Advance TRS team successfully complete the 2018 3 Peaks By Rail Challenge!
26th June 2018
The Advance TRS team return victorious after completing the 3 Peaks by Rail Challenge. The grueling challenge is not for the faint-hearted. The Advance TRS team was one of few teams where all team members completed all three mountains and were four out of 37 people who completed all three peaks!
Mick, Chantal, George and Sean endured and persevered, demonstrating incredible determination and teamwork to get through a really tough 48 hours. On the train from Crewe on the way to the first mountain, Mick says;
“Everyone discussed what they thought was in store, but everyone was way below the mark.”
The team spent weeks preparing themselves, from walking up hills on their lunch breaks to making sure they have all the equipment they needed. They started the first climb up Snowdon in the dark at 10:23 pm, navigating loose rock, spring water causing slippy patches and the freezing cold wind all in the pitch black. Nevertheless, they stuck together and got through returning to the base at 02:41 am, completing the first mountain in 4h17.
After a few hours of cramped attempts at sleep and more fantastic food laid on by the train crew the team begun the 6.5km trek to the second mountain on Friday morning. Scafell Pike proved the biggest test to the team, Sean explains;
“This mountain was by far the toughest. The team effort was amazing to get to the top of this mountain, with others dropping out constantly it was a real challenge to try and carry on.”
6 hours and 38 minutes after their start from Brackenclose, all 4 of the Advance TRS team successfully completed the second mountain and were well over halfway.
The final and highest peak, Ben Nevis was the last hurdle of the challenge. George explains;
“The weather was not great and you couldn’t tell how high the mountain was as it was stuck up in the clouds. On the radio, all we heard was person after person dropping out of the challenge for various reasons. Undeterred we persevered through the wind, rain and even snow to complete this final mountain.”
Walking through clouds, in wet clothing made the final summit an extraordinary battle of determination with only the final descent ahead of them the team completed the final peak in 5h20, giving the team a total challenge time of 16h17.
Andy Ridout, Group Managing Director and founder of the company shares;
“What an achievement for the team completing this challenge. A great experience and something brilliant to be able to say that they have done. Hearing that only 37 people completed the whole challenge and the whole team of 4 were part of that 37 is just amazing. Congratulations to you all, you’ve done brilliantly. Not forgetting, raising money for the brilliant charity Railway Children.”
Now, home safe and sound, the challenge continues with another £1,500 remaining to raise for Railway Children. The team have already raised an incredible £2,057 for the children’s charity the team now have 5 weeks left to raise the remaining amount.
The team’s final statistics:
Snowdon
Start 22:23:55
Finish 02:41:20
Time 04:17:25
Scafell Pike:
Start 10:00:50
Finish 16:39:37
Time 06:38:47
Ben Nevis:
Start 04:51:01
Finish 10:11:53
Time 05:20:52
Total walk time 16:17:04
