Platform 3R King Cross?

[GraceM]

Hi,

I think this may strike as a silly question but I'm new to train travel. I'm departing from platform 3R at King's Cross on Sunday. I usually just depart from regular plat 3. Can anyone tell me what 3R means?

Thanks so much.

 

[swt_passenger]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

It’s meaning a half of platform 3, I believe they refer to them as F for Front and R for Rear, (ie nearest the buffers), if there are two separate trains in the platform together. Do you know the departure time and destination, then we should be able to check exactly what’s going on for you.

 

[DanNCL]

Hi,

I think this may strike as a silly question but I'm new to train travel. I'm departing from platform 3R at King's Cross on Sunday. I usually just depart from regular plat 3. Can anyone tell me what 3R means?

Thanks so much.

It means the rear train (closest to the buffers) from platform 3. It’s possible there may be two trains sharing the platform which is why they mark it as such.

 

[GraceM]

Thanks both of you

It's departing at 14:48 and is a Hull Train.

 

[BJames]

Thanks both of you

It's departing at 14:48

This is indeed the rear portion of Platform 3. An LNER service to Lincoln is departing at 14:35, this uses the front part of Platform 3.

This happened to me the other day as a Lumo service took the front half and Hull Trains took the rear, the guard repeatedly announced that we were the Hull Trains service and would be going nowhere near Newcastle. Nevertheless they didn't advertise the platform for the Hull service until Lumo had left anyway.

It means the rear train (closest to the buffers) from platform 3. It’s possible there may be two trains sharing the platform which is why they mark it as such.

I don't think I recall ever actually seeing it on the departure boards at the station marked 3F/3R - last week it just had a scrolling display at the bottom of the Lumo train saying "front train only" - and the rear train, the Hull service, remained locked during this boarding time.

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks both of you

It's departing at 14:48

That’s a Hull Trains departure. So what’s happening is the southbound train arrives at 1342, and sits for over an hour, and while it’s there at the buffers an LNER service comes in and leaves for Lincoln as @BJames just mentioned.

You shouldn’t have a problem as long as you make sure you get on the Hull Trains service, I guess you’ll be familiar with the different livery and branding?

 

[GraceM]

That’s a Hull Trains departure. So what’s happening is the southbound train arrives at 1342, and sits for over an hour, and while it’s there at the buffers an LNER service comes in and leaves for Lincoln as @BJames just mentioned.

You shouldn’t have a problem as long as you make sure you get on the Hull Trains service, I guess you’ll be familiar with the different livery and branding?

Yeah, I'm accustomed to the branding

So am I having to walk down the platform a bit for my train or will it be nearer the bit where people walk in and out where the departure/platform signs are? I'm just making sure :,)

 

[swt_passenger]

Yeah, I'm accustomed to the branding

So am I having to walk down the platform a bit for my train or will it be nearer the bit where people walk in and out where the departure/platform signs are? I'm just making sure :,)

Nearest the gate line and screens.

 

[GraceM]

Nearest the gate line and screens.

Thanks

 

[bramling]

This is indeed the rear portion of Platform 3. An LNER service to Lincoln is departing at 14:35, this uses the front part of Platform 3.

This happened to me the other day as a Lumo service took the front half and Hull Trains took the rear, the guard repeatedly announced that we were the Hull Trains service and would be going nowhere near Newcastle. Nevertheless they didn't advertise the platform for the Hull service until Lumo had left anyway.


I don't think I recall ever actually seeing it on the departure boards at the station marked 3F/3R - last week it just had a scrolling display at the bottom of the Lumo train saying "front train only" - and the rear train, the Hull service, remained locked during this boarding time.

Certainly never been displayed like that at King’s Cross.

Platforms 9-11 used to be designated A and B, which was commonly used on departure boards and in announcements, but that seems to have fallen out of use with the almost complete elimination of 4-car working at King’s Cross.

You also occasionally get a “3M” designation in the timetable, which means the middle train on platform 3. Much rarer, but it has been seen in some timetables over the years, for example when a 12-car arrives and divides into three units.

 

[swt_passenger]

Certainly never been displayed like that at King’s Cross.

Platforms 9-11 used to be designated A and B, which was commonly used on departure boards and in announcements, but that seems to have fallen out of use with the almost complete elimination of 4-car working at King’s Cross.

You also occasionally get a “3M” designation in the timetable, which means the middle train on platform 3. Much rarer, but it has been seen in some timetables over the years, for example when a 12-car arrives and divides into three units.

I didn’t actually consider if it was displayed in the station that way, but I think we have to presume the OP has seen it somewhere online, presumably in a journey planner?

 

[bramling]

I didn’t actually consider if it was displayed in the station that way, but I think we have to presume the OP has seen it somewhere online, presumably in a journey planner?

Certainly shows up in places like RTTT.

 

[2192]

"Front train" and "Rear train" are OK as descriptions at a terminus if passengers join the platform at the buffers, and the second train is locked with the lights out until the first has gone; but announcements like "First class is at the front of the train" are confusing if the train is going to change direction, such as Nottingham - Birmingham trains at Derby.

 

[D365]

I hope that the use of non-sequential suffix letters doesn't become a regular occurrence. As evidenced by this thread, it introduces an element of confusion.

 

[Kenny G]

I hope that the use of non-sequential suffix letters doesn't become a regular occurrence. As evidenced by this thread, it introduces an element of confusion.

Completely agree it is ambiguous. To some the front will be the point nearest to them.

 

[norbitonflyer]

"Front/rear" does cause confusion at etermini. Someone I know always assumes that "front" means the first bit you come to on passing through the barriers - after all, it was the front when it was last moving......

 

[JRT]

Shipley platform 3 is sometimes designated 3W (where the North Bradford Electrics stop) and 3E (where ecs wait for the signal) but this is only used on RTT etc.

 

[D365]

Completely agree it is ambiguous. To some the front will be the point nearest to them.

It’s not even the front/rear concept, just the use of single non-sequential letters. Until I understood the context, I had no idea what 3”R” meant.

 

[GraceM]

The journey went well.

The 'R' designation was used on Trainline.