipt which didn't really have anything on. There didn't appear to be anyone around and I was in a hurry anyway so I had to "go for it" and successfully talked my way past three separate people on my journey home. That was good.Matt Morrison wrote:As above. I've travelled on many many trains without a ticket, a mix of deliberately and accidentally - got away with it half the time, and of the other times I've never once been forced to pay a penalty fare or got in any trouble. Just once I was told I wasn't allowed to use my railcard for discount (fare was only a few quid anyway) and that's the worst it ever got. It does help to have the gift of gab when you do get caught, most situations can be explained away fairly innocently.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Have had two similar experiences:Gavin Chipper wrote:Once I bought a ticket from a machine but it didn't print the ticket, just some crappy debit card receipt which didn't really have anything on. There didn't appear to be anyone around and I was in a hurry anyway so I had to "go for it" and successfully talked my way past three separate people on my journey home. That was good.
1) I bought tickets online but collected them from the machine. The machine printed a huge pile of tickets (about 5) so I took them and left. Only when I was already at the other end did I notice that none of the tickets was actually for the return leg (they were mostly debit card things). I would've been entirely justified in fare-dodging but my home station has barriers so I had to buy another ticket. Stupid.
2) I was doing a complicated multi-part multi-day journey and explained the trip to the guy at the ticket office, who sold me a similarly complicated array of tickets. I asked explicitly if these would see me back to Cambridge, and he said yes. Of course when I checked later, they didn't, and he'd sold me a ticket which took me back to Ely but not Cambridge. In this case you have absolutely no comeback against the hopeless service provided, because there are no records of who sold it to you (and even if there were, the employee would no doubt claim that you'd asked for the wrong thing).
So now I can't really remember why I bothered relating these boring experiences, except that it irritates me that the train system threatens to treat you like a criminal for having the wrong ticket while holding itself to nothing like the same standards of precision.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Davy Affleck wrote:Are they giving out Susan Boyle records to fare dodgers instead of a fine now?Philip Jarvis wrote:If you do get caught you can end up with a criminal record.Derek Hazell wrote:It's like when you try to fare dodge when riding a train - you keep thinking "what if I get caught?", and you can't concentrate. It's never worth it.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Recently I tried to buy a ticket from a machine, and the basic journey I wanted to do was missing from the screen. It was a journey I had done a few times before, but this time there were lots of weird options but not the basic A to B one. So, as the train was coming I just got on and waited for a guy to ask on board. When he did, I explained and paid up. I then realized he has overcharged me a bit. I mentioned this at my destination station, and they made me fill in a whole A4 sheet full of small print - all for just over £4! Amazing how it suddenly becomes so difficult when it's them that are in the wrong.Charlie Reams wrote:So now I can't really remember why I bothered relating these boring experiences, except that it irritates me that the train system threatens to treat you like a criminal for having the wrong ticket while holding itself to nothing like the same standards of precision.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Since this thread is now just a train story thread - once I accidentally bought a single instead of a return from a machine. On the way back I bought a child's single to the nearest station just to get me through the barrier, but I still ended up paying more overall. I didn't realise when I bought it that a child's ticket makes the ticket barrier beep really loudly. No-one noticed though. And I reckon I could pass for 15 at a push.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
One time I bought a ticket from the machine without a hitch, travelled to my destination in a timely manner, and had my ticket accepted by the barrier on the first attempt. It was actually quite disappointing.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
When I went to stay with Charlie I bought a return from York to Cambridge. It told me online that I had to change at Peterborough on the way there and on the following morning it told me to change at Stevenage, then Peterborough, then York. Of course on the return journey I was actually going to exit the station at Peterborough and go to the Scrabble tournament. This ticket cost me just over £44 with a railcard. I got to the station, asked for the relevant ticket and set off on my journey, however, on the ticket it had "Route: Ely". This was fine on the way as changing at Peterborough and going to Cambridge passes through Ely, but what about on the way back? Being an inquisitive type I asked the train manager if my return journey, changing at Stevenage then Peterborough, would be valid with this ticket. "You don't have to change at Ely, just go through it, so yes it's valid sir." I don't think he understood so I rephrased the question as follows: "My railway geography isn't too good down this part of the world - in the morning the internet has told me to go Cambridge - Stevenage, Stevenage - Peterborough. Does this go through Ely?" Yes was the reply.
Next morning with Charlie I got on my train and immediately I smelt a rat...it was a class 365 which I'm sure don't go through Ely. Charlie's ticket also said "route Ely". He decided to run off and ask someone if his ticket would be valid --- it turned out it wouldn't (and the first one via Ely was gone 10am, the time we needed to be in Peterborough!) so he bought another ticket. I'm sat here with my £44 ticket which the internet and the train manager on Crosscountry told me would be fine and I'm told this train doesn't go via Ely. I wasn't going to by another ticket out of principle.
Anyway nobody came to check the tickets on either route so Charlie ended up spending twice as much as he should have and I got away with it. A stupid system to state "via Ely" on the ticket though, particularly if people don't know the railway geography! They want to go from A to B and since the internet said it was a valid route, who is to say it goes through Ely or not?!
Next morning with Charlie I got on my train and immediately I smelt a rat...it was a class 365 which I'm sure don't go through Ely. Charlie's ticket also said "route Ely". He decided to run off and ask someone if his ticket would be valid --- it turned out it wouldn't (and the first one via Ely was gone 10am, the time we needed to be in Peterborough!) so he bought another ticket. I'm sat here with my £44 ticket which the internet and the train manager on Crosscountry told me would be fine and I'm told this train doesn't go via Ely. I wasn't going to by another ticket out of principle.
Anyway nobody came to check the tickets on either route so Charlie ended up spending twice as much as he should have and I got away with it. A stupid system to state "via Ely" on the ticket though, particularly if people don't know the railway geography! They want to go from A to B and since the internet said it was a valid route, who is to say it goes through Ely or not?!
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Worst £8 I ever spentKirk Bevins wrote:He decided to run off and ask someone if his ticket would be valid --- it turned out it wouldn't (and the first one via Ely was gone 10am, the time we needed to be in Peterborough!) so he bought another ticket.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
Please tell me you got a refund. I had presumed you did, as in the second of your previous two stories you mentioned how you had no leg to stand on in being able to prove the inadequacy of the staff member who fucked up your tickets, which silently suggested to me that you had successfully got your refund sorted for the first story?Charlie Reams wrote:Worst £8 I ever spentKirk Bevins wrote:He decided to run off and ask someone if his ticket would be valid --- it turned out it wouldn't (and the first one via Ely was gone 10am, the time we needed to be in Peterborough!) so he bought another ticket.
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
I'd like to offer a tip for planning rail journeys:
The most accurate online journey planner appears to be National Rail Enquiries.
Because it has to cater for all people, however, it incorporates some rather pessimistic transfer times on journeys where a change of train (or tube) is required. For instance, if I found myself at St John's (just south of London Bridge) and needed to go to Watford (Watford Junction station), journey planner would tell me the following:
SAJ dep 1538
LBG arr 1546
It then allows 48 minutes for the tube journey to Euston
EUS dep 1634
WFJ arr 1654
However, the tube journey LBG to EUS takes only 12 minutes (source: TfL) so, with there being five trains an hour EUS-WFJ, it's often possible to take a chunk out of the journey time. I think 48 minutes might be to allow for clueless and/or obese tourists. I don't want to rattle any cages, so I won't say which particular nationality I'm thinking of.
For longer journeys, similar time savings can be made if you break up the journey and check the train times for each section. Do the full journey first and make a note of which major stations the different options tend to go through and where they require changing. Then see if any connection times are a bit generous. Again in London, the change time between St Pancras Domestic and St Pancras International is 10 minutes. They're in the same building! It takes 1 minute (if you know where you're going).
The most accurate online journey planner appears to be National Rail Enquiries.
Because it has to cater for all people, however, it incorporates some rather pessimistic transfer times on journeys where a change of train (or tube) is required. For instance, if I found myself at St John's (just south of London Bridge) and needed to go to Watford (Watford Junction station), journey planner would tell me the following:
SAJ dep 1538
LBG arr 1546
It then allows 48 minutes for the tube journey to Euston
EUS dep 1634
WFJ arr 1654
However, the tube journey LBG to EUS takes only 12 minutes (source: TfL) so, with there being five trains an hour EUS-WFJ, it's often possible to take a chunk out of the journey time. I think 48 minutes might be to allow for clueless and/or obese tourists. I don't want to rattle any cages, so I won't say which particular nationality I'm thinking of.
For longer journeys, similar time savings can be made if you break up the journey and check the train times for each section. Do the full journey first and make a note of which major stations the different options tend to go through and where they require changing. Then see if any connection times are a bit generous. Again in London, the change time between St Pancras Domestic and St Pancras International is 10 minutes. They're in the same building! It takes 1 minute (if you know where you're going).
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- Kiloposter
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Re: Spoiler for Friday November 27th 2009
On the other hand you're likely to need the full 10 minutes from the tube station, as there's a huge shopping mall to trek through after reaching surface levelAlec Rivers wrote: Again in London, the change time between St Pancras Domestic and St Pancras International is 10 minutes. They're in the same building! It takes 1 minute (if you know where you're going).