Daniel Keeble, 43, from Ipswich, Suffolk, has visited all 272 London Underground stations in 19 hours and 17 minutes, completing the Tube Challenge on October 10 and raising £2,500 for Cancer Research.
Keeble, an account manager, began his journey at Chesham at 5.16am and finished at Heathrow's Terminal 5 at 12.30am the following morning. The Tube Challenge is a timed attempt to visit every active Underground station in a single continuous journey using only public transport.
Record attempt and setbacks
The current world record stands at 17 hours, 46 minutes, and 48 seconds, set by Robin Otter and Thomas Sheat on August 10, 2024. Keeble fell just two hours short of the record but expressed pride in his accomplishment and is already planning another attempt.
He said: "I thought maybe if the stars align, I could do it in 17 hours. But it soon became apparent things would have to go pretty well, which they don't always do on the Underground. I planned the route, did my research, and put my own spin on things, conducting time trials on each part of the route to see how it would fit together."
Rules and favourite stations
Participants must arrive at or depart from each station via the Tube, or alternatively be aboard a train that stops there. Challengers may use scheduled public transport to reach stations, but are prohibited from using private means of travel such as taxis or bicycles.
Keeble's favourite stations included Baker Street, Notting Hill Gate and Canary Wharf, while he described King's Cross St Pancras as awkward for interchanges and a "bit of a maze". He said: "I've always had an interest with the Underground as, when I was a child, I played the London game a lot. I wanted to challenge myself and it popped into my head of wondering how feasible would it be to cover all the stations in one day."
Delays and fundraising
The journey was largely plain sailing until Keeble reached High Barnet at around 6pm, where he watched his connecting bus pull away just as he arrived. Following a 40-minute delay, he was back on track before another bus outside a Jubilee Line station suffered a hold-up.
The unfortunate connections led Keeble to fear he would miss the last train to the final stop at Heathrow. He said: "The main points of jeopardy on these challenges are when you're not meeting another tube train, but rather if you're getting the overground or a bus. When you hit delays, you do start to wonder whether you're even going to complete the challenge full stop."
He added: "But when I got to Acton Town and saw the last train to Heathrow was expected in 20 minutes, it was a relief. I even had time to get something to eat and use the toilet."
Keeble has raised £2,500 for Cancer Research, following the loss of several relatives on his father's side to the disease. He is already planning to tackle the challenge again next year, reportedly considering incorporating the Elizabeth line to raise the stakes further. He added: "The donations have been spectacular and the support has blown me away."
