Kings Cross Departures

[Mick Sterbs]

No wonder the 'King's Cross' so and I :-x It is bad enough that it's such a long walk to the Victoria line from the main line when walking is difficult which is no one's fault but what a shambles they make of platform information. On Tuesday 29th at 18:10 no one knew what platform the 18:14 for Cambridge would leave from. My wife cannot walk far nor stand for long and I was anxious to get her sat down. Big mistake I asked a 'suit' He sent us to platform 9. The very helpful young lady there explained that 9 was too short to take such a long train and suggested that we consult the Departures Board. which apparently she has to do. So back we went again. Hooray platform 6. Now we stand like chumps waiting for the doors to open (at about 18:14)
Is it too much for them to run Arrivals/Departures boards like the airports. I am sorry now that we did not take the coach to Victoria.
Grump over.

 

[bb21]

The 1814 forms off the 1805 arrival, which pulled into King's Cross at 1808 on the 29th. It is not always possible to announce the platform in advance of the inbound service arriving, in case of a last-minute platform change. If that had been a switch from, say, 1 to 10, you would end up with masses of commuters all rushing at the same time, which is a massive safety hazard.

Once the train arrives at King's Cross, they would have to allow time for passengers onboard to disembark safely, and for necessary pre-departure preparations to be done (eg. by the train presentation team), which may explain the small delay. Unfortunately this is about par for modern day living, especially during peak times, where trains have very short turnarounds, and any small delay coming in can have a knock-on effect on the next few services on the same diagram.

The obvious solution is to avoid travelling in the high peaks if you can, as it is a bit of a "survival of the fittest" scenario on commuter services during those periods. If you must travel then, you may wish to consider utilising tools such as realtimetrains which show booked platform allocations at certain stations, such as King's Cross. Obviously be mindful that there is always the possibility of last-minute platform changes.

 

[30907]

It is only fair to point out that services were seriously disrupted that evening (according to RTT). In those circumstances you don't announce a train until you know it is a definite runner as well as being sure of which platform it's at.

This is pretty much what happens at airports too (he says, having endured a delayed flight on Monday).

 

[Red Dragon]

No wonder the 'King's Cross' so and I :-x It is bad enough that it's such a long walk to the Victoria line from the main line when walking is difficult ............

I regularly transfer from the Mainline to the Victoria Line, and vice versa, by using "The Old Ticket Hall".

The shortest route I've found is to exit the mainline platforms 0-8 by going straight ahead, onto the new concourse which is called Kings Cross Square.

You will then see two entrances to the tube on your right, walk to the furthest one, nearest Euston Rd, and take the lift or steps.

If using the steps, turn right at the bottom and right again and go through the barriers to the Victoria Line. If using the lift, go to the lowest level and go through the barriers.
You'll then see the escalator to the Victoria at 2-o-clock. This avoids a huge detour via the New Ticket Halls.

When coming back to Kings Cross on the Victoria Line get in the rear most car (8 of 8) if Northbound or the front car 1 of 8 if the tube is Southbound, and you'll see the exit next to your carriage when you get off at Kings Cross.

Hope this helps avoid the King feeling cross at King's Cross !

This might help with the orientation; - https://tomhalltravel.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/king-cross-upgrade-map2.gif

PS The signage is designed to take passengers away from the Old Ticket Hall where the terrible fire took place, and direct them via the wider circulation space in The New Ticket Hall.

 

[fandroid]

I suspect that you don't use Heathrow Airport! It is policy there not to announce the gate until the last minute. Pushing through the crowds from one end of Terminal 5 to the other is just as likely to make the king cross!

At Kings Cross, it's advisable to take the lift up to the mezzanine level where a seat should be available and the departure boards are very visible. Then it's a direct level walk along to the bridge over the platforms and an escalator or lift ride down to the platform.

 

[Red Dragon]

My wife cannot walk far nor stand for long and I was anxious to get her sat down...... and suggested that we consult the Departures Board.

Mick - When you get to King's X with your wife, having taken the shorter route from the Victoria Line, take the escalator to the mezzanine level which overlooks the departure boards. There are tables and chairs here and there is no obligation to buy refreshments, but refreshments are available from the various outlets on the mezzanine floor. There are loos too, with level access.

If you don't have access to Real Time Trains on your phone, then take a seat and wait for your platform to come up on the Departure Board in front of you.

When your train's platform is announced stay on that level and go to the North end of the mezzanine. Here you go through a small ticket barrier which leads to a small bridge and then down the escalator or lift to your platform.

The bridge is known to railwaymen as the Handyside Bridge after Andrew Handyside of Derby, the suppliers of the original cast iron bridge, and gives you access half way up the platforms (0 to 8) and so you get ahead of the madding crowd.

I used the original cast iron bridge many times to visit the old BR offices above what is now Platform 0, when I was working.

Hopefully this should make your journey much easier. Good Luck.

 

[bb21]

The advice to use the footbridge is an excellent suggestion, may I add.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yup the bridge is definitely a good idea. It does seem to be attracting more people these days but is still much quieter than the main gateline. There is actually a departure board right by the bridge gateline so you could (and indeed some people do) wait right by it if you don't have access to RTT or similar.

 

[jopsuk]

Kings Cross is usually good at providing timely platform information. Disruption changes that

 

[Haywain]

Great Northern services sometimes double up on platform usage, which can lead to late display of platform numbers if the departures are only a few minutes apart. This means that relying on the platform number from RTT could mean you find a train boarding that doesn't actually go where you want to be going, so take care!

 

[Mick Sterbs]

Too much good advice to draw on individual quotes so thanks to all but in particular Red Dragon. Diolch yn fawr.
Best of all I let off steam and feel much better for it.

 

[Haywain]

When your train's platform is announced stay on that level and go to the North end of the mezzanine. Here you go through a small ticket barrier which leads to a small bridge and then down the escalator or lift to your platform.

This advice only applies if the train is departing from platforms 0 to 8. For 9 - 11 you need to go back down to ground level at the north end of the mezzanine.

The bridge is known to railwaymen as the Handyside Bridge after Andrew Handyside of Derby, the suppliers of the original cast iron bridge...

Interesting. I have never heard it referred to in that way despite a significant time working at Kings Cross.

 

[philjo]

This advice only applies if the train is departing from platforms 0 to 8. For 9 - 11 you need to go back down to ground level at the north end of the mezzanine.

You can get to Platform 9 by going down the escalator and walking along platform 8.
I usually go that way - my train generally goes from 9 and there is another train 1 minute earlier from 10 but as both get announced at the same time there is a mass stampede for the barriers to 9-11.
This evening I walked across the bridge and had platform 8 to myself avoiding the crush. (& the upper level barriers were open)

I am now suspicious when the plafrom is announced 25+ minutes before departure and there is no train in the platform. I have experienced a few times not that the boards (& RTT) say platform 9 about 25 mins before departure. no train in sight. about 10 mins before departure RTT now tells me it is platform 11 or 2 etc (at the front end of 9 you cannot hear any platform alteration announcements made).
I think last week many of the passengers who had got on to a train on 9 that changed at the last minute ended up on the stopper instead of the semi-fast as the services had switched platforms with each other after they had originally gone up on the board.

 

[Haywain]

You can get to Platform 9 by going down the escalator and walking along platform 8.

You can, but this would be unhelpful advice for someone who "cannot walk very far", as it is very much the long way round.