Little St Paul's on Vauxhall Bridge

I had not been able to make the previous drinks because of other social events my better half had planned for us. I decided I would get into town early and spend a couple of hours walking and pointing before starting the drinking. I decided to go to Pimlico and then walk over Vauxhall Bridge and walk up to the pub that way.

I took in a couple of points that are hard to find without being on foot like Little Saint Paul’s (South side of Vauxhall Bridge in the middle) and Vauxhall Station. After noting a number of nightclubs around there I managed to have a good stroll and got a number of points from my ever growing database of recent points (~7500 and growing!).

Once at the Anchor pub I was waiting for drink when I recognized a face from one of the previous drink ups. Once we had introduced ourselves by our real names and then our forum names he introduced me to a couple of other guys and fantastic afternoon/evening of drinking and chatting ensued. There must of been around 30 of us there at various times. It was really great to meet so many others who are in a similar position. It was a nice mix of learning from those who have their badges or giving a bit of advice to those who hadn’t started their appearances yet. I can’t wait for the next one! I keep telling my Call Over Partner we need to do a few pub crawls to learn the pubs and clubs.

My appearance was later that week so I had sobered up nicely by then. My partner and daughter had gone away for a couple of days so I totally over-indulged in revising and calling over in the days leading up to the appearance. I got to town early for the appearance and took a long walk from Piccadilly Circus over to Southwark in an effort to kill time, check the odd point or two and to mainly try and calm my nerves. After a long wait downstairs I was again called out virtually as soon as I got to the 4th floor.

The runs I got were :-

Wetherby Gardens to Royal Free Hospital
Arsenal FC to Gaucho NW3 (Dropped Gaucho SW3)
Putney Bridge Station to Forest Hill Station
Crofton Park Station to Earlsfield Station

I managed to score a 10/10 for the 2nd run and got a nice C and 3 points. I was well pleased to get off to a good start and I’m back up again before the end of May! A couple of lines couple of been a bit tighter but I called without as much hesitation this time. I still anticipate getting an appearance where I will be bombarded by loads of tough points but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

It’s a Bank Holiday weekend which now has a different meaning due to the Knowledge. It means an extra “quiet” day in the West End to go pointing rather than golfing/drinking or whatever I used to do when I had real life!

Best of luck to all of you who Do the Knowledge of London, thanks for all the comments and emails. Catch you soon.

I had been preparing as thoroughly as possible for my appearance. I now have two points sets, one from doing my radius points and around 7,000 points that have come out on the daily sheets in the last six months. I have started using a revision program from Wizann that imports the points from the daily sheets and allows you to test yourself, flag the points for further revision and prepare pointing sheets for your trips into town. This has helped me revise on a regular basis and to keep on top of new points coming out and to give me a good number of points each week to go and find that are coming out currently.

I revise my Blue Book points also as these keep being asked although there are some on there that are pretty obscure and some are out of date now. My other half has also said she will test me on points too! I have identified some areas that are weaker than others that I want to focus on which are hotels, squares and pubs. One could argue they all need some improvement though.

For my appearance I got to the Palestra nice and early for my 8:00AM appearance and was the first name called out after we had been taken up to the 4th floor. It was straight down to business and the runs were as follows :-

Church Army Hostel to Point West
Point West to Crown Reach
Crown Reach to The Design Museum
Eastman’s Dental Hospital to Hilton Metropole

Went a bit off at the start of the first one and went west on Bell Street as I could not see Lisson Grove! That is what the chair does to you! I ran them ok with just the usual hesitations due to nerves. This hesitation is what I need to work on for my next appearances.

I scored 28/40 and got a nice C and my drop to 28s!! Happy Days!!

Had a good chat afterwards with the examiner. He gave me some good advice on running my lines in the right direction and not to worry too much about which is the right and wrong way. There are often so many choices of roads to get from A to B and you need to know them all and not just have one way nailed into your head. Learn to be adaptable as this is what driving a taxi will be really like. I was also told that the appearances will get tougher now. The guidelines for the Knowledge for Stage 4 or 28′s state “Can ask more complex routes incorporating obstacles (e.g. road closures), avoiding road humps or multiple drops.” they also don’t have to ask “Large” points.

So I need to get my turnarounds sorted out, loads of smaller points into my head, keep working on direction by penning up football and strike runs, loads of Point to Point (P2P) and calling my Blue Book runs.

I also plan on revising and running some of the Cross Sections runs and adding these along with the Missing Pieces to the ever expanding list of things to remember!

All this to do and I am back up in 24 days from my last one!

So expect a monthly update on my progress. I wish all of you doing the knowledge the best of luck with your efforts.

After going up to Southwark by tube a few times, getting there too early and finding myself strolling about aimlessly, I left a little later this time. The tube gods decided to test my nerve as there were delays on my first train, I decided to change at Finsbury Park. Things were no better on the Victoria Line so I went back to the Piccadilly line, arriving at PCO Towers about 20 minutes before my appearance.

Normally I go in to the main reception about 30 minutes early, you then wait to be taken up to the 4th floor and wait for your name to be called. Often you can then be waiting another 30-40 minutes so in effect a 9:30 appearance can be at 10:00. This time we waited downstairs. Nobody came along to take us up and the time of my appearance passed. The chap next to me was in the same boat and been waiting 10 minutes longer than me. Finally we were escorted upstairs into the waiting area.

Within 2 minutes out came an examiner and called my name. Up to this point I had been feeling pretty relaxed (this is relatively stressed compared to REALLY being relaxed) and was chatting with a couple of other Knowledge Boys. The examiner who called me has a reputation for some really tough lines and points so I suddenly started to feel a bit paniced!

Off we went and after some initial pleasantries it was down to business.”Take me from the Irish Centre.” OK I know this..”Blacks Road?”….”No”…”Oh the one at Camden Square?” ..”That’s it. Take me to Cartier Circle”..Blank..”Sorry Sir”, “Ok how about Churchill Place?”. I started thinking about the Churchill Hotel, but could not pull the point. “Sorry Sir don’t know”. “Ok the Financial Services Authority?”..Bingo..”North Colonade Sir!” So off we went, me stuttering and spluttering nervously and finally dropping him at Canary Wharf. I scored 5/10 for this one. The next question was John Orwell Sport Centre in Wapping to Nunhead Station. I chose to go via Rotherhithe Tunnel and scored 7/10 so I guess he wanted Tower Bridge. Then I had Frank Dixon Way (Blue Book) to Tower Hill Station after dropping him at the DLR and then going into Trinity Square I got 6/10 for that.

The final question was Edwards Mews to The Old Dairy on Crouch Hill. I dropped Marylebone Police Station and The Leonard Hotel. I took the start a bit wide which meant my line was also a bit wide but I scored 6/10. Just enough to get 24 points and a more importantly a C and 3 points. I am now 3-1 up on my 56′s on 9 points, which means I can get my drop to 28′s in early April if I score next time.

I am really determined to get this and have the whole of summer months to do my 28′s and get down to 21′s.

I want to warn you about pre-judging examiners from listening to what other people say. I have found they are all polite, professional, courteous and they want you to be successful. They have all been through the same system themselves. If you don’t do well on an appearance it is mainly your own fault. Yes, there are the occasionnal toughie that people are given but often they come back and score well next time to counteract them. If you are working hard and progressing with your lines, points and calling confidently you will keep going forward.

I am now 2 years into doing the knowledge and the time has just flown by. I enjoy it immensely and the constant learning is a great challenge to embrace. I can honestly say I have not waivered in my determination to get my badge.

Keep reminding yourself of what you HAVE LEARNED and not what you don’t know. It does start to come together and it will we all worth it.

If you can remain calm in your appearances you may not drop points you know (see above!), be able to call fluently and prove to your examiners that you do really know your stuff.

Good Luck to all of you doing the knowledge and thanks for the comments and emails.

Quick update on my second appearance, which I failed to score. After waiting for ages that day I was finally called in and before I could sit down was asked “Take me from Kings Cross Station to The Dorchester Hotel”. On top of the usual nerves this really got me flustered. I managed to remember Pancras Road and Deanery Street and set off and got to the Dorchester Hotel. Then the fun started. Next run was Borough Station to The Sherlock Holmes Museum. I knew those and then proceeded to drop at the Sherlock Holmes Hotel! Next run was a banker that my Call Over Partner I and I had called loads of times, East Putney Station to St Marys Hospital. Off I went and headed up Baywater Road then for some reason turned left into Queensway as if heading to Paddington Station! I stopped myself and him there the way I wanted. Then the final run! Bermondsey Station to the Cromwell Hospital. Off I went without much thought and after making a mess at the start continued to meander along Southwark Street, Union Street, The Cut and Baylis Road before finally deciding to head over Lambeth Bridge. I then decided to take a rather circuitous route to Pennant Mews. That sealed my fate. I only needed to score 4 out of 10 for that run to get 24 points and a C. I only got 2! Afterwards the examiner said he deliberately rushes students on their second appearance as the first one is more laid back. It certainly messed me up. Take more time to think through the runs was the advice that I received and took good note of.

I was pretty annoyed with myself for failing to score on that appearance but it was all my own fault and I was determined to learn from it. I penned up my lines and refined them and called them over so that I would forever use Abbey Street/Long Lane when heading away from Jamaica Road towards the west in future.

On to my third appearance just before Christmas. My preparation had been slightly messed up because of my Call Over Partner not being around for the last 3 weeks. I dutifully called my Blue Book every day, did the 56 day questions on the daily sheet. I went pointing for new points, ran some more Missing Pieces runs and ran some of the new lines that I learnt along the way. Still I felt the usual doubts and nerves that is part and parcel of all appearances it seems.

I was up early on a Monday and got there in plenty of time and was called in pretty much on time. I was asked what advice I was given in my previous appearance, which reminded me to take my time. Then straight down to business and I was asked for the Whiskey Mist nightclub, then the Panamanian Consulate, before knowing Aspinalls Casino from there to Aspers Casino at Westfield Stratford. I really took my time to think and then went the easy option to leave and went via Hyde Park Corner, Trafalgar Sq, Victoria Embankment, Bank Junction and up Whitechapel Road to Stratford. In hindsight I should of left on the right and used Trebeck, Shepherd and White Horse Streets and gone from there.

Next was the Canal Cafe Theatre to Acton Police Station, (I dropped the Redback Tavern). I contrived to get to the Westway and then down Horn Lane. He wanted me to use the Westway rather than chopping it up.

My third run was the New Horticultural Hall to West Ham Police Station, I dropped the Olympic Park Legacy Company. He let me leave from Elverton Street and I went via the Rotherhithe Tunnel rather than using London or Southwark Bridge to get back over the river.

The final run was the Royal National Institute for the Blind to Action on Hearing (used to be called the Royal National Institute for the Deaf). Thankfully this run had been on the daily sheets the previous week and discussed online so I had called this before and ran it with a little hestitation.

I scored 28 out 40 and got myself and nice C for Christmas. I was so happy with that and would of gone for an early Christmas drink if there was anyone around at 10AM!

So the hard work is paying off. There are plenty of days when the doubt monsters rear their heads but you have to keep reminding yourself how far you have come and focus on what you want at the end of it. Determination and dedication as I was told I picked up the new 2012 Bankers Runs and some Turnarounds to add even more to the ever increasing list of things to revise. I am taking it a little easier for a few days and glad my appearances did not occur between Christmas and New Year. I am heading into 2012 optimistically, ready to work even harder doing the knowledge and hoping for a bit of luck in appearances too.

Good Luck to everyone doing the knowledge or thinking of starting it. Have a Happy and Healthy 2012!

I had my first appearance last week at PCO Towers. I had spent the previous week with my COP doing around 3 hours a day of Point-to-Point and felt we really had come on a bundle doing the 56 day and some 28 day questions from the daily sheets. I also read my blue book runs and went and did a little drive around a few areas I wanted to freshen up on. I had quite a busy weekend with golf on Saturday, a christening on the south coast on Sunday and golf the morning before on the Bank Holiday Monday. The rest of the time was spent doing as much P2P and revising as I could.

As my appearance was in the afternoon, during the morning I tried not to do too much apart from stare at my laminated wall map. I wanted to keep my nerves under control and the advice seems to be to stop by seven the night before and give your brain a rest so I did that for the morning.

I had got to the Palestra Building about 45 minutes early for my afternoon appointment and had a wander about before going to reception. I was then told my appearance was 30 minutes later than on my appearance card. I had a hour to kill in reception so I just read a newspaper that was handy and did some deep breathing.

Once we were called upstairs we had to pay our £250 appearance fee. I was told they could not find my file and to go sit and wait in the waiting area! Once all the others had paid and then been called to their appearance I was finally called up to pay my fees and taken to the appearance room. I did not feel too nervous at this point and was just glad to get started to be honest.

My examiner was a real gentleman and explained everything about the process and really put me at ease. It helps if you understand the scoring system for appearances. I tried explaining it to my partner and she got wound up as she thought it was too complicated. We had a good chat about a few things including Knowledge Schools, how I was doing it, part-time or full-time, using a car, bike, push bike and walking some points. Then it was down to business.

First run Castle Climbing Centre, Green Lanes to Parliament Hill Lido, Gordon House Road. I over egged this by going to Dalmeny/Chalton and Brecknock when Holloway / Tufnell Park Road would of done. When I got my scoresheet at the end I scored 8 for this run.

My second run was the Tabard Theatre, Bath Road to Springfields Station, Augustus Road. I took it over Putney Bridge and he was looking for King St /Weltje Road and Hammersmith Bridge then Lower Richmond Road, Gwendolen/Chartfield/Lytton Grove. Scored 7.

The third run was Clapham Junction Station to Euston Station. I took this over Lambeth Bridge for some strange reason. He was looking for Battersea Bridge and through Sloane Square, Belgrave Square and Berkeley Square. Scored 6.

The fourth run was the Grosvenor House Hotel (I dropped Crockfords Casino & the Womens University Club) to Highgate Station. I ran this through Hanover Gate rather than York Gate. I really started hesitating and nervous as I went up Park Street, then Portman Street, Portman Square and then all I could remember was Gloucester. I could not recall that it was Gloucester Place! I knew it was not Gloucester Road, Street or Avenue but it took a bit of coaxing and then I got there eventually. I scored 5 points for that run for a total of 26 and a big fat C. I was well pleased with that.

I had a nice cup of coffee afterwards and then walked over to the city and did some of the Wizann Livery Ramble.

I had lots of good advice but I need to get my lines and calling better. I am up for my next appearance in 56 days. Now I really need get to much quicker at identifying my lines, calling a lot slicker and knowing a lot more points.

For any of you at the same stage as me, get a Call Over Partner and do as much point to point as you can. Go get all the points off the daily/weekly sheets you don’t know. Use the online forums for help and advice and keep your head down and crack on.

Thanks for all the comments and the clicks on the advertising! I’ll try and stick another quiz up soon.

Leave Church Road heading south into Oliver Road.

Church Road looking south towards Oliver Road

View Run 180 Church Rd e10 to Dunloe St e2 in a larger map

Heading west on Hackney Road take the right into Yorkton Street and Dunloe Street is on the left.

London Taxi Knowledge Run 180 – Church Road E10 to Dunloe Street E2

L/By F Oliver Road
R Ruckholt Road
F Eastway
L Waterden Road
R Eastway Cont’d
R Wick Road
L Victoria Park Road
Com Roundabout
L/By Victoria Park Road Cont’d
L Mare Street
F Cambridge Heath Road
R Hackney Road
L Yorkton Street

Dunloe Street on Left

After a couple of days of being like a schoolboy waiting for my exam results and rushing to the front door the results came through when I was just about to tee off for a round of golf. My better half was also pretty happy to read it to me as it means I am finally on the appearance ladder. I scored 74% with some good areas and some bad ones! I got full marks for my runs which gave me 40%. This is what you need to focus on and then you only need 10 points or roads from the 30 questions on the maps to pass.

I now have a month until my first appearance so I have started my point to point (P2P) practice in earnest. I focused on learning my runs and points up to my map test as that was what I needed to be through. I am not sure how ready I am for the first appearance but I have signed up for a years worth of the daily sheets from Wizann and now feel like I have a bunch of virtual call-over partners as well as my real one.

I need to try and keep my mood and stress levels under control as each appearance gets nearer. The fear of failure was getting to me and I was getting a bit snappy with people. I think if I have done plenty of preparation and also take some time off to rest my brain one day a week that will work for me.

I have plan for the next four months which should cover my first two appearances. They are all pretty much common sense but I do want to measure my progress and address what I think are my weaknesses.

1. Keep calling Blue Book one a day four days a week
2. Revise my current 5600 points
3. Do 2 pointing sessions a week
4. Add an average of 50 new points each week from the daily sheets
5. Do 5 missing pieces or cross section runs when out pointing
6. Pen up and learn the football runs for a sense of direction
7. Do all 56 day questions from daily sheet
8. Do extra First 56 day appearance questions from Wizann book
9. Revisit all the major train stations and hotels
10. 8 hours a week with call over partner

I am going to try and not get too far ahead of myself with doing the 28 and 21 day questions and looking at Turnarounds. I will add these in later on when I feel they are more relevant.

Here are the questions from my map test.

St Johns Sq to St James Sq
RAC Club
Institute of Materials
Chatham Hse
Quaglinos
Duke of York St
Park Pl

Pages Walk to St Martins Theatre
Covent Gdn Hotel
Cambridge Theatre
Stringfellows
Garrick Club
Great Newport St
Manette St

S Tottenham Stn to Rushmore Rd
Madina Mosque
Clapton Girls Tech Coll
Round Chapel
Mothers Sq
Chatsworth Rd
Powerscroft Rd

Dulwich Coll to Vauxhall Br
Riverwalk Hse
Crown Reach
Random Hse
Tate Britain
Aylesford St
Ponsonby Pl

Maida Vale Station to Dollis Hill Stn
Spanish & Portugal Synogogue
Ediburgh Hse
Stuart Tower
Wellesley Ct
Biddulph Rd
Randolph Ave

Thank you to everyone for their comments to my previous posts and to those of you who click on the ads on the pages. Those pennies I get for the clicks help pay for my hosting costs.

Don’t forget you need dedication and determination and don’t let a slight mishap get you down.

You can’t fail the knowledge. You can only give up.