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King's Cross Remodelling: January - March 2020 (infrastructure discussion) - aka "King's Uncrossed"

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59CosG95

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Morning all.
RAIL/LIAR (pick your preferred name) have revealed that 50% of King's Cross is to be closed for 2 months while the approaches into the station are renewed. All track, sub-systems and OLE are to be replaced (up to 1.5 miles from the buffers), while many existing crossovers at the ends of the platforms are due to be re-sited; either into Gasworks Tunnel or the cutting between Gasworks & Copenhagen Tunnels.
Words on their Facebook page also hint at the disused eastern tunnel being brought back into regular use; the amount of work required for that remains to be seen.
EDIT: The LNE Sectional Appendix lists the end of the Up Slow flyover at Holloway as being at 1.5 miles (1m 40ch for reference)

A final point: while the project is currently costed at £237m, the decision in January 2016 to defer it from a January 2019 completion to March 2020 has shaved £100m off the final cost.
The article can be found here: https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/plans-unveiled-for-237m-king-s-cross-remodelling
King’s Cross is to partially close for three months in early 2020 to allow for major track remodelling and asset renewal, RAIL can exclusively reveal.

Network Rail has confirmed that up to 50% of the UK’s ninth busiest station will be shut between January and March 2020, to complete the £237 million project.

The work will involve all track, sub-systems and overhead line equipment being renewed in the station throat for a distance of up to 1.5 miles from the buffer stops, while the approaches will also be rationalised for the first time since 1972 (when most of the current layout was installed by British Rail).

This includes re-siting a large number of switches and crossings currently located near to the platform ends. They will be moved further north to either within Gasworks Tunnel or the cutting between Gasworks Tunnel and Copenhagen Tunnel, in order to reduce conflicting movements and increase line speeds.

  • For the full story, read RAIL 843, published today, and also available on Android and iPad.
Discuss.

In peace,
59CosG95.
 
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A0wen

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Morning all.
RAIL/LIAR (pick your preferred name) have revealed that 50% of King's Cross is to be closed for 2 months while the approaches into the station are renewed. All track, sub-systems and OLE are to be replaced (up to 1.5 miles from the buffers), while many existing crossovers at the ends of the platforms are due to be re-sited; either into Gasworks Tunnel or the cutting between Gasworks & Copenhagen Tunnels.
Words on their Facebook page also hint at the disused eastern tunnel being brought back into regular use; the amount of work required for that remains to be seen.
EDIT: The LNE Sectional Appendix lists the end of the Up Slow flyover at Holloway as being at 1.5 miles (1m 40ch for reference)

A final point: while the project is currently costed at £237m, the decision in January 2016 to defer it from a January 2019 completion to March 2020 has shaved £100m off the final cost.
The article can be found here: https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/plans-unveiled-for-237m-king-s-cross-remodelling

Discuss.

In peace,
59CosG95.

Well, I guess the last time any work of that nature was done to KX was when it was electrified back in the mid 70s - which is when the Holloway Flyover was built.

Given the increasing traffic volumes into and out of KX the layout probably does need revisiting to ensuring it can handle future traffic growth.
 

59CosG95

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Well, I guess the last time any work of that nature was done to KX was when it was electrified back in the mid 70s - which is when the Holloway Flyover was built.

Given the increasing traffic volumes into and out of KX the layout probably does need revisiting to ensuring it can handle future traffic growth.
Not to mention the Thameslink adjustments once that comes into operation; fortunately the approach from the Canal Tunnels is in the geographical remit of the project. Any grade-separation (new or altered) is unlikely, given the short timeframe for the blockade.

What are they replacing the OLE with? The stronger standard used on the GWML?
Who knows at this stage, but I suspect it may be a similar type. With a re-organised track layout, it makes sense to do the OLE at the same time.
 
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HSTEd

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Will a 5-car IEP fit into the suburban platforms?

With Thameslink in full swing five or six platforms (out of 11) might not be too badly overloaded.
 

TheDavibob

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Will a 5-car IEP fit into the suburban platforms?

With Thameslink in full swing five or six platforms (out of 11) might not be too badly overloaded.
Won't a hefty chunk of the work be remodelling the suburban platforms though? (Lengthening and reducing them in number.) For which I'm assuming they'll be completely closing the suburban platforms throughout any blockade.
 

class26

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Hull Trains frequently use platform 9. OK, a 180 isn`t quiet as long as a 5 car 800 but when I departed from there last Friday afternoon on the 13.48 to Hull there seemed enough additional platform
 

TheDavibob

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Hull Trains frequently use platform 9. OK, a 180 isn`t quiet as long as a 5 car 800 but when I departed from there last Friday afternoon on the 13.48 to Hull there seemed enough additional platform

Length wouldn't be the issue, I've frequently been on 8-car 365s/387s from the suburban platforms, which are comfortably longer than a 5-car 800 despite the much longer carriages. This doesn't mean an 800 will necessarily fit, of course, just that it's short enough.
 

snowball

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Morning all.
RAIL/LIAR (pick your preferred name) have revealed that 50% of King's Cross is to be closed for 2 months while the approaches into the station are renewed. All track, sub-systems and OLE are to be replaced (up to 1.5 miles from the buffers), while many existing crossovers at the ends of the platforms are due to be re-sited; either into Gasworks Tunnel or the cutting between Gasworks & Copenhagen Tunnels.
Words on their Facebook page also hint at the disused eastern tunnel being brought back into regular use; the amount of work required for that remains to be seen.
Maybe you haven't seen the paper version of Rail. I bought a copy today. The article covers pages 6-7 (plus an editorial on page 3). There are diagrams of the existing and proposed layouts. The eastern bore of Gasworks tunnel is being brought back into use, but not Copenhagen tunnel.
 

jayah

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Well, I guess the last time any work of that nature was done to KX was when it was electrified back in the mid 70s - which is when the Holloway Flyover was built.

Given the increasing traffic volumes into and out of KX the layout probably does need revisiting to ensuring it can handle future traffic growth.
There are more trains out of Fenchurch St than Kings Cross in the rush hour. They don't know what busy looks like!
 

MarkyT

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Maybe you haven't seen the paper version of Rail. I bought a copy today. The article covers pages 6-7 (plus an editorial on page 3). There are diagrams of the existing and proposed layouts. The eastern bore of Gasworks tunnel is being brought back into use, but not Copenhagen tunnel.

North of Copenhagen Tunnel the third bore would be difficult to tie in to the fast lines without complete reconstruction of the up slow flyover. Otherwise there could just about be room for a single line to the east of the up slow. A future project to provide an empty stock feeder line for the terminus perhaps? Can't see much alternative use for it.
 

jayah

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Indeed it will, shutting down half of the UK's 9th busiest station won't be a mean feat by any stretch!

Both STP and Stratford have since overtaken KGX since this statistic was compiled for 2014-15.
 
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59CosG95

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Maybe you haven't seen the paper version of Rail. I bought a copy today. The article covers pages 6-7 (plus an editorial on page 3). There are diagrams of the existing and proposed layouts. The eastern bore of Gasworks tunnel is being brought back into use, but not Copenhagen tunnel.
Ah, that certainly simplifies things. I assume then that there'll be a '1 tunnel for 4 platforms in KGX' solution envisaged; the eastern bore for 0-3, the central bore for 4-7, and the western bore for 8-11. Or something like that.

North of Copenhagen Tunnel the third bore would be difficult to tie in to the fast lines without complete reconstruction of the up slow flyover. Otherwise there could just about be room for a single line to the east of the up slow. A future project to provide an empty stock feeder line for the terminus perhaps? Can't see much alternative use for it.
That's possible, given how far out Bounds Green is from KGX. It could just be as simple as "future-proofing", given the relatively simple plans for it. They made no mention of altering the Up Slow flyover, so one can assume that's not being altered at this stage.

Both STP and Stratford have since overtaken KGX since this statistic was compiled for 2014-15.
Ah thanks very much, I didn't think to check on the stats for that! :oops:
 

hwl

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Ah, that certainly simplifies things. I assume then that there'll be a '1 tunnel for 4 platforms in KGX' solution envisaged; the eastern bore for 0-3, the central bore for 4-7, and the western bore for 8-11. Or something like that.

That's possible, given how far out Bounds Green is from KGX. It could just be as simple as "future-proofing", given the relatively simple plans for it. They made no mention of altering the Up Slow flyover, so one can assume that's not being altered at this stage.


Ah thanks very much, I didn't think to check on the stats for that! :oops:

Eastern bore is smaller than the rest and only big enough for 1 track of current stock so only 5 tracks overall which is why the track was lifted originally. (not having seen the plans in rail) it would probably reversibly signaled but main flows would be (East-West) U-D-U-U-D (first 3 fasts, last 2 slows) so there is less backing up of the services coming in on the fasts and it then becomes easier to get trains out of P0/1, with more potential for parallel moves.

The biggest issue at KGX will be turn around times on longer distances services if you do to many other works, so probably won't see too much else down near by till after HS2 opens and things get rejigged around more long distance commuter services and settled down again.
 

snowball

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Eastern bore is smaller than the rest and only big enough for 1 track of current stock so only 5 tracks overall which is why the track was lifted originally. (not having seen the plans in rail) it would probably reversibly signaled but main flows would be (East-West) U-D-U-U-D (first 3 fasts, last 2 slows) so there is less backing up of the services coming in on the fasts and it then becomes easier to get trains out of P0/1, with more potential for parallel moves.
The diagram in Rail shows two tracks through each bore of Gasworks tunnel, with two crossovers (one each way) in the middle bore, and one crossover in each of the eastern and western bores. All six tracks reversible except the northernmost bit of the easternmost track which is up only. The throat south of the tunnel is much simpler than now, with no diamonds (whether switched or not). The east bore allows access to platforms 0-2, middle bore 2-7, east bore 7-10 (no 11). There is a dotted line apparently indicating the boundary of the worksite, and the existing flyover is outside it. At Copenhagen tunnel the middle bore (eastern currently used bore) is within the worksite but the western bore and junction from St Pancras are outside.

The text of the article gives the date of the last major change to the layout as 1972 but I think it was about 1976. It was going on when I lived in London which was autumn 75 to autumn 77.
 
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jyte

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If anyone would like I can screenshot and attach the planned changes to the track layout?
 

D365

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Yeah please, is it an internal source or from a public document?
 

MarkyT

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Started one of my diagrams to try and illustrate this. Snapshot attached of work in progress on existing layout to start with. Trying to get lengths proportionally about right from Google Earth.
kxwip.jpg
 

edwin_m

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Not having seen the magazine I assume what they are doing here is re-distributing some of the throat pointwork beyond the tunnels, sort of as they do at Edinburgh Waverley west end. This could provide some or all of longer platforms, simpler pointwork and faster arrival/departure. I'm not sure whether it would deliver more frequent arrival/departure, as although they could be faster they may have more distance to cover before they clear the throat area.
 

59CosG95

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Not having seen the magazine I assume what they are doing here is re-distributing some of the throat pointwork beyond the tunnels, sort of as they do at Edinburgh Waverley west end. This could provide some or all of longer platforms, simpler pointwork and faster arrival/departure. I'm not sure whether it would deliver more frequent arrival/departure, as although they could be faster they may have more distance to cover before they clear the throat area.
As I understand it, they are doing exactly that. The re-opening of the eastern Gasworks Tunnel bore should help with increasing the frequency.
 

59CosG95

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The diagram in Rail shows two tracks through each bore of Gasworks tunnel, with two crossovers (one each way) in the middle bore, and one crossover in each of the eastern and western bores. All six tracks reversible except the northernmost bit of the easternmost track which is up only. The throat south of the tunnel is much simpler than now, with no diamonds (whether switched or not). The east bore allows access to platforms 0-2, middle bore 2-7, east bore 7-10 (no 11).
Interesting; I had no idea that P11 was due to be removed as part of the plans.
 

rebmcr

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I assume then that there'll be a '1 tunnel for 4 platforms in KGX' solution envisaged; the eastern bore for 0-3, the central bore for 4-7, and the western bore for 8-11. Or something like that.

Interesting; I had no idea that P11 was due to be removed as part of the plans.

I predict the demise of the name "Platform 0".
 

LNW-GW Joint

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Control of the new layout transfers to York ROC as well.
ETCS will not be fitted, but it will be "ETCS ready".
Presumably this is the start of resignalling the whole ECML.
At one time, the master plan was to transfer control of ECML south to Three Bridges ROC.
 

jyte

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Ask and ye shall receive:

ZZwify9.png
 

westv

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How likely is this?
One more reason to quit the weekly London commute I think. :D
 
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