Wires In The Canal Tunnels
It would appear that the Canal Tunnels have now got overhead wires to connect it to the East Coast Main Line. If you want to know more about this important but forgotten part of London’s rail infastructure, read this page on Network Rail’s web site.
So it looks like the work that caused the chaos at Christmas is substantially complete. In a document on the Carillion web site, it says that the work will be complete by May 2015.
I took this series of pictures early today, which is looking to be a clear sunny one, from a rather dirty Class 313 train going from Finsbury Park to Kings Cross Stations.
The Problems At Kings Cross
When I was at Kings Cross station early this morning, I asked a guy from the Information Desk, if the problem was with the Canal Tunnels, which will connect Thameslink to the East Coast Main Line, and which I photographed in this post. He said that the problem was in that area.
Network Rail have said they have had some sort of equipment failure. Where the work is being done, is a very critical area.
Incidentally, once Thameslink opens this will build quite a few alternative routes and destinations into the system. For example, if Kings Cross couldn’t be used for some reason, the Thameslink route could be used to shuttle passengers to Peterborough.
Before Thameslink opens, it strikes me that they could have told passengers to go to Cambridge from Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale, from where they would provide a coach to Peterborough. This option has been used before, when there has been overhead line problems.
In the longer term, I think it is important that as many diversionary routes as possible are electrified and cleared to be able to handle the largest trains. With today’s problems, if Ely to Peterborough had been electrified, GreaterAnglia could have used some of their 12-car Class 379 trains to extend the Liverpool Street to Cambridge service to Peterborough.
It’s An Ill Wind
I always take opportunity of any situation that fate presents me.
Today, I woke to the news that due to overrunning engineering works, no trains would be running into Kings Cross station.
So I had a quick bath and before it was light, I was on my way to the station to see if there were any opportunities for some decent photos.
I took a few pictures of the deserted station, but as the shops and restaurants were open, I was able to do my food shopping in Marks and Spencer and have an excellent breakfast in Leon, without having to share the calm with too many other people.
It was all a bit surreal and summed up when a Japanese tourist asked me where the Harry Potter platform was. He even got to see that properly,almost by himself.
The littleWaitrose In Kings Cross Station Opens On Tuesday
Kings Cross station is becoming the model of an upmarket food and shopping destination for a railway station.
On Tuesday, the new littleWaitrose opens, to join a good Marks and Spencer, a pretty good pub and a Leon, which probably does the best gluten-free fast food in Europe. The new shop is handy for the trains and the Underground.
So when I arrive back in London after a trip from the North East or Scotland, I’ll certainly be able to pick up supper at either the new shop or M&S. Competition must improve both stores.
I posted some time ago about Network Rail’s policy on stations and it looks like we’re seeing the fruits of that revolution.
The Back Passage At Kings Cross St. Pancras
A new passage has opened up on Kings Boulevard, which lets you by-pass the crowds going to and from Granary Square, by linking you directly to the subway that goes under Pancras Road
it is certainly magnitudes better than some subways on the Underground.
Kings Cross Station Is Almost Finished
As this picture shows Kings Cross station and the news square in front is almost finished.
Kings Cross Station Is Almost Finished
Compare it with the picture shown in this post, which was taken a year ago.
Note how the two ventilation towers have been clad to make them much less hideous.
Lights, Fun, Action At Kings Cross
I heard of this art installation in the Standard, so I went to Kings Cross station to have a look.
It’s certainly fun! It’s part of the arts program at Kings Cross and is called Identified Flying Object. This page gives more details.
It should win an award for the most innovative use of LED ropelights.
However, I do feel there is a case for someone to be on the swing in the middle covered in a few more ropelights or perhaps some photo-luminescent paint.
The possibilities are endless!
New Buses for London On The Euston Road
The route 390 from Archway to Notting Hill Gate from this morning is using New Buses for London.
These pictures were taken on the Euston Road, in the vicinity of Kings Cross and St. Pancras stations, which now have a bus to compliment their own good design.
If you wan t to go in the Archway direction, you will just walk onto Kings Cross Square and pick up the bus along Euston Road. To go to Oxford Street and Notting Hill Gate, you need to cross the road.
I think that when they’ve finished the building work, it will be a lot better than it is at present.
Kings Cross In The Morning
I started my trip to Edinburgh at Kings Cross by getting the 09:00 to the city.
Kings Cross In The Morning
I took this picture from the lift, that took me from the overbridge to the my train on Platform 1.
A guy with me, said he had been one of the engineers, who worked on the cleaning of the roof. He said, they got enough pigeon muck to power the country for several months.
No Directions To Kings Cross Square
I took a Piccadilly line train to Kings Cross today, from where I got a 30 bus to my home.
But there were no signs to the Kings Cross Square and the buses that stop alongside.
The interchange is working well and if I’m coming home on a Piccadilly line train say from Heathrow, I now surface at Kings Cross station and get a 30 bus home or a 73 to the Angel, where I change at the same stop to the 38 for home. It solves the problems of the lack of Underground stations in my area of Hackney.
This interchange will get better, when the second entrance to the Underground opens and the bus routes in the area are improved. The 390 for instance is getting New Buses for London.
Today, the big light was on too, so I was able to bathe in its warmth, as I waited for my bus.
Obviously, not everybody has an energy problem!
The Anonymous Widower 