Kings Cross approaches - additional track

Network Rail said:

originally this scheme was a like
for like renewal and has effectively become a remodelling which
obviously has a different treatment than a like for like renewal.
So that’s where a lot of concern and questioning has come from
because effectively, the signalling has expired, it needs to be
replaced and so like for like renewal and then quite happily, it’s
good to see that actually a renewal is being treated as something
different to say, ‘We’ve got an opportunity, we could do something
we could remodel, so we’ll look at it as a remodelling.’ But to say
that you go from a like for like renewal that would deliver what’s
there today but ‘We don’t think platforming is a problem,
particularly with the GTR services disappearing to then say,
‘We’re going to remodel it and make it worse’ that’s a cause for
concern.

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DfT said:

Can I just add, I’ve been involved in some of this work from a
sponsorship perspective and I’m sure that Nigel Kay, who is the
Network Rail Project Director, will feed into your response. But I
think it’s very important to note that there are two elements: it is
not possible to do a like for like renewal at King’s Cross because
of standards and various others issues. So the approach the
team has been asked to take is to look at what’s required to
secure existing rights but, more importantly, what’s required to
secure future aspirations including eight trains per hour, longer
trains and that has been taken on board as part of their scope.
There has been acceptance or recognition that part of the £270
million CP5 enhancement fund should be allocated, and I think
the Programme Board has agreed to this, to pay for some
enhancements over and above the base case to provide
additional capacity. Without going into too much detail, I know
that they are looking, for example, to open up the third tunnel to
provide extra capacity and operational flexibility as well as
increasing line speeds at the turn outs. I think it’s not signalling
that is the catalyst because obviously that’s been picked up by
other signalling initiatives, I think it’s the switches and crossings
that are fundamentally shot at King’s Cross and should have been
already renewed, I think even back in CP3. I think that it would be
right and proper for Network Rail’s project team to input into the
response and be very clear about what’s being delivered. But my
understanding is that they are looking to provide enhancements to
capacity rather than anything else.

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Stats said:

This is explained in a recent meeting on the ECML track access applications in October. Copied relevant extracts from the transcript below.

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I think it’s the switches and crossings that are fundamentally shot at King’s Cross and should have been already renewed, I think even back in CP3.

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najaB said:

Wow, that's slightly worrying!

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Class 170101 said:

I wonder if its quite simple equipment to maintain - hence relatively easy and thus the low failure rate.

Remember NR have locking equipment on old signal boxes of 100 years oldor more.

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najaB said:

I appreciate that, but it's the 'basically shot' ten years ago part of it that raised an eyebrow.

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Stats said:

This is explained in a recent meeting on the ECML track access applications in October. Copied relevant extracts from the transcript below.

It was originally planned to be a like for like replacement of the S&C but that is not possible so the project has become a remodelling of King's Cross approaches. There are two elements to the project replacement to deliver the existing service and enhancements to enable future planned service and aspirations. The latter, which includes track through a third tunnel is to be funded through part of the £270m CP5 ECML enhancement fund.

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