Visiting All Platform Zeros (Part 1) - Cardiff | Redhill | Rainham | Gravesend | King's Cross

[@TheLambLive]

Interesting fact... In Cardiff, Platform 0 not only refers to this little annex for trains to stop at... but also the number of trains that Transport for Wales manage to run on schedule.

[@DreamClean]

Oof

[@St1ckM0nk3y]

It's funny cos it's true!

[@joesos]

LMFAO

[@garethwilliams5809]

Also references the number of trains that go from North to South Wales

[@1973Washu]

Queensland Rail idolizes them and tries to copy them in this regard.

[@eastlondonventures]

Seeing Geoff with his mother is heartwarming.

[@oklibrarian]

5:10 Me: Wow, that lady really looks like Geoff! Geoff: "This is my Mum, everyone" Me: Aww...

[@ivenisnoob]

class 377 : I don't want see it again

[@aaravsgaming337]

Class 165: I guess I need to deal with it

[@CurvedGD]

313: glad I never saw it

[@nikolakolev2943]

Did anyone notice that Geoff made Nero Express as in cafe Nero into zero express for platform 0. 11:53 timing.

[@greghilton7797]

Nup!

[@bluechipcoach]

I certainly did. I thought it was real and thought of visiting it

[@metropod]

There is a “Track Zero Taproom” at North Station in Boston, MA.

[@ianmcclavin]

I've always thought from a distance those Café Nero signs look like Café Nerd !! 🤣🤣🤣

[@acmenipponair]

But I still wonder: When there is a Zero platform at Kings Cross - why not a 9 3/4 :D

[@oysterfarescentral]

The Gravesend story. The current platform 0 was platform 1 and there were two tracks through the middle for freight trains or non-stop Javelins if they were 12 cars long. The only way to extend the 10 car platforms was to remove the junctions at the county end so they built the new platform 1 where the up through line was, extended the original platforms to the bridge and changed the original up to platform 0. This was all completed in a week long possession where local trains terminated at Northfleet and a shuttle ran from Strood to Gillingham with buses in the middle.

[@asillyoldmoo]

But do we know why they renamed platform 1 to 0 instead of platform 2 to 3?

[@bloomcomputing]

It can vary, of course, but quite often it's to simplify the requirement for signalling. To shift all the routes and platform numbers around, might mean re programming all of the signals etc etc, including for interlocking. Just adding a 0 removes a lot of that complexity.

[@ianmcclavin]

It was actually more than a week Mike, as I remember it was more like 2 weeks either side of Christmas, 3 to 4 weeks in total. I remember this distinctly as I was driving some of the replacement buses between Greenhithe and Strood !!

[@ianmcclavin]

Also at Gravesend, the quaint old lattice footbridge was replaced by the modern structure that is there today, this was installed before the remodelling work took place, as the old bridge had to be removed before the work could start. There was a sealed-off opening at the appropriate point in the middle of the new bridge, so that the 3rd staircase could be added to provide access to the new platform 1 when built. I actually saw one of the staircases being delivered on a low loader prior to assembly, on the Overcliff outside the high level entrance to Asda's in Gravesend!! I also witnessed sections of the old bridge being craned out of position one afternoon, I believe this went to a preserved railway somewhere. This all took place towards the end of 2013.

[@outwood1]

@@bloomcomputing That only makes sense when the existing signalling has been adapted and remains in use. In the case of Rainham (Kent) however the new platform 0 was only brought in with brand new signalling controlled from Gillingham. Platform 0 was brought into use shortly after the commissioning of the new signalling, but the platform itself together with the new associated trackwork, had already been built well before the commissioning date.

[@K1W1fly]

To be continued? Should have said part 0 of 1.....

[@sgallie76]

Yes I get it!

[@roflmagister5]

"0 of 1" would not work, and let me explain why. 1. When someone or something uses "0", what they normally mean is an *index* into something (an offset from something, a distance from some origin, or the amount of elements preceding it), not a *count*/rank. 2. Example: Sector #0 on a harddisk is still the *first* sector. "First" here specifies a rank in an ordered sequence (the set of all sectors), and you should not imply any relation to the number "1". In fact, the first rank has the property that no elements precede it (which means we could imply "0" instead of 1, too). 3. The expression "part X of Y" is grammatically, in English and many other languages, used with ranks/counts for X and counts/sizes for Y, not indexes. 4. If you did want to express Y as an index, a _different_ expression is needed. Something like "This is video #0, and the last video is #4095". 5. Incidentally, some harddisk partition table editors have done exactly that (present Y as an index), which of course did nothing to help establish the size, and you had to calculate Y-X+1.

[@helicoptermn1463]

Doncaster is in Melbourne Australia and Bayswater and croydon

[@TomStorey96]

@@roflmagister5 You must be great at parties

[@roflmagister5]

@@TomStorey96 If only there were parties right now.

[@skarrambo1]

Your mum bringing that flask of tea was so sweet and lovely - I hope I have a relationship with my mum like that when we're both older :)

[@DerekHartley]

She's one of the loveliest people you're likely to meet. Had a nice chat with her doing the Human Tube Map last summer.

[@pickled51]

A couple of years ago when visiting London from the US during Christmas, we decided to go up to Cambridge. When we looked at the display board at Kings Cross, the platform number was "0". We thought certainly that must be an error. No train station has a platform 0. We went to the information desk, and of course, platform 0 was correct. How odd. Now I find out there are seven other stations in the UK with platform 0. Really odd!

[@stephensaines7100]

"How odd." Zero Odds...

[@juliestockmeyer5871]

Another way the UK is unique!!! 👍❤️

[@Vokabre]

Literature told me to expect at King's Cross a platform 9¾.

[@jiffyhelper]

Is it odd though? I think zero is an even number.

[@galactic_nerd-sk4747]

@@jiffyhelper Or is it? Is it either?

[@imstuman]

"All the platform zeros are starting to add up".Nice.

[@greghilton7797]

That doesn't work on my calculator

[@StormkeeperPU]

@@greghilton7797 Whatever you do, don't divide by zero... The results can be catastrophic!

[@TechRyze]

Stormkeeper at Geeked Up & Played Up #DocBrown

[@R.a.t.t.y]

They add up ... to a total of zero. On one day you visited zero platforms. So did I (and I didn't even go to a station)!

[@acl6573]

“All platform zeros starting add up...” they accumulate to zero. Sum of any numbers of zeros is always zero - so they can’t add up - oxymoronic

[@OlanKenny]

Hi Geoff's mum!

[@stingersplash]

Never thought I'd see a crossover with Matt! And then Bec shows up too. Excellent stuff!

[@williamgeorgefraser]

Love your videos, Geoff. Happy New Year and many happy train journeys.

[@JakePetrolhead]

This is such a wonderfully nerdy idea, and I absolutely love it. #WeStopAtNothing

[@transportenthusiasticman26]

Happy New Year Geoff Marshall & Happy New Year Everyone Else Too

[@Foolishoverlord]

Yay first Geoff train adventure video of 2020. Put a smile on my face again just when I needed it. Love the adventure! Interesting journey 🙂 Happy New Year to everyone. Geoff and fans 🥳

[@MrGreatplum]

Good to see you putting redhill on the map! (Something has to!) I live in Reigate and I still haven’t gone from Redhill’s platform 0 yet..,

[@jezzaqc]

Cardiff Central was my home station as I am a Cardiff boy original I was also under the impression that Platform 0 was really created not just as a relief platform but especially as a VIP platform after the Senedd (the Welsh Govermnent) was created particularly for the likes of the Royal Train when members of the Royal Family visit Cardiff, Llandaff Cathedral and South Wales. You will note VIPs can be easily whisked in and out of Platform 0 to the outside of the station easily without the security risks of having to battle through the rest of the station. With that use established it then can also act as a relief on special days like major international events at Millennium Stadium or elsewhere in South Wales (particularly on occasions such as when Cardiff has hosted Rugby World Cup, Six Nations Rugby, the FA Cup, the Olympic Games and even when Newport has hosted the NATO summit and the Ryder Cup). But just imagine how easily, say for example a member of the Royal Family visiting an international rugby match at the Millennium Stadium can be safely ensconced on the Royal Train whilst also keeping them separate more easily from drunken rugby fans trying to get on more local Valley line trains. You see, it’s quite cleverly thought out really!

[@lmaoroflcopter]

It may have that function now, but the Senedd and the Welsh assembly existed long before Cardiff had a platform 0. There are also two exit tunnels from the main platforms, leaving one to be easily secured for the royal train if they travelled via that method. Last I heard of royalty visiting, they travelled via road via a system of rolling road blocks straight down the M4. On international days the front of the station turns into a giant queuing system. Featuring cross country drunkards. That any royal would need to navigate past to access platform 0. Local drunkards for TFW trains will be found around the back as those trains tend to leave from the rear few platforms.

[@jezzaqc]

Console Thanks for this. Interesting points to add to the debate!

[@27central68]

A few years ago I got on the Virgin East coast train from platform 0 at King's Cross!

[@dettrains]

27 CENTRAL What are you a virgin? I hope not

[@shawnli4746]

@@dettrains Virgin doesn't run our trains any more

[@MsEdy09]

It was before LNER took over virgin

[@millercool22]

No more VIRGIN trains!

[@seprishere]

If I remember rightly, the former parcels platform at Preston Station has actually been used as Platform 0 at least once during engineering work.

[@nickbrigden83]

5:04 - It's 9 minutes past eight, it's Sunday. 6:20 - It's now the next day, it's Tuesday... Um.

[@stephenyates962]

Maybe he hadn't had his cup of tea by then?

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Geoff doesn’t like Mondays 👍😳

[@tomwilson5108]

You must visit Leeds when the platform 0 opens

[@alfiestrains2595]

I didn't know Leeds was getting one

[@robkennedy3000]

Was just about to say this haha. It should be finished by the end of this year. I was working at Leeds during the demolition ready for it

[@alfiestrains2595]

@@robkennedy3000 ah

[@cam43002]

*if* it seems like it will never be completed 😂

[@alfiestrains2595]

@@cam43002 seems likes the road works on the M6

[@MichaelAndersxq28guy]

5:10 "Hello Mum!" ✋😊

[@larrikins]

have got no idea why this was top of my recommendeds but it was v. enjoyable!

[@duckydashcam751]

Just been through Kings Cross 😂 Love the videos... Keep em coming.

[@the1gip]

3:26 just for the sake of clarification, Geoff says "the new Hitachi trains... they really shift." SHIFT. With an F. Just to clarify.

[@Brendan_Keyport-WA7BMK]

yeah, that F is for sure hiding there.

[@CurvedGD]

HAHA! I GET IT!

[@lizichell2]

Must cost a fortune doing all these train journeys

[@PGATProductions]

IP Freely you are our new prime minister

[@AndreiTupolev]

It's a pity J. R. Bowling didn't come up with "platform 0" at King's Cross rather than Platform 9 3/4, as then it would have actually come true a few years later and reality and fiction would have come together and we'd probably have all been transported to Hogwarts

[@AllThingsRailways]

You should do more 'Geoff and Mom' Train meetups!

[@robfcgaming1947]

@tinaonions-marshall Every video that features you and Geoff is good. I especially enjoyed the Faygate video

[@matsui90]

Really good backing track choice, goes with the chilled out, night travel vibe of the video

[@kikivoorburg]

Two of my favourite hobbies (and channels) joining forces once again!

[@thelonesculler]

So now we need to wait for Part 2: Northern Boogaloo

[@brightongamer0747]

11:58 The Lovely Makeaway Takeaway presenter Bec Hill on a Geoff Marshall video, love it👍

[@James-cd7bm]

Honestly Geoff - when I first watched your videos I thought you were really boring. But then I kept on watching and now can’t stop.

[@haddock10000]

RE imaginatively numbered platforms, I did once read in a railway magazine of a plan to build platforms 0, -1 and -2 at Manchester Piccadilly! Not sure whether the plan was to do a complete renumbering as well, though.

[@harrierjames7727]

Oh my goodness. MMXX! I hadn't seen it until now :O

[@harrierjames7727]

@@ann_onn only a matter of time before someone posted this!!

[@SportyMabamba]

Geoff & Mum drinking tea from a flask was such a wholesome moment

[@jez1987]

We got to meet your mum! This video made me smile so much! Happy new year Geoff

[@Epinardscaramel]

8:56 “they’re really starting to add up!° :D

[@theelliottline3637]

There is a platform zero at Lidcombe station in Sydney. It is only used by the Olympic Park shuttle, but is busy thanks to the increasing number of people who live and work there now. Obviously during sporting events, concerts and the Easter Show it is incredibly busy. The other five platforms existed before the 2000 Olympics so platform 0 it became.

[@xaiano794]

You'll have to make a new video soon since Leeds has one (well, zero) under construction right now.

[@Paco_Gaepedores]

Very Interesting video ❤ Absolutely love King's Cross woohoo ❤

[@SamuelLee-gw6wr]

There are three Platform 0s (0A, 0B, 0C) in Kumamoto.

[@terrianne6077]

7.47"Birmingham Moob "Moor" Street"....I died🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@anniesoernym]

I can't believe this was the first video of yours that I ever saw and then never came back to leave a thumbs-up! Rest assured, my tardiness has now been rectified.

[@BeccaKatyCat]

Oh we love our British mums, always got a mug of tea to hand 😊❤

[@colinbeaney7230]

Superb fun & good idea to do very good information thanks

[@philgriffin8285]

Very good. Looking forward to part 2.

[@lifebites21]

2:15 that is absolutely gorgeous!

[@RainhamRailEnthusiast]

Great to see my home town, Rainham!!!

[@greghilton7797]

But you're already there

[@RainhamRailEnthusiast]

In a Geoff video I mean!!!

[@stephenharper9961]

platform 0 at hooton does have charter trains actually stopping and starting from it so has been used in the latter days

[@eastpavilion-er6081]

I recently caught a Pacer Class 144 at Doncaster platform 0 to Hull.

[@TheEnglishTrainSpotter2021]

Congrats Geoff, video is currently trending

[@harvardan]

I'm loving the collaborations with the other youtubers!

[@catherine865]

Stockport is my local station, I didn’t realise how rare platform zeros were because I see platform zero quite often

[@Class43Harrison]

Cool! Love your channel!

[@RobynASDxxx]

Oct 2019 was the first time in over 30 years I hopped on a train to London, from Norfolk, the last few times always arriving and departing platform one at kings cross. however on Friday, I almost missed my train back as it was at platform zero and it was only by chance that I found the platform, as I was looking for somewhere to sit!

[@rhysd2727]

2:04 your pizza is here 🤣

[@michaelscott7166]

If they ever get around to changing Platform 0 at King's Cross to Platform 1, Platform 1 to Platform 2 etc, then the Platform 9 3/4 Harry Potter tourist trap would actually be in the right place.

[@mikenash7049]

Didn't the Harry Potter movies actually use St. Pancras (pretending it was Kings Cross)?

[@gabri_maybe]

Mike Nash for the Front

[@michaelscott7166]

@@mikenash7049 Yeah outside is St Pancras but inside is King's Cross. We'll let them off though, St Pancras is only 50 yards away and is arguably one of the most beautiful stations anywhere in the world.

[@bluechipcoach]

Can't wait to see Geoff's Part 2. Seen Doncaster to Edinburgh Haymarket from Matt's channel

[@fluffyfour]

Wow! Geoff is trending. Geoff officially super-youtuber!

[@Valerie_st220]

I live at rainham where platform 0 is quite new, wish I knew you were coming, love your work.

[@fionafraser1620]

Your mum is the sweetest taking you tea 🥰

[@lauppfrosch]

Think, I said this before, but again: your mom is awesome! 🤗

[@KentPaddler]

I used to work on the Royal Mail platform in Tonbridge years ago. It was part of the then Tonbridge Mail Center. After Royal Mail retired the TPO's we stopped using the platform. It is still there and can be viewed from a couple of near by road bridges.

[@jamesrobinson9194]

Happy New Year Geoff. Emotional scenes there meeting your mum on a Platform 0!

[@karwarbrotherhood]

Nothing but fond memories of Redhill.

[@DarenStratton]

There are six platforms in Stockport... Platforms 3 and 3A are two separate platforms. Also, another interesting fact, Leeds opened up a Platform 0 in December 2020, so that should be fun to look at. Keep up the excellent work

[@greattohear5978]

Can you do another platform 0 video

[@thisisjmx]

Hey hey! Yeah our platform 0 on Cardiff is in a bit of an odd place! I need to point out... There's a Platform 4A also... It's been some years since I've been to Cardiff Central station but it's definitely there!

[@yahccs1]

Nice to see this adventure from a different perspective after watching Matt's version! My Dad should have been studying for O-levels and A-levels when a lot of branch lines were closing down all over the country in the 1950s-60s and he had to go off travelling at weekends to try to get to them all before it was too late! I think he would have enyoyed your platform Zero adventure. I think he would be more interested in train numbers than platform numbers. How many of those have zeros in I wonder? I was surprised to find someone interested in his collection of tickets - Surprising how much railway memorabilia could sell on ebay!

[@alkistiplousaki8808]

INTRESTING........I JUST LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@paulbrien4817]

I live in Rainham. Southeastern, previous Connex, previous NSE have always used platforms 1&2. When Thameslink wanted to expand to Rainham, a bay platform was created to accomodate the GTL trains.

[@dickmartino9933]

Travelling North and you get a cancelled train. Now you know how we feel.

[@florianb81]

looks satisfying that roman numeral MMXX. happy new year (just in case i forget)

[@olivercook9663]

Great video, was good to run into you at Cardiff!

[@georgemacpherson1992]

There’s a platform 0 coming to Leeds. They are currently making it so far.

[@grim-upnorth]

If you've ever been to Cardiff on a match day (we went to see a Wales v Ireland world cup warm up match) and you want to get back to your car that you've parked at Newport... you'll be very familiar with Platform 0. I think they put on extra trains on match days and use that platform to ease congestion. We were in a queue in that car park behind Gareth for over an hour after the match.

[@anthonyholroyd5359]

There are also stations with missing or unnumbered platforms. Off the top of my head (in Scotland, where I live and work on the railways) I can think of Stirling - which has no platform 1 (was a north facing bay platform, now part of the staff car park) Aberdeen - only the passenger platforms are numbered (3,4,5,6 N&S and 7 N&S) but platform faces for platforms 1,2 and 8,9 are still in situ (albeit with only one track running down the former double formation to 8 and 9 as access to and from the wash road at Clayhills depot). Up until recently, Edinburgh Waverley had no platforms 5 and 6 but these were recently rebuilt as east / south bound bay platforms.

[@Tomsonic41]

I recently caught a train from King's Cross Platform 0. My home station of Leeds is also getting a Platform 0, but it won't be in use until later this year.

[@philipbroomhead9406]

Hi. When I visit my friends in Wasserbillig in Luxembourg, trains which terminate here from Luxembourg City arrive at a bay platform, not numbered 0 but numbered 9. Needless to say there are not 8 other platforms!

[@paulsengupta971]

Nein!

[@philipbroomhead9406]

Hello. I was surprised by your Nein! Such that I wrote to my friends in Wasserbillig and asked what is the platform number and thus is her reply: Hi. Yes indeed. Platform 9 is for the train which don't go beyond Wasserbillig (terminus) Are you talking about the through trains to Trier? In which case your Nein would be correct?

[@paulsengupta971]

It was supposed to be a play on words, sorry, Nein = Nine = No = Nothing. :-)

[@philipbroomhead9406]

@@paulsengupta971 really sorry... I hadn't realised!

[@bahnspotterEU]

Bern-Wankdorf station in Switzerland also has a newly constructed platform 0. It's not just a UK thing.

[@paulsengupta971]

Though we don't have any stations called Wankdorf to my knowledge.

[@bahnspotterEU]

Paul Sengupta What do you mean? Who is "we"? There is a station in Bern, Switzerland called Wankdorf and it has a platform 0.

[@paulsengupta971]

We, the UK.

[@robinpayne125]

Gravesend and Rainham both came about as part of the Thameslink program. The previous half hourly Charing Cross - Gillingham semi fast were replaced by Luton - Rainham Thameslink trains. With the associated timetable changes, neither station could manage with only two platforms (the Gravesend terminating trains used to reverse in platform 1 as was, necessitating Gillingham and high speed services to use 2 in both directions). There are over bridges as each end of Gravesend, and all Thameslink stations need to be 12 car, and the junctions needed to run platform 2 in both directions wouldn’t fit.

[@sherondalewis8053]

Aww..that's sweet. Mum comes out in the cold to meet her son at the 0 Platform...and made a point to bring some tea...wonder if she brought some biscuits to go with said tea? Anyway, glad we got to see Geoff's mum.

[@sparkidee]

Ahh good old Rainham! when South Eastern trains dont run on Sundays sometimes and theres always engineering workds I always get stuck at Rainham and have to get either a bus replacement or wait for a different train home to Ramsgate lol.

[@john_amend_all]

A topic dear to my heart - I painted the 'Platform 0' sign for Horsted Keynes back in the 1990s, when we were rebuilding the canopy. The platforms were subsequently renumbered 1-5.

[@ponkyponk86]

Charing Cross and Victoria trains both terminate at Gravesend on platform 0. Platform 0 is the end of the line stop. If you walk to the end of platform 0 you can get to platform 1 via lift and step free access.

[@terryc8235]

We have a platform 0 or O in Australia, it is at Lidcombe Station in Sydney's west, it was originally built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic games (knowen then as the sprint platfrom and smetines is still called that today and the station signage reflects both names of the platform. Lidcombe is still used and a major interchange for Sydney Olympic park for the people who now live there and visitors to major sporting and public events to transfer onto Olympic park services running every 10 minutes from early till late 7 days a week. It's is one of the most successful Olympic park rail networks still in operation in the world and is about to get connected to a new metro system in the mid 2020's.

[@NintendoFanboy21]

Very informational Geoff

[@NeilAHall1989]

Glad to see our brief cameo

[@MrBobSter82]

It’s cool how he goes “heeeeeeere’s *someone’s name here* !” As he approaches his friend I think.

[@PaulYoudell]

Really looking forward to part 2.

[@jackmason7823]

Gutted i missed you at Redhill! Home overlooks Platform 0!

[@BarneyLeith]

A mad and wonderful quest!

[@AchyutChaudhary]

Love your New 2020 Video End Credits!

[@jordanb4559]

Anyone notice the old lner hst's in kings cross. Rip hst

[@alfiestrains2595]

I saw a class 43 at Cardiff central 2 days ago

[@vincentneale2620]

Platform 5 was a bay platform from which the Portcawl & Measteg train service used - closed by Beeching in 1963

[@michielnederlof]

If you want those BASIC programming platform numbers go to Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. The tracks in the loop of the lightrail there are numbered 10 and 20. Although I don't think they use platform numbers there in official communication so there might not be any official signs to point at, but the track numbers can be found on the signals at the end of each platform. For even more Dutch weirdness go to Schiedam Centrum, there are two platform 1s, two platform 2s, a platform 3, a platform 5 and a platform 20 over there.

[@VisionForDynamics]

Very nice. I really enjoyed seeing stations in Kent too. I didn't know Rainham and Gravesend had a platform 0

[@PendragonDaGreat]

A theory to your question at ~ 10:40 I did some looking at the maps online and it looks to me that the ones marked as "platform 0" are always "before" platform 1 Haymarket for instance looking striaght ahead from the ticket line is 0, then to the left of that is one, to the left of that is 2, etc. So it makes less sense to name it 5 because then as you walk from the ticket line to the other end of the concourse you would pass 5,1,2... and since they probably didn't want to spend money on new signs to renumber from 1 they weent down from1 to 0.

[@Vokabre]

Kyoto station always amuses me with track numbering (i presume in UK a "platform" means "track" too) First there's track 0 Then there are tracks 2-10 After which come tracks 30-33 And only then, and separate, come high speed (shinkansen) tracks 11-14

[@hens0w]

Not always canary wharf DLR has 6 platforms (numbered 1 to 6) facing 3 tracks in a "Spanish platforms" (you can get on the train from left and right i.e. trains for bank stop at "platforms one and two") Bristol Temple Meads has a different odd layout where 8 tracks get 13 numbers the western end gets an even number and eastern end gets an odd number. This allows two terminating/reversing trains to use the same track (note several north-south service enter and exit from the east)

[@chrisoddy8744]

@@hens0w Whereas some other stations (Birmingham New Street is the example I can think of) split their platforms into a and b (I think New Street also has c but I can't confirm) for the same reason, although I'd argue that this system is better than the one where one running line can have two different numbers!

[@richardwager283]

Route Master scarf 🧣 cool mum 👌🏻