TRIVIA: Train length equal to platform number

[Indigo Soup]

Sorry if this is off topic, but further to my previous posting Scotrail Class 385 Discussion of a 7 coach 385 a GLQ p7, when there today I saw a different offering - a 6 coach 385 at platform 6, an HST at platform 5 and another 7 coach 385 on platform 4:

This makes me think.... Glasgow Queen Street is small enough, with long enough platforms, that one could see 1 vehicle in Platform 1, two in Platform 2, and so forth up to seven in Platform 7. Has this ever happened, either at Glasgow Queen Street or elsewhere?

Obviously it's trivial with something like the Heart of Wales line, where one-car DMUs routinely call at single-platform stations. But what's the largest station where this is possible?

 

[700007]

I want to say the 1732 Greater Anglia service from London Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea is formed of 12 coaches and departs from platform 12.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There's going to be hundreds of places where platform 2 will see a 2 car train, and very likely a few dozen with 4 cars from platform 4...

 

[Ianno87]

20 coach Eurostars (including the 2 power cars) used to depart from Platform 20 at Waterloo.

Sleeper (16 cars plus loco) doesn't quite work with Euston Platform 15 sadly...

 

[stut]

Lots of 10 car trains from platform A at New Cross, for all you Hex fans.

 

[Indigo Soup]

There's going to be hundreds of places where platform 2 will see a 2 car train, and very likely a few dozen with 4 cars from platform 4...

I imagine so - but in how many of those places does Platform 1 see a 1 car train?

 

[Peter C]

I imagine so - but in how many of those places does Platform 1 see a 1 car train?

Cornwall? If a small unit turns up (153?) and the station only has one platform... Just a thought!

-Peter

 

[Springs Branch]

I imagine so - but in how many of those places does Platform 1 see a 1 car train?

On its way to Platform 1 at Stourbridge Junction ........

Copyright P L Chadwick and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 licence.

 

[jamesst]

Hunts Cross, Southport, Moorfields, Liverpool Central, James Street, Hamilton Square all have platform 3s which regularly see 3 coaches!
Liverpool South Parkway has a platform 2 that often sees 2 cars, occasionally a 4 coach on platform 4 an quite often a 6 on platform 6!

 

[Spartacus]

Cornwall? If a small unit turns up (153?) and the station only has one platform... Just a thought!

-Peter

Matlock branch should have lots.

Nottingham might be a likely one for each train length matching the platform number, 1 car 153, 2 car 156, 3 car Northern 158 or 3 car XC 170, 4 car 2+2 EMT, 5 car 222, 6 car ex GC HST, 7 car 222.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Sheffield often sees 1-car Class 153s in Platform 1, 2-car Class 15x units in P2, 3-car Class 144s in P3, 2x2=4-car Class 14x in P4, 5-car Class 222s in P5, 2x3=6-car Class 185 in P6 and 8-coach EMT HSTs in P8. There are 7-coach CrossCountry HSTs too but they won’t fit in P7. Dammit!

 

[Peter C]

Matlock branch should have lots.

Nottingham might be a likely one for each train length matching the platform number, 1 car 153, 2 car 156, 3 car Northern 158 or 3 car XC 170, 4 car 2+2 EMT, 5 car 222, 6 car ex GC HST, 7 car 222.

OK. Interesting.

-Peter

 

[flitwickbeds]

Platform 1a at Bedford sees plenty of 1-coach Marston Vale Line trains.

 

[Crisps]

Darlington is one place where you’ll get a 4 car service (an XC Voyager) on platform 4.

And there will be hundreds of examples, especially in more rural parts of the country, that will see a 2 car train in platform 2...

 

[johnr57]

kings cross platform 0 (and suspect other similar) is frequently empty ....

 

[700007]

Platform 1a at Bedford sees plenty of 1-coach Marston Vale Line trains.

Not anymore!

 

[Peter C]

Darlington is one place where you’ll get a 4 car service (an XC Voyager) on platform 4.

That reminds me... Banbury actually very occasionally sees a Voyager in P4. Very rare though; I've been there probably getting on for 100 times but have only seen this happen once.

-Peter

 

[vlad]

Stoke regularly has a 1-car 153 in platform 1, occasionally has a 2-car 15x in platform 2 and regularly has a 3-car 323 in platform 3.

Not at the same time, however.

 

[py_megapixel]

On a slightly different note, I remember hearing at Reading: "We are sorry to announce that the 11:11 service to London Paddington is delayed by approximately 11 minutes."

 

[Indigo Soup]

Sounds like Nottingham can do it with a 7-platform station, so that's the target to beat at the moment!

kings cross platform 0 (and suspect other similar) is frequently empty ....

Ah, but can you get an 11-car train into Platform 11? Presumably there are occasions where Platform 1 might have a single locomotive in it, but what about Platform 2? This is the problem with major termini for this game, I think - the low-numbered platforms tend to be the ones that take long intercity-type trains, whilst the high-numbered platforms often only take short trains.

On a slightly different note, I remember hearing at Reading: "We are sorry to announce that the 11:11 service to London Paddington is delayed by approximately 11 minutes."

Shades there of 'Forfar four, East Fife five' in the Scottish football results.

 

[D6975]

Bristol Temple Meads used to have platforms numbered 1, 3-12. All these platforms used to see trains of the same length as their number back in loco hauled days, but not at the same time. W55026 used to spend lots of time in P1.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

kings cross platform 0 (and suspect other similar) is frequently empty ....

But you'll never get a 9&3/4 coach train into Platform 9 3/4!

Sorry ... I'll get my coat!

 

[hilly]

Cardiff queen street has 1 car trains on p1 (Cardiff bay services) 2 car on platform 2 and 4 car going through platform 4

 

[johnr57]

But you'll never get a 9&3/4 coach train into Platform 9 3/4!

Sorry ... I'll get my coat!

slightly OT but i seem to recall in the grand old days of GNER the platform 9 3/4 was between two of the bay platforms not next to the hogwart emporium as of now. Can anybody remember the precise location?

 

[Ianno87]

slightly OT but i seem to recall in the grand old days of GNER the platform 9 3/4 was between two of the bay platforms not next to the hogwart emporium as of now. Can anybody remember the precise location?

Pictures on https://strawberrytours.com/london/landmarks/platform-9-34 show the old location quite well - just to the left of Platform 11 (roughly where I think a Caffe Nero kiosk is located today)

 

[Stampy]

I imagine so - but in how many of those places does Platform 1 see a 1 car train?

Peterborough - with it's 1-car Class 153 train to Lincoln - that's normally rammed full......

 

[MalaiseForever]

Crewe, platform 11 with VT services to Liverpool and Scotland. Also, platform 8 occasionally has an 8 car LNWR service in it.

 

[vlad]

Crewe, platform 11 with VT services to Liverpool and Scotland. Also, platform 8 occasionally has an 8 car LNWR service in it.

In addition, Crewe platform 4 is the usual home for the 4-car LNR service to London via everywhere.

 

[Lockwood]

Portsmouth and Southsea P4?
A and I think St Denys and Southampton Central also host 4 car units?

 

[oldchuffer]

Lots of 10 car trains from platform A at New Cross, for all you Hex fans.

And for the Binary aficianados, Newcastle Platform 10 has previously/may still see 2-car units