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HST at Kings X in 80s - what’s it doing?
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swt_passenger
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It’s the “shore” electrical supply in use, allowing both power cars to be fully shut down. Don't know why it stopped.
Whistler40145
Established Member
Please excuse my ignorance, why were HSTs connected to the shore supply?
D365
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Provides an electrical supply for the coaches. As above, the practice was stopped due to train layovers becoming shorter, but this was counteracted by electrification removing most of the platform-end locomotives.
57Tonic
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Pardon my ignorance but is that a generator van in platform 5,
Whistler40145
Established Member
I was wondering that too
Yes, its a steam heat van (contained a boiler) and known locally as "Dobbin".
Thanks for the replies all.
So it sounds like the practise ceased just because the layovers got shorter. Perhaps they also stopped letting passengers on the train so early too? I wonder if it’s some kind of perceived health and safety risk to have that line stuck in the front too?
D365
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Doubt it. As I said above, shorter layovers combined with most of the trains (from the late 80s onwards) becoming electric.
Also, the loss of loco hauled trains meant there was no longer a shunter on duty, it was their job to plug in the shore supply.
Clarence Yard
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No, the Valentas didn’t.
It was not only short turn rounds that stopped the use of shore supply, electrification also removed the need. It was practise in the late 1970’s & 1980’s to put on shore supply all the main line trains that were turning round at KX.
At KX there were two sets of shore supplies on each of the roads in the main train shed. The 850v ETH, for LHCS and the 415v ETS, for HSTs. The ER used the ETH/ETS designation to differentiate the two, although the connectors were quite different. There was also a static steam line in the middle of each pair of roads, which could supply both roads at once.
The steam came from a static boiler (an industrial Spanner - BR SB 4545) situated under the footbridge entrance to East Side Offices on Platform 1. It had to be tested and overhauled each summer and then “Dobbin” (actually ADE 321072) would come down and be plugged into the steam supply on the blocks of 5. If the KX boiler went defective “in season”, the same procedure would be followed.
Dobbin was actually a converted plate wagon with two Spanner 1 boilers inside a specially made body. It usually worked at Bounds Green. It was so nicknamed, by FP staff, because “it wasn’t a racehorse”!
It was not only short turn rounds that stopped the use of shore supply, electrification also removed the need. It was practise in the late 1970’s & 1980’s to put on shore supply all the main line trains that were turning round at KX.
At KX there were two sets of shore supplies on each of the roads in the main train shed. The 850v ETH, for LHCS and the 415v ETS, for HSTs. The ER used the ETH/ETS designation to differentiate the two, although the connectors were quite different. There was also a static steam line in the middle of each pair of roads, which could supply both roads at once.
The steam came from a static boiler (an industrial Spanner - BR SB 4545) situated under the footbridge entrance to East Side Offices on Platform 1. It had to be tested and overhauled each summer and then “Dobbin” (actually ADE 321072) would come down and be plugged into the steam supply on the blocks of 5. If the KX boiler went defective “in season”, the same procedure would be followed.
Dobbin was actually a converted plate wagon with two Spanner 1 boilers inside a specially made body. It usually worked at Bounds Green. It was so nicknamed, by FP staff, because “it wasn’t a racehorse”!
Saperstein
Member
I saw this in action at Inverness only about three years ago.
Photo is in this thread here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hotel-power-shore-supply.200301/
MESSAGE ENDS
Saperstein.
Photo is in this thread here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hotel-power-shore-supply.200301/
MESSAGE ENDS
Saperstein.
I thought that, thanks for confirming!
Deepgreen
Established Member
Also, the nearest HST has a dark cab roof - I don't remember that livery variation.
DerekC
Established Member
It was a very good idea. Saved lots of diesel fumes in the station and cost less in energy, too. Not good for the engines to run for extended periods on idle, either.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Shore supply is still used for class 255s stabled in New Yard at Exeter.
I believe only 43 056 and 43 111 had a black roof, not sure for how long.
O L Leigh
Established Member
My memory may be playing tricks, but I seem to recall in the 90s that the practice at Kings Cross was to shut down the London end power car on arrival and restart it again just prior to departure. I presume that this was to mitigate against noise and exhaust pollution under the roof.
Yep - and they still do it at St Pancras where the power car "in the open" can be running but the one at the buffer stops isn't until just before departure. With the Meridians they have them shut off until about 5 mins before departure - which on a hot, humid day means they are sweltering until the aircon has kicked in, usually about Mill Hill in my experience.
theblackwatch
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Fascinating story regarding 'Dobbin' by @Clarence Yard , particularly concerning its name 
. I must admit that, despite travelling to King's Cross many times in the 1980s, I don't remember seeing it at all. Perhaps the static boiler was functioning well each time I went, so it wasn't present.
. I must admit that, despite travelling to King's Cross many times in the 1980s, I don't remember seeing it at all. Perhaps the static boiler was functioning well each time I went, so it wasn't present.- Status