Changes Kings Cross to Wood Green since 1963

[Mickey]

Question is platform 0 (ZERO) that stumpy little platform on the east side of the station?.

[StevieG]

Question is platform 0 (ZERO) that stumpy little platform on the east side of the station?.

Depends what you mean by 'stumpy' Mickey.
If you mean the short one right beside the tunnel end of No.1, beside the two-storey building that used to have the Yard Inspector's office in the front corner and the cobbled slope down to Platform level behind it, and often used to have the 'thunderbird' standby/rescue loco stood there in the East Sidings - the answer's 'No'.

If you mean the full Class 91 + Mk.IV 'Inter-City'/GNER/NXEC/DOR/LNER train-length extra platform that was constructed under the East Side offices by converting the old Cab road (that was used by Post Office vans etc.), which thereby cut off the bottom of that cobbled slope, but is about one or two coach lengths shorter than No.1 - then 'Yes'.

[Mickey]

I have heard about the so called Platform 0 (Zero) for several years now Stevie but never knew anything about it. I recently saw a panoramic picture of Kings Cross in recent times and what looked like a short platform on the east side arrival side which I assumed was the so called Platform 0 but by your description it sounds like it is where the standby loco was usually stabled.

[StevieG]

Plat. 0 was officially opened in May 2010 Mickey.

Hopefully this pic,
from https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-n ... o-17524207,
will show it to you, looking north from close to its buffer stop :

So this used to be the 'Cab road', with the East Side offices directly above; Plat.1 and its bracketed clock are just on the other side of the columns on the left, and York Way is on the other side of the wall on the right.

[Mickey]

Thanks for posting the photograph Stevie I see what you mean regarding the old east side platform no.1 that in my time was usually full of BRUTES and sacks of post and parcels along with the old cab road that was behind it which is now platform 0 (Zero) that's interesting. I have no reason to go into the station these days although I pass it occasionally on a bus but the whole station looks like a 'alien environment' to me these days compared to what I remember it being like 50+ years ago.

[jwealleans]

I don't go back as far as you, Mickey and I've only ever used the place as a pax (except one night in the BRSA club which was a bit of an eye opener to a 13 year old) but it is changed for the better IMO. The semi circular atrium on the side is a hell of a feature and the statue of Sir Nigel a long overdue tribute.

That said if I have a long wait I go across the road as there are more seats and better eateries in St. Pancras.

[Mickey]

I don't go back as far as you, Mickey and I've only ever used the place as a pax (except one night in the BRSA club which was a bit of an eye opener to a 13 year old) but it is changed for the better IMO. The semi circular atrium on the side is a hell of a feature and the statue of Sir Nigel a long overdue tribute.

The long lamented Kings Cross BRSA club that stood opposite St Pancras station yeah I had some good nights in that place back in 1974-75 with a pint of bitter costing the princely sum of £0.14p!!. Then after 4 or 5 pints taking a 50 yards walk out of the BRSA club along the pavement to 'next door' and having a few jars in the long gone Russell pub as well.

That said if I have a long wait I go across the road as there are more seats and better eateries in St. Pancras.

I use to like using the British Rail buffet on the old no.10 platform at the bottom of the staircase to the long gone footbridge back in the early 1970s with the guy who was the 'chef' in the place looking like the guy Carlos Rafael who was in the television series Crossroads back in the 1960s and who use to cook either sausage, egg & chips or cod, peas & chips most days washed down with British Rail tea all for £1.25p.

Those were the days...

[kudu]

Kings Cross is only one of several stations to acquire a Platform 0, including Doncaster on the ECML. But I am wondering what will happen if two extra platforms are ever required. Into negative territory? As for the Harry Potter platform, since it isn't real it should have been numbered Platform i. But youthful readers wouldn't appreciate this as I doubt imaginary numbers are on the GCSE syllabus. And I presume at Hogwarts they mostly do spelling.

Kudu

[Mickey]

Kings Cross is only one of several stations to acquire a Platform 0, including Doncaster on the ECML. But I am wondering what will happen if two extra platforms are ever required. Into negative territory?

No doubt the new platform(s) would be 'numbered' platform 00 and platform 000?.