The Kings Cross Extension Comes Down
This must be one of the most satisfying jobs in London.
Knocking down the awful 1970s extension to Kings Cross station is a demolition job with a real purpose.
Changing At Brussels
Coming back, I changed at Brussels.
The signage is very confusing and resulted in my walking up and down several times before I found the new Channel Terminal, which doesn’t feature on the signs. There was no-one to ask either.
The new terminal was rather poor with only limited sit-down toilets for men and rather tired furniture. Hopefully, it’s just part way through completion.
It was also not improved by the most obese member of the UK Border Force, I’ve ever seen. A real advert for the UK,
A Trip To Barkingside
From its Wikipedia entry Barkingside station seems to be a rather nice one. It says this.
Barkingside station is a “Grade II” listed building, marking it as a structure of architectural significance. Probably designed under the direction of W. N. Ashbee, the GER architect, it is dominated by a substantial brick building, surmounted by a cupola. The interior is notable for the fine hammerbeam roof to the ticket hall. Both platforms retain the ornate canopies with the “GER” initials still visible in the bracketry.
So I went to have a look.
There doesn’t seem to be much near to the station though and I couldn’t even get a coffee. But it is a rather charming little station. The only thing it needs to make it better is roaring coal fires in the waiting rooms.
Meeting A Friend At Kings Cross
On Monday, I met a friend, who was travelling from Edinburgh to her daughter’s in Buckinghamshire. A few years ago, this would have been difficult, but now we met and walked into St. Pancras for supper before taking a taxi to Marylebone.
The pictures show the new ticket hall.
We could have ate in any number of places in King’s Cross, including the excellent Leon, whereas a few years ago, it would have just been sandwiches.
The one problem with meeting someone is that as the arrivals area is not finished yet, there is no obvious place to wait. But that will hopefully be sorted when the 1960s extension has been consigned to the dustbin.
London has two of the finest stations in the world sitting side-by-side on Euston Road. It all makes Euston, which is just up the road even more of a dump.
One of the ironies of all of this rebuilding, is that in ten years time, I suspect I’ll think that King’s Cross will be the better station, as it is growing into a superb fusion of the old and the modern. But then I always have a soft spot for Kings Cross as I can remember the A4 Gresley Pacifics in the station. These must be the most iconic steam engines ever produced in the UK.
Is This One Of The Worst Stations In The UK?
There are two things that really despress me in stations; steep staircases and poor lighting. Bordesley station had both.
I actually tripped and fell into the train taking me back to the centre of Birmingham.
The Remains Of The Old Kings Cross Station
Last night, as I arrived from Hull, to get to the buses and the Underground, I walked through the remains of that masterpiece of 1970s crap architecture, the retail extension to Kings Cross station.
It looks even sadder now, as it awaits demolition. Will anybody miss it?
What Do We Do With The Henry Moore?
Tower Hamlets council have a problem about what to do with a Henry Moore sculpture that they own. It’s all here on the BBC.
In some ways, the problem has been brought on, by the success of public statues. Look at most big stations these days and they have large sculptures. St. Pancras has two. So there are a lot of them about and because many are made from valuable bronze, they are just too tempting for thieves. But I’ve never heard of one being nicked in even a moderately-sized railway station, as the security is just too high. Or even it actually isn’t high, railway stations tend to be busy places with a good mobile phone signal and someone would probably call the police.
So perhaps, one of the first places to place a valuable statue is in a suitable railway station. but there are only four stations in Tower Hamlets. Only Shoreditch High Street station would probably be large enough. But it would probably be impossible to place a very heavy sculpture now, the station is built.
So it’s a real problem.
A practical idea might be to keep it indoors in a special museum, paid for by the money, that would otherwise be used for insurance. I have a feeling that some of the famous statues in Florence and other places in Italy have been moved indoors, not to protect them from vandals and thieves but the weather. This happened to Michaelangelo’s statue of David.
But whatever happens, we must make sure it is not stolen and melted down.
The Future’s Bright, The Future’s Orange
The London Overground is starting to show its true colours and design philosophy. I took these pictures at Camden Road station today.
In some way the designs differ to those at Crystal Palace station, but then that station is a Grade 2 Listed building and bright orange would not have been an authentic choice.
St. Pancras, Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley Stations
St. Pancras and Kings Cross stations sit above one of the biggest Underground stations in London; Kings Cross St. Pancras. Over the last few years, the moles have been burrowing deep under and between the stations to make the access between all three stations, accessible for those in wheel-chairs and with heavy cases. It’s not perfect, especially, if you want to make a quick transfer to an Underground line, but it’s a lot better than it was.
Edinburgh Waverley has always been difficult for passengers, unless you arrive and leave in a taxi, as walking up the famous Waverley Steps has not been easy for anybody with a mobility problem. Network Rail are improving the station, by glazing the enormous roof properly with clear glass to get more light into the station and installing lifts to improve disabled access. You’d think the installation of lifts would be welcomed, but I was surprised to read this article in the Edinburgh Guide. Here’s an extract.
Two 16-person lifts now descend to Waverley from the roof of the Princes Mall. Also, as part of the “Waverley Steps Improvement Project” a new covered step and escalator access has been put in between Princes Street and the north entrance to Waverley station.
“The ‘Windy Steps’ have been given a vital upgrade and are now accessible and convenient for all passengers,” said David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, of the “stylish and bright” new entrance.
Personally, I liked it the way things were. Trudging up and down the broad staircase of the well-worn stone slabs of Waverley Steps, there was a sense of walking in the footsteps of millions of travellers before me.
Lifts and escalators leave me cold. The building materials have little of the traditional quality or aesthetic of Edinburgh’s New Town and Old Town architecture. The machinery usually requires large amounts of energy (more CO2 emissions), seeing as they are running all day.
They are, frankly, utilitarian and ugly.
That gives me the impression, that they think things should have been left the way they are.
I travel extensively by train and if you look at Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle, Sheffield and London Paddington and Waterloo, all have been or are being upgraded to improve the passenger experience.
I suppose the writer would perhaps prefer Edinburgh Waverley to revert to diesel or even steam power for the trains, as they are more in keeping with the history of Edinburgh.
The New Lifts At Hackney Central Station
The lifts at Hackney Central station are now complete and working.
As they are made by Stannah, I hope they’re not just for the elderly?
You’ll notice too, that it wasn’t raining this morning, when I took the pictures. Usually it rains hard, when I catch a train at this station.
The Anonymous Widower 