brom Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 We're considering using the tunnel to the Continent - it's been a while, and I was wondering about the current procedures for checking that gas cylinders are switched off. We have a VW with barn doors; we carry two bikes on a Thule tow-bar rack; it's impossible to open the back doors with the bikes mounted. The authorities presumably will require the bikes and rack removed, so they can open the back doors and gain access to the gas locker? Taking the bikes and rack off, and re-mounting them after inspection will be a pain, and take a little while - is this likely to cause any problems with a line of traffic waiting to board? Only a minor query, I know, but it would be helpful to know beforehand if this is likely to cause any problems. Brom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 How do you turn off your gas in the event of an incident? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brom Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Reach into the gas cabinet and turn off the knurled button on the top of the cylinder. It's the work of a moment - provided you can reach it - but that involves opening the back doors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hmmm? So if on your travels you have an incident you have to remove bikes etc to turn off gas? Suggest you ask Euro Tunnel about your situation but would imagine you will need to pull over and get yourself sorted out. They may accept member off staff entering your vehicle and say turn cooker on but until you ask you don't no. Not sure I would be happy with your current arrangements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomad Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hi, Most of the times when I have used the Tunnel they watch while you actually turn the valves on the top of the cylinders into the closed position. So I would not expect them to allow you to remove bikes etc and hold up the traffic. sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Colin Could you not put the bikes inside the van and then remount on the rack at the other end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Maybe you can turn it off before you start, explain your situation if the tunnel people ask, and show them the gas is off by showing the hob is off, and or the fridge is also off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brom Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks all - the replies are much as I anticipated, though I like the idea of proving the gas is off by turning on the hob's gas burners. It would be nice to think that officialdom would play ball with this, but I guess it will depend on who we get on the day, and their mood. We never travel with the gas cylinder switched on, so the question of needing to get to the gas cupboard quickly after an incident on the road shouldn't arise. Unfortunately, with our other holiday clobber on board, I doubt if we'd have room for the bikes inside the van, otherwise that would be our preferred choice (would keep them clean, too). So it looks like there could be some delays and difficulties coming our way....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 oddly enough we have just returned on the ferry from Roscoff to Plymouth, and no-one even asked or checked there if the gas cylinders were turned off = not was there any check on security to see if we had any 'extra' bodies on board! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 nomad - 2015-07-19 10:59 AM Hi, Most of the times when I have used the Tunnel they watch while you actually turn the valves on the top of the cylinders into the closed position. So I would not expect them to allow you to remove bikes etc and hold up the traffic. sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Colin Could you not put the bikes inside the van and then remount on the rack at the other end? You have a ticket and if you need to take a while to open up the gas locker, I can't see that they would stop you crossing rather than position you aside of the traffic flow if necessary, to compete the gas check. If you tell than you turned the gas off at the bottle before loading the bikes they might accept your word for it and consider the check completed. Don't worry about it, they will cope somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Due to the cock up with MyFerry ceasing trading before our booked return crossing, we returned from France via the tunnel, we were merely asked if we'd turned the gas bottle off, never been asked on any ferry though. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 brom - 2015-07-19 10:07 AM We're considering using the tunnel to the Continent - it's been a while, and I was wondering about the current procedures for checking that gas cylinders are switched off. We have a VW with barn doors; we carry two bikes on a Thule tow-bar rack; it's impossible to open the back doors with the bikes mounted. The authorities presumably will require the bikes and rack removed, so they can open the back doors and gain access to the gas locker? Taking the bikes and rack off, and re-mounting them after inspection will be a pain, and take a little while - is this likely to cause any problems with a line of traffic waiting to board? Only a minor query, I know, but it would be helpful to know beforehand if this is likely to cause any problems. Brom Most vans have internal gas cocks for the various consumers, and it is the gas cylinder cock that they want to verify, so I doubt they'd accept that an appliance not working as sufficient evidence. However, from memory the UK check is carried out in a lane that is only used by motorhomes and similar sized vehicles, so the chances of causing a major hold-up are pretty slim. When you get to the cabin at which the check is carried out, if you explain the problem and ask to pull over while you make the locker accessible, I can't see why there should be a problem. Again from memory, (but they do keep fiddling with the layout! :-)) there is space to do so both before, and after, the cabin - so the worst result would be the checker having to walk a few steps further. But, as above, give them a ring beforehand, as they may well have a better idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Joe90 - 2015-07-19 12:11 PM Due to the cock up with MyFerry ceasing trading before our booked return crossing, we returned from France via the tunnel, we were merely asked if we'd turned the gas bottle off, never been asked on any ferry though. :-S As ferries are open to the air, the gas would escape into the outside. On the tunnel, any gas escaping, could built up and cause an explosion! On the 2 occasions we used the tunnel, we had to open the gas locker, and they checked both tanks. PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 As long as you make sure your gas is turned off they will take your word for it, unless its an awkward fussy person checking ;-) they have just asked us a couple of times to looked and other just ask the question, if you say its difficult they wont insist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 maggyd - 2015-07-19 2:10 PM As long as you make sure your gas is turned off they will take your word for it, unless its an awkward fussy person checking ;-) they have just asked us a couple of times to looked and other just ask the question, if you say its difficult they wont insist. Sadly in this modern day of jobsworth, I think this could be wishful thinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeddykay Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 If I were travelling through the tunnel I'd want to be sure all the regulations were followed to the letter. I think from memory that the tunnel has been known to have fires! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 zeddykay - 2015-07-19 3:27 PM If I were travelling through the tunnel I'd want to be sure all the regulations were followed to the letter. I think from memory that the tunnel has been known to have fires! Then I suggest that you avoid the Tunnel because they cerainly don't apply all the gas checks scrupulously; my MH has sometimes been physically checked at the bottle valves but probably less then half the number of crossings I've done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 On both our way out to France and on our return via the Tunnel in May and July there was a thorough check of the cylinders and the gas valves so I think you are wishful thinking if you are considering 'sweet talking' them. Both caravans and motorhomes are all checked and there is sufficient room to put you to one side whilst you unload your equipment to access the bottles, and still let others pass for their checks. If you are late for your train they will just put you on the next one. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brom Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks everyone. If there's sufficient room to avoid causing a snarl-up, then if we turn up in good time, there shouldn't be a problem, and if by kind fortune they accept our word for it, then that'll be a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I had the same problem on our PVC what I fitted was a bulkhead port available at chandlers or e-bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brom Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 gocro - 2015-07-19 9:48 PM I had the same problem on our PVC what I fitted was a bulkhead port available at chandlers or e-bay. That's intriguing - was your PVC's gas locker wooden, so you could easily cut a suitable hole in the side for the port? Our locker is metal, so I think cutting it would be a big job, but if one could access the locker from the inside of the van, instead of always via the back doors, that would be such a useful feature. Presumably, as a bulkhead port is waterproof, it would also be fine for gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Would not want that arrangement in a motorhome. Gas lockers should be in EXTERNAL lockers,and sealed from the inside. so any gas that may escape will dissipate in the air, not in the van. Even boats have to have external gas lockers , with a vent. If you had seen a gas explosion (I have) on a boat , you would understand why. Is that port hole arrangement, allowed?? PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Pauline While it’s generally straightforward to design a coachbuilt motorhome so that the gas-lcker meets your desired specification, panel van conversions normally have the type of locker fitted to brom’s vehicle, with the locker having an openable airtight door (or lid) and access to the locker requiring the motorhome’s rear door(s) to be opened. The thinking behind this arrangement is easy to understand - it avoids having to cut a big hole in the vehicle’s metal bodywork. The images here http://tinyurl.com/plo6haq show various gas-locker permutations some of which might be considered better engineered than others. I don’t know about the ‘legality’ of fitting a marine 'deck plate inspection hatch' to a motorhome’s gas-locker to facilitate turning the bottles on and off, but the idea is not new. I recall the owner of a Herald coachbuilt motorhome (at least 15 years ago) having done it so that he did not have to open the external locker’s door before he drove the vehicle or when he arrived at a campsite. LPG is heavier than air and, provided that the locker is airtight except for a substantial gas ‘drop vent’ in its base, I can’t see the type of inspection/access hatch gocro has fitted being dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 PJay - 2015-07-20 12:23 AM Would not want that arrangement in a motorhome. Gas lockers should be in EXTERNAL lockers,and sealed from the inside. so any gas that may escape will dissipate in the air, not in the van. Even boats have to have external gas lockers , with a vent. If you had seen a gas explosion (I have) on a boat , you would understand why. Is that port hole arrangement, allowed?? PJay LPG is denser than air so with a boat there is no downward escape and escaped LPG accumulates in the bilges and presents an explosion hazard. Gas lockers on boats are therefore sealed spaces, usually at deck level and they are vented over the side, to avoid escape into the boat itself., often using a pipe leading through the boat's side. Escape, for example, from an unlit cooker ring is however likely to accumulate in the bilges and has to be pumped out. If you fail to do that an explosion risk builds up. A motorhome on the other hand sits on its tyres above the ground and there are lots of floor-level vents, so escaped LPG will soon disipate in the air below the MH and away in the wind. That's why gas lockers are always well vented downwards, to allow leakage of LPG to escape and dissipate freely. The habitation spaces also have plenty of flooor level vents through which any escaped LGP would gravitate. There is no comparisson of risk; it's chalk and cheese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 flyboyprowler - 2015-07-19 2:55 PM maggyd - 2015-07-19 2:10 PM As long as you make sure your gas is turned off they will take your word for it, unless its an awkward fussy person checking ;-) they have just asked us a couple of times to looked and other just ask the question, if you say its difficult they wont insist. Sadly in this modern day of jobsworth, I think this could be wishful thinking! Their job is to ensure the gas is off. How else other than checking can they ensure that? The reason is safety in the tunnel. Having had a couple of serious fires in the tunnel, that simple precaution seems to me both sensible and reasonable. Anyone who is too tired or lazy to get out and show that the valves are closed is either entirely missing that point, or deserves to be confined to the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 brom - 2015-07-19 5:22 PM Thanks everyone. If there's sufficient room to avoid causing a snarl-up, then if we turn up in good time, there shouldn't be a problem, and if by kind fortune they accept our word for it, then that'll be a bonus. If you check in within 2 hours before or after your booked time, they will put you on the next available shuttle, space permitting. So, good incentive to arrive early, as you may get the bonus of an earlier shuttle. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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