First-time Londoner Train Adventures: Part 1
Southern Railway selected four first-time Londoners to take part in three challenges in the Capital and
towards to the South Coast, to test and improve their train travel knowledge, and help them recognise
how easy train travel in London and beyond can be.
Day 1: First challenge
Each of the four challengers is shown in their own homes opening an envelope containing their first
challenge.
Danny says: “Hello - it’s day one of the Southern Railway challenge.”
Text says: Name: Danny; Age: 23; Role: Southern challenger
Lucy says: “It’s 9.45am and I’m about to open my first challenge.”
Text says: Name: Lucy; Age: 23; Role: DERAILER
Hugo says: “Challenge 1...”
Text says: Name: Hugo; Age: 22; Role: Southern challenger
Sophie says: “To complete your first challenge, travel from your front door to East Croydon
station…”
Text says: Name: Sophie; Age: 25; Role: Southern challenger
Danny says: “Ensuring part of your journey involves travelling on a Southern train…”
Lucy says: “And meet the lady in the bright yellow Southern sweatshirt...”
Hugo says: “By 11am.”
Lucy says: “Your clue from Southern Railway...”
Hugo says: “Southern Railway trains go from a number of train stations in London,
including…”
Lucy says: “Norwood Junction…”
Hugo says: “Clapham Junction and London Victoria.”
Sophie says: “OK.”
The four people make their way on their first challenge to East Croydon station, arriving to meet the
Southern representative, all saying when they arrive: “Southern Challenge Complete”.
1. Danny – Journey: Whitechapel to East Croydon, changing at New Cross Gate; Time taken:
32 minutes; Cost: from £3.90 for a single
2. Lucy – Journey: West Norwood to East Croydon direct; Time taken: 23 minutes; Cost: from
£3.30 for a single
3. Sophie - Journey: Balham to East Croydon direct; Time taken: 16 minutes; Cost: from £3.30
for a single
4. Hugo – Journey: Wandsworth Town to East Croydon, via Clapham Junction; Time taken: 22
minutes; Cost: from £3.90 for a single
Day 1: Second challenge
Southern representative presents Lucy, Danny, Sophie and Hugo with an envelope containing their
second challenge.
Danny reads the second challenge: “Use the Southern Railway network to find a classic r”eel”y
good pie and mash lunch in South London within an hour and fifteen minutes. If you arrive in
time, you will be given £40 to spend on your food. Every minute that you’re over your time
limit, you will lose one pound. Extra cryptic clue: The place you need to go to, rhymes with a
type of meat.
“Special clue from Southern Railway: To reach the right shop you’ll need to change trains
once at a Junction. You can use your smartphones to find directions.”
The group run over to the Southern railway map to discuss the challenge.
Lucy says: “It could be Clapham Junction. Or Peckham Rye, like rib-eye”
Flash on screen to highlight the fact that Lucy is trying to de-rail the others
Danny says: “Sutton – Mutton!”
Sophie says: “We can change at Norwood Junction.”
Danny says: “Let’s go!”
Group travels to Sutton, changing at Norwood Junction, as the clock runs down. They arrive in Sutton
and ask the way to get to the shop.
They arrive at their destination with two minutes to spare, cheering and shouting: “Southern
Challenge Complete!”
Southern representative says: “Well done - you’ve completed your challenge. Here is your £40 to
spend on your pie and mash lunch.”
Group buys eel pie and mash and starts eating it.
Danny says: “Who wants to try a piece of eel?”
Danny tries the eel and they all continue eating.
Sophie says: “I think it’s alright!”
Summary of journey: Travelled: East Croydon to Sutton; Time taken: 25 minutes; Cost: From £9.60
return for four people with a GroupSave ticket.
Want to know what happens to our first time Londoners? Find out in part 2 of the Southern Railway
train challenge!
Southern Railway Train Challenges: Part 2
Southern Railway’s first-time Londoners take part in the second day of their challenges, as they
continue to develop their train travel knowledge.
Day 2: Final challenge
Hugo, Danny, Sophie and Lucy discuss the day ahead.
Meeting together at Victoria station, a Southern representative hands them their challenge saying:
“Here’s your challenge.”
Hugo reads out the challenge: “Challenge three: Use the Southern Railway network to get to the
doors of a famous seaside Pavillion, having bought cockles and a bag of candy floss within
two hours. You will receive a group kitty of £40 if you arrive on time.”
Danny shouts: “Brighton!”
Group cues up at the ticket office. When they reach the ticket window Danny says: “Two males, two
females to Brighton please.” Lucy adds: “There’s four of us, so is there some kind of
GroupSave discount?”
Group boards the train to Brighton – the clock runs down.
The group arrives in Brighton and runs down to the seafront. Arriving at a seaside stall, Danny asks
the stall holder: “Do you have any fairy floss or cockle shells at all?” The others start laughing
and Danny replies: “You know, candy floss, fairy floss…”
The group then find at a cockle shell stall and buy a pot of cockles.
They then try and make their way to the pavilion. Lucy is in charge of the map but tries to lead the
group down the wrong path. Lucy says: “I think we should go down that street” pointing one way,
while Sophie points the other way. Lucy says “I swear it’s this way.” Group runs down that road
following Lucy, but she is the derailer and has been wasting their time. Group run back the other way
again.
Danny says as they run back: “I told you it was this way!” The clock runs down by 15 more
minutes.
The group arrive at the pavilion with 3 minutes to spare, running up to the Southern representative
shouting: “Southern challenge complete!”
Southern representative replies: “Congratulations, you made it just in time. You may have
worked out that there was in fact a derailer in your midst. However, you’ve shown that despite
that you’ve made it and Southern have facilitated your journey. That person, you may have
guessed, is Lucy.”
Danny and Sophie react, shouting: “What!” Hugo shakes his head, while Danny gathers the others
away from Lucy and says jokingly: “Well WE’RE going to have a nice time in Brighton.”
Shot moves to Lucy: “Being a derailer was fun, really fun. But these guys were too good.”
Shot cuts back to Southern representative and Lucy, Danny, Hugo and Sophie: “You’ve got your
kitty of £40 to spend in Brighton so enjoy and well done. Southern challenge complete!”
Lucy, Danny, Hugo and Sophie cheer.
Shot cuts to them eating fish and chips by Brighton pier as the sun sets.
Summary comes up on screen:Travelled: London Victoria to Brighton; Time Taken: 1 hour and 1
minute; Cost: From £50.40 return for four people with a GroupSave ticket
A Southern train is your quick, easy gateway to hundreds of amazing days out. Visit
Southernrailway.com or buy tickets at your local train station.