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Could you put a diesel or steam powered train in platform 0 kgx

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arabianights

arabianights

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If you made the "pollutant" engine right at the starter signal (or perhaps would have to overhang like in the old days of that huge charter that used to leave st pancras?) could you get around the electric only restriction in plafrom 0 at kings cross? Oh and merry new year.
 
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Ianno87

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want2lukatpics said:
If you made the "pollutant" engine right at the starter signal (or perhaps would have to overhang like in the old days of that huge charter that used to leave st pancras?) could you get around the electric only restriction in plafrom 0 at kings cross? Oh and merry new year.
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HSTs end up in there on a regular basis anyway, despite the "Electric Traction Only" restriction.

Not sure whether it's necessary to shut down the London end power car though while stationary (the country end power car is not an issue being well out in the open air)
 
najaB

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want2lukatpics said:
If you made the "pollutant" engine right at the starter signal (or perhaps would have to overhang like in the old days of that huge charter that used to leave st pancras?) could you get around the electric only restriction in plafrom 0 at kings cross? Oh and merry new year.
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I've been into Platform 0 at Kings Cross twice on HSTs. Thinking about it, I think the London end PC was shut down but I wasn't specifically checking.
 
Crossover

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The Highland Chieftain left from P0 when a few of us did it a few months ago. Couldn't tell you if the city end PC was shutdown or not, though
 
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91104

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H.S.Ts are allowed in platform 0 at Kings Cross and the London End power car is always shut down at Kings Cross whatever platform they're on with an instruction that they are not to be started up more than 20 minutes before departure.
 
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theageofthetra

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Before Christmas a 37 with engine running was sitting up at the buffers on platform 5 at Charing Cross for some time. The fumes were dreadful and I felt sorry for the gateline staff exposed to it. I am surprised given the very low roof and confined nature of that part of CHX that it was allowed during opening hours. The 37 was with the NR testing train and it was quite late-but station was still fully staffed and was busy with passengers after pre-Christmas drinks.
 
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RichmondCommu

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theageofthetra said:
Before Christmas a 37 with engine running was sitting up at the buffers on platform 5 at Charing Cross for some time. The fumes were dreadful and I felt sorry for the gateline staff exposed to it. I am surprised given the very low roof and confined nature of that part of CHX that it was allowed during opening hours. The 37 was with the NR testing train and it was quite late-but station was still fully staffed and was busy with passengers after pre-Christmas drinks.
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Network Rail at one time had a class 31 which was just the same. I saw it at Crewe several years a go. The fumes and smoke managed to find their way into the footbridge. The smell was just awful.
 
BestWestern

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RichmondCommu said:
Network Rail at one time had a class 31 which was just the same. I saw it at Crewe several years a go. The fumes and smoke managed to find their way into the footbridge. The smell was just awful.
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Pah. You cannot beat the hearty scent of railway diesel! :D
 
sprinterguy

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nlogax said:
This is true. Nothing screams rail nostalgia for me more than the smell of diesel fumes as they fill a terminus ;)
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Indeed, it's synonymous with rail journeys from my childhood: The lingering scent of spent diesel fuel that used to permeate major stations was an integral part of the travelling experience - Stations are far too clean nowadays. ;) Though the fumes from a Voyager revving the nuts off all five engines under the low roof at Birmingham New Street, building air or whatever they do, for twenty minutes does create a truly oppressive and unpleasant atmosphere.
 
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BestWestern

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Ironside said:
Is "railway diesel" a different formula to diesel used in cars?
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It can be. The stuff used in some locos is rather heavier and less refined than what comes out of a filling station. You certainly wouldn't want to put it in your car. Consider that some powerplants used over the years are essentially marine engines - the Napier Deltic, Paxman Valenta and the current MTU lump in HSTs are all marine-based or used in marine applications as well as trains, and as such they require marine grade fuel. Back in the day there was of course the 'winter mix', which was kerosene added to the fuel to aid burning in very cold weather. I seem to recall that contributed to the devastating fireball in the Ladbroke Grove accident (and I presume it is no longer used?).

As for DMUs, I've no idea!
 
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DarloRich

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diesel fumes - awful? Worlds gone mad. Unbelievable Jeff.

I mean how could marine diesel and serious particulates and all manner of lovely toasted hydrocarbons be in any way bad for you?
 
urpert

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nlogax said:
This is true. Nothing screams rail nostalgia for me more than the smell of diesel fumes as they fill a terminus ;)
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It's funny, even if I haven't looked specifically in the direction of Platform 2 I can tell within a second of stepping off a train at Victoria if the VSOE is about. (Diesel is a pretty unusual smell at Victoria under any other circumstances.)
 
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66Yorks

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It may well say in the Sectional Appendix what is allowed to access Platform 0.
 
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nlogax said:
This is true. Nothing screams rail nostalgia for me more than the smell of diesel fumes as they fill a terminus ;)
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And sound. Don't forget sound.
Remembering coming up the stairs at King's Cross Underground and hearing the unmistakeable Deltic drone. Happy Happy days
 
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cjmillsnun

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Minilad said:
And sound. Don't forget sound.
Remembering coming up the stairs at King's Cross Underground and hearing the unmistakeable Deltic drone. Happy Happy days
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I'm a bit young for Deltics, but for me it was going into St Pancras in BR days and hearing the scream of HSTs as they pulled out of Barlow's train shed.
 
Peter Mugridge

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BestWestern said:
Back in the day there was of course the 'winter mix', which was kerosene added to the fuel to aid burning in very cold weather.

(I presume it is no longer used?).
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I've been wondering about that because several times recently I have noticed an "airport" type smell when in the vicinity of some diesel trains. Not all on the same route either, but a few here and there.
 
RJ

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theageofthetra said:
Before Christmas a 37 with engine running was sitting up at the buffers on platform 5 at Charing Cross for some time. The fumes were dreadful and I felt sorry for the gateline staff exposed to it. I am surprised given the very low roof and confined nature of that part of CHX that it was allowed during opening hours. The 37 was with the NR testing train and it was quite late-but station was still fully staffed and was busy with passengers after pre-Christmas drinks.
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Try a pair of 37s at Heathrow Terminal 4 and T123! My eyes and throat felt like sandpaper before long. The cleaning staff were covering their faces in vain. The only saving grace was the rapid exit as the pair in multi were rammed straight to full power upon departure from T123, not sure of the dBs on that but it was pretty phenomenal.
 
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Cowley

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When the 50s were near the end of their lives and they were sat in platform 1 at St David's ticking over waiting to go to Waterloo with maybe a first generation DMU parked in front also ticking over waiting to go to Exmouth you could see people walking over the footbridge rubbing their eyes and coughing!
Of course we just thought it was normal back then...
 
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Sean Emmett

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As far as I am aware P0 at KGX is prohibited to steam. Not sure if its an electrical clearance issue rather than pollution issue.
 
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There is a sign on approach to Kings Cross that says 'Platform 0 Electric Traction Only'. However as others have said HSTs regularly use platform 0.
 
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If a HST was to go into Platform 0 at KGX would the London end power car be shut down on approach to the station or after stopping in the platform?

And for when they leave, do they have remote control from the other cab or does the driver have to power it up just before departure and walk to the leading cab?
 
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