Was the runway out of use, or disused? Was it lit as a runway, or as a taxyway?
Me personal feeling is that if I was taxying up 23 @ LHR, strobes should be off. Similarly the cross-runway (forget its old designation) @ SEN.
Strobes are for warning other aircraft when you're on the runway(s) in use.
[This message has been edited by HugMonster (edited 27 December 2000).]