Are you at a loose end tomorrow? Do you like looking at station architecture? Would you like a surprise birthday gift from TfL? If the answer to all these questions is yes then why not take part in the Tube 160 Treasure Hunt? You even get to travel round central London for nothing while TfL staff hold the gates open for you, and how brilliant is that?
It's all to "help us cap our celebrations of 160 years of the Tube", which is an interesting concept because I thought the Tube's 160th birthday was last January? The first Underground train ran in public service on 10th January 1863 so Saturday is actually 161 years and 10 days since that happened, which seems somewhat belated? Admittedly TfL promised a year of celebrations following the 160th birthday but even that twelve month period expired last week, so Saturday 20th January 2024 actually falls in the Tube's 162nd year doesn't it? But hey there's free stuff so who's complaining?
So how do you take part?
(Did you notice that my first ten sentences were all questions? Or perhaps that should be eleven? Sorry, let's leave it at twelve shall we?)
The place to be is Earl's Court station, probably the main eastern exit but I don't think they've specified that? The time is any time between 11am and 3pm, but given you have to whizz round zone 1 finding clues best not arrive towards the end of that window else can you imagine how peeved you might be? Here you pick up your 'clue pack' to take part in the treasure hunt, and I wonder if this includes a free pen or pencil?
At every station there are clues to solve, although might it be more accurate to say 'architectural features to spot'? They're all in ticket halls or on the exterior of the stations, not on the platforms, and do you know why that is? Health and Safety of course because we can't possibly have people having fun near trains can we? By the 200th anniversary they probably won't let us go outside either in case that's too unsafe or unhealthy and honestly where will all this risk assessment nonsense end?
When you've answered all of each station's questions what do you do next? You find a TfL Ambassador, that's what, who I assume will be obviously dressed? They'll scrutinise your sheet and if they approve you'll get it stamped... will you collect the full set? The best part is that they'll then open the ticket barriers and let you through for nothing as you journey on to who knows where? It wouldn't do for a treasure hunt to trigger multiple maximum fare penalties for exiting and re-entering stations because who can't imagine the fury that might invoke?
All they're telling us on the website is that the final station will be Battersea Power Station, or should that be Battersea Power Station station? However I originally read about this treasure hunt in yesterday's Metro newspaper and weren't they a lot more loose-lipped with specific details there? I won't provide full spoilers but you know the station with the Frank Pick artwork? And the 25 year-old station that destabilised Big Ben? And the station that's an anagram of pelmet? Might you perhaps be heading there?
You can visit the intermediate stations in any order, but you probably guessed that didn't you? Don't worry, none of them are too far from the West End, but why should that matter when TfL are allowing you to travel for free? All you have to do is make sure you reach Battersea by 3pm, so perhaps don't leave setting out too late?
At the destination station TfL Ambassadors will again be on hand, which makes me wonder just how much TfL are paying for this four hour jolly? Last January's treasure hunt cost £16,684.37 you may remember? If you reach BPS and have stamps from all the stations then you'll have completed your quest and can perhaps expect a burst of effusive praise? You'll definitely win "a surprise gift", although I see from the smallprint that this is "while supplies last" so that gift might not be as definite as you'd like?
I see this very much as an activity aimed at families, groups of young people and the irrationally transport-obsessed, and I don't know if any of you fall into any of those categories?
I'm also surprised the treasure hunt hasn't been more widely publicised, just a page of blurb in a free paper and a webpage nobody would stumble upon by mistake... unless they're proposing to make more fuss of it in the media today? I'm concerned that the link to "terms and conditions for the architecture treasure hunt" on the website is currently blank, so if that's your responsibility could you kindly make sure it's updated?
Will I be going on the treasure hunt? No I will not because I have already been to all these stations, and what do I want with a free souvenir tote bag anyway? Sorry, the Metro newspaper article also spoilered what the prize is, but I was already assuming you weren't going because where would be the fun in that, no question.
