Kings Cross - Gas Works & Copenhagen Tunnels

[Pullman]

Hi folks,

Does anyone know if the eastern bores of these tunnels are going to be re-opened during the refurbishment of Kings Cross?

Pullman

[Mickey]

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[Pullman]

One of my reasons for asking about the reinstatement of the eastern bores of these tunnels is that my daughter who communtes into Kings X every morning seems to think work is going on inside the disused bores and preparation is in place to reinstate the twin track through the bores. However, as she has little interest in railways and was only relating what she thought she saw, I was hoping someone within this group might know more.

To me it would seem prudent, especially with the refurbishment of Kings Cross and the new Continental Traffic generated at St Pancras International presumably generating more passenger traffic to both stations. Surely this would ease the flow in and out of the Cross.

Pullman

[Bryan]

There was work going on and various vans parked up in the area last week.
But could not see what was happening.

[StevieG]

. [ Edited twice on 01/06/10 to add additional info. ]

Observing from travelling the route several times a week, it seems that both un-tracked (since 1977) eastern bores, and the vacant trackbed in between, have lately been the main works vehicular and plant road traffic access route for construction of the new Platform 0 (pronounced as 'zero') below King's Cross's East Side offices, along with the reconfiguration of the East Sidings for the changed shape of their remaining area between the old York Road platform edge and the new Plat.0 line : The 'roadway' continuing north from Copenhagen along the east side of (the 1970s) Holloway flyover's north ramp, through the easternmost (former Up Goods's) 'arch' of Caledonian Road bridge, along the Up Coal trackbed in front of the old Holloway Cattle Dock platform, and ending at a gateway out into Hornsey Street (a relatively new road, approximately on the site of former Pitt & Scott Co.'s premises).
What continuing vehicle activity there might now be and any additional works to use the eastern bores is uncertain, but there looks today (01/06/10) to be fewer vehicles and plant along that way.

A need for more than the four tracks which currently pass through the other two Gasworks Tunnel bores seems unlikely, as the intent of the ongoing Thameslink Project will see at least some GN line suburban services, instead of using KX, running to/beyond south London via St.Pancras International's 'Thameslink' platforms underground, [ connections for which, new tunnels from the former KX Goods Yard approaches site, beside but higher than, the westernmost line at Belle Isle (present No.1 Slow = 'D' Route), and immediately south of the "HS1" (CTRL) line embankment, have already been formed as part of the underground works which created the SPI Thameslink two-platform subterranean station, opened 09th Dec.2007, which in turn allowed final closure of the King's Cross Thameslink / formerly King's Cross Midland City / King's Cross ('Met.') station, from the early hours of the same date.].

Plat.0 was officially opened on Thursday 20/05/10.
Just as well, as the extra capacity was undoubtedly needed while Plats. 4 & 5 were occupied from before 08.00 on Mon.24th May, to post-p.m. peak on Thurs. 27th May, by two trains in connection with filming, including the presence on the Thursday of a certain red-painted GW steam loco, 5972, beside a sign part-way down plat.4 proclaiming "9 3/4". The train in No.5 was a rake of 'pretendolino'-liveried Mk. IIIs with temporarily blacked-out windows, top and tailed by EWS-liveried 67003 and 67022. A maroon Class 37 loco was also there, but positioned where its number could not be read while plat.3 was also occupied by service trains.

Apparently, plat.0 accommodation is needed so that next 'rebuilding' stages can entail taking one complete platform island out of use at a time for improvement works : Plats. 2 & 3 are the first, from the Bank Hol. weekend just gone.

Micky,
Current NLL work should result in four tracks between (Dalston) Western Jn. and Camden Road East Jn. (what might be done between CRE and Cam.Rd.west end is I believe still under discussion). But phase 2 of the East London line works should mean that when all four are operational west of Dalston, the southern pair (former No.2 lines) will be the extended ELL from the already re-opened Dalston Junction station, to Highbury & Islington station without connection with the No.1s. Then from Highbury to Caledonian Rd.& Barnsbury, 3 'NLL' roads, plus one 2-way transfer line to connect the ELL with the 'NLL' at CR&B ; then four 'NLL' tracks from CR&B to Cam.Rd.E.Jn.

You may be aware that, although the blockade, effectively between Gospel Oak/Camden Jn. (WCML) and Hackney Wick/Lea Jn. ended on Tue.01st June, for whatever reason, the Finsbury Park-Canonbury single line connection is to remain out of use for now : Presumably to 'keep it simple'(?) for the new Camden Road signalling of the remodelled area until Upminster IECC eventually takes charge of it all.

[Mickey]

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[manna]

G'Day Gents

Totally agree there Micky, the old flyover was almost falling down and needed replacing, but the (new electrics 1976) should have been sent through York Rd and the Snow Hill line to South London, now 30 odd years to late there trying to do that.
Any pics of the New platform zero.?

What is on the site of the Milk dock and Hotel curve now??
manna

[giner]

Stevie G: Holy smokes! What you describe in your post re. new routes etc., is making my head spin. For the benefit of us fellas (manna, owd sweedy, myself and others) out in the far reaches of the planet, can you point us to any websites that might have some plans, photos of this ongoing work? It sounds like a pretty massive undertaking.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[StevieG]

Just done a few more 'tweaks' (in bold) to my big 31st May post, in case they help make anything slightly clearer.

Apart from the North London Line, and what happened in the mid-1970s remodelling, there probably aren't that many new rail routes ; the only one I can think of connecting with, or close to, the GN main line, is 'HS1' (the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) which springs out from the up-side cutting side above Belle Isle (just a few yards south of, and lower than, the NLL viaduct), from its mostly under-NLL tunnel from Straford International, then immediately going into/through a sort of enclosed tubular-looking bridge turning towards the south-west as it passes over the GN main line (roughly just above/through the ghosts of Belle Isle Up and Goods & Mineral signal boxes), then onto embankment above part of KX Goods Yard's 'North Yard' as it continuously curves left while descending into St.Pancras's Barlow trainshed.

Summarised changes : For now, just to say : -


- GONE : -

- Passenger Loco
- Milk Yard
- Culross Buildings and Hall
- Hotel Curve Tunnel, North entrance (under concrete)
- entrance building to the 'local station' [plats.9-11 (former 11-13) ]
- glazed canopy over the (for mail/papers/parcels?) courtyard between the local st.entrance building and the west side of the main station

- All buildings between the west side of KX Main line and local station, and Pancras Road (except the 'German Gym', and the listed Gt.Northern Hotel building, which will remain when all work is finished) ; including the parcels (& the long-gone port cochere that joined it to the old booking office entrance), BRSA Club, Wellers Court buildings, most of Cheney Street, and all except a small section (next to Pancras Road) of the Stanley Buildings tenements.

- Plats. 1-8 footbridge (except its piers, all still in situ)
- southern cobbled roadway slope down from York Way towards 'the Cab Road' under the East Side Offices (which is now Plat. 0)

One thing that might be considered good news - After 60-ish years, the old 'bomb gap' in the West Side Offices is getting new construction to fill it (presumably office-type accommodation).


Hope to do a fuller response to any other queries in due course, though don't positively know of any worthwhile websites to demonstrate this stuff (that's not to say that none exist), although occasionally latest plans have featured in such as Rail, and Modern Railways mags.

[manna]

G'Day Gents
When I worked at the Cross to many years ago I would sometimes miss my train to work and would have to drive the car to work, I nearly always parked it by the milkdock, and walked over the cobblestoned road back the the station, it's hard to imagine that area has been razed to the ground.
manna

[Mickey]

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[PGBerrie]

I've just been looking at KX on Google Maps - you can see some vans in front of the tunnel. I can't remember exactly when I was there last - I only know that the first thing they did when they started redeveloping the area was to remove the best fish & chip shop in London from underneath the St Pancras arches.

Peter

[StevieG]

Was that (seemingly) italian family-run 'The Railway Cafe'(?, I think) ; under the east side of the station, about 2/3 way up Pancras Road towards the station's north end (and the locked gateway further end that led to the slope up to the cab road bbetween platforms 5 & 6) ?

I worked at Pancras for a year 1971-2 ; ate lunch in there every weekday. Smashing !

[52D]

Ive had my lunch in that cafe as well it was a damn good value for money place.