thealm
Member
How will this partial blockade work?
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Kings Cross ‘uncrossed’ Layout/Remodelling - Information and Updates
- Thread starter thealm
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Crun
Member
Disused rail tunnel revived on £1.2bn East Coast Main Line upgrade | New Civil Engineer
The work took place this weekend and is part of a wider £1.2bn upgrade of the East Coast Main Line. No trains were able to enter or exit King’s Cross for
www.newcivilengineer.com
The Planner
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 15 Apr 2008
- Messages
- 15,946
Moved back a year and split into 3 phases last I heard.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 31,414
Normally by closing only a fraction of the platforms in turn while they work on them. It was never likely to be a full closure over such a long period. Stuff gets misreported or exaggerated...
@thealm
I'd expect something like this:
Stage A - Closing P0/1 and P2 to allow the platform ends to be straightened and the new throat point work that aligns with the eastern tunnel to be made operational
Stage B - Closing P3, 4/5 & 6 to allow the platform ends to be straightened / lengthened and the new throat point work that aligns with the middle tunnel to be made operational
Stage C - Closing P7, 8, 9-11 to allow the platform ends to be widened / lengthened and the new throat point work that aligns with the western tunnel to be made operational
There are other sensible options for splitting those phases so an extra platform is available at any point in time but that leaves 6 stages
Last edited:
edwin_m
Veteran Member
I think you mean the western tunnel in stage C, but I agree something like that is the most likely. Modern station layouts are often designed so that sections can be taken out of use for maintenance with a reduced (Sunday etc) service using the rest of the station.,
malc-c
Member
- Joined
- 1 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 990
Mods: Please feel free to move this post to any previous thread discussing the remodelling of Kings cross if deemed incorrectly placed.
Whilst I was visiting my mother-in-law she gave me a large card envelope which amongst other things contained an A3 publication called "Livewire" which was used to keep customers informed of electrification work and other projects pre internet age. This issue in early 1977 covered the modernisation plans for Kings Cross.
Sadly I don't have an A3 scanner to include the complete article, but though I would post the excellent diagram showing the pre and post 1977 layouts, the latter now currently undergoing remodelling gain
Whilst I was visiting my mother-in-law she gave me a large card envelope which amongst other things contained an A3 publication called "Livewire" which was used to keep customers informed of electrification work and other projects pre internet age. This issue in early 1977 covered the modernisation plans for Kings Cross.
Sadly I don't have an A3 scanner to include the complete article, but though I would post the excellent diagram showing the pre and post 1977 layouts, the latter now currently undergoing remodelling gain
Last edited:
I like this a lot. It might inspire me to add 1977 before and after layouts to my document.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 31,414
I was amazed to find I‘d posted those sketches before - but way back in 2011!
I thought for a moment it was only a couple of years ago, just goes to show how time flies...The site of #12/13 was a loco servicing facility including a turntable suitable for smaller locos as seen on this 1913 OS:
This was replaced by the well known 'Kings Cross Loco' facility near the tunnel portals in the 1920s, built on the site of the old gas works canal basin and including a 70' table suitable for the new pacifics, seen here in the 1950s:
I believe #11 went back in during the 1980s. Operators no doubt quickly regretted removing it in the 77 remodel.
malc-c
Member
- Joined
- 1 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 990
By all means. I was also given loads of maps of North london (possibly the same ones you mention) as my late father-in-law originated from Walthamstow. If I can locate them, and if they have any track layouts applicable to this thread I'll scan them in. Maybe there's a book in the offing here Mark, "The changing face of Kings Cross"
malc-c
Member
- Joined
- 1 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 990
OK, so after a bit of searching I found a map based on the 1871-93 "yard to the mile" OS map. This also had a smaller scale update for 1894-96 which shows considerable expansion, but not the platform layout pre 1977
nlogax
Established Member
Nice find! Great detail there about the old sidings and the curve connections to the Widened lines. Am sure I've seen this before it but it's great to be reminded.
YorksLad12
Established Member
Now... I knew about the connections to what are now Thameslink (you can see the York Road tunnel portal still on approach to that side of the station), now replaced by the Canal Tunnels further north. But I never knew that the platforms in the main shed were numbered the other way around! Guessing that the former suburban platforms are now under what seems to be a car park under perpetual construction (whenever I arrive) or yet more offices?
59CosG95
Established Member
I believe the new 'car park under perpetual construction' is Google's new London HQ. https://www.kingscross.co.uk/google
whoosh
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Sep 2008
- Messages
- 1,373
Offices. Google's London HQ to be precise!
An Inside Look at the Plans for Google's Massive New London Headquarters
Among other amenities, it has a pool and a basketball court.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 31,414
I suspect what might have led to the “car park” stuff is that it was decided to have the service yard for the Kings Cross station complex put underground to allow the air rights to be used. The sloping approach road from York Rd level is hidden within the building alongside the station throat.
These are fascinating. I can lose hours looking at old maps! Note the early layouts at KX and St. P both have very few platform faces under the trainsheds, but plenty of storage roads. I'm sure this was a clever ploy so they could exploit the covered space for secure rolling stock stabling while being able to add more passenger platforms later when services built up and additional carriage storage and servicing facilities became available elsewhere. Note also that originally the Hotel curve had no Kings Cross main station platform at all though it had been added in the 1890s map (there were of course platforms at the met station, which latterly inner suburban Moorgate trains stopped at as well). I think the 1950s NLS map I linked to above is broadly in agreement with the pre-1977 layout diagram. Clearly there are some changes, notably the loco servicing facility, which had been modified for diesels by then, with the turntable removed. THis is the map I am referring to:
YorksLad12
Established Member
Thanks both. I did see Google's name bandied around at some point, but they have offices in Pancras Square already. I must have been confused. So much for Google MapsOffices. Google's London HQ to be precise!
An Inside Look at the Plans for Google's Massive New London Headquarters
Among other amenities, it has a pool and a basketball court.www.inc.com
adamedwards
Member
- Joined
- 4 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 796
Fans of railways and maps will love the National Library of Scotland side by side map:
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sid...1.53254&lon=-0.12363&layers=163&right=BingHyb
In this case 1895ish Kings Cross showing the inside of the train shed next to the modern view. The cursors are linked so you can trace the lines.
I'm sure fans of long lost lines will enjoy tracing them through housing estates.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sid...1.53254&lon=-0.12363&layers=163&right=BingHyb
In this case 1895ish Kings Cross showing the inside of the train shed next to the modern view. The cursors are linked so you can trace the lines.
I'm sure fans of long lost lines will enjoy tracing them through housing estates.
malc-c
Member
- Joined
- 1 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 990
Thanks for the link Adam, I just spent almost a good hour comparing the two
Alan thank you for this is excellent presentation.
For interest at TQ 30305 83961 - give or take a yard or too, is where Kings Cross Cemetery Station stood.
A service was held in the church and then the coffin and attendees could go by private train to New Southgate Brunswick Road Cemetery Chapel which had a siding off the ECML for the purpose.
Most people are aware of the Necropolis station to Brookwood service - but not this one.
Further info at:
For interest at TQ 30305 83961 - give or take a yard or too, is where Kings Cross Cemetery Station stood.
A service was held in the church and then the coffin and attendees could go by private train to New Southgate Brunswick Road Cemetery Chapel which had a siding off the ECML for the purpose.
Most people are aware of the Necropolis station to Brookwood service - but not this one.
Further info at:
The dead bodies service from King’s Cross railway station
Although the necropolis railway at Waterloo Station running out to Surrey is quite well known, its northern counterpart is seemingly largely forgotten...
www.ianvisits.co.uk
Last edited:
thealm
Member
Next closure 5th and 6th September 2020-https://eastcoastupgrade.co.uk/travel-information/
Phillipimo
Member
First concrete pour for the tunnel trackbed complete by the looks of it. Great to see this progressing!
Many thanks @Phillipimo
It would be really helpful if you could copy Twitter stuff to this forum for those of us that don't use that facility.
It would be really helpful if you could copy Twitter stuff to this forum for those of us that don't use that facility.
quantinghome
Established Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2013
- Messages
- 2,264
Guess the designers didn't like the look of the tunnel invert.
Thank you for these pics- good to see progress being made at this time.
On behalf of 'amateurs' like myself I guess you are referring to the fact that the rails are to be laid direct onto this bed of concrete rather than on sleepers. Is that not happening in other places? I can't imagine it is being done in the way it is unless that makes good sense.
Philip Phlopp
Established Member
- Joined
- 31 May 2015
- Messages
- 3,004
Slab track is really rather awesome - saves loads of maintenance, doesn't have the ballast based geometry issues conventional track has, and means you get really nice alignment between track and OLE. It's also nicer to deal with from a drainage standpoint. It buys you a fair number of mm for the OLE too, if tunnel diameter is tight.
AIUI the main down side of slab is needing complete replacement after X decades?
- Status