wrote:

In article
,
(Mizter T) wrote:

On 26 Jan, 00:35, "John Salmon" wrote:
Surprisingly, I don't think this has been posted here yet...

Posters displayed at King's Cross indicate that the entrance to the
Underground from within the main line station concourse - the one more
or less opposite platform 7 - which seems to have been there for
ever, at least within my recollection, is to close permanently from
next Sunday, 1st February.

Intriguing. I've found this information on the TfL website:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/proj....aspx#entrance

---quote---
Entrance closure - 1 February 2009

The staircase that leads from within King's Cross mainline station to
the Underground will be closed permanently from 1 February 2009.

This closure is to enable a lift to be installed to provide step-free
access from the ticket hall to the Northern line platforms.

This staircase will not re-open, but a new route between King's Cross
mainline and the Underground will open nearby when the new Northern
ticket hall opens in 2010.

Until then, passengers should use the main entrance staircase and lift
located outside of King's Cross mainline station, to change between
rail and Underground services.
---/quote---

In time the whole focus of King's Cross station is shifting from the
present concourse over to the new western concourse, which will open
in 2011/ 2012 - in this context the closure of this staircase makes
rather more sense. I'm not really all that clued up on the
redevelopment of the station, but it seems as though the new northern
Tube ticket hall will become the primary entrance to the Underground
from the mainline station.

This Network Rail webpage provides a rough outline as to the plans,
but there's not really enough detail in it:
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4059.aspx

The focus shifting nonsense is a right PITA for real users because it
means considerably longer walking routes and the complete lack of a
covered route to the Underground in the meantime. Why they don't at least
put up a temporary awning on the King's Cross forecourt is beyond me but
even that route is a long way round from all the King's ross platforms to
the Victoria Line. Just encourages me always to use my bike.


"This focus shifting nonsense" is basically the bedrock of the
redevelopment plans for King's Cross mainline station, which will
entail the concourse being relocated to the western side of the
station.

By the by I was mistaken when I said the new northern Tube ticket hall
would become the primary entrance from the mainline station - there
will in fact be an entrance to the existing circular ticket hall via a
passageway from the new western concourse. This walking route will be
a bit longer, but nothing major. The motivation behind the new western
concourse is to provide a less cramped, more spacious station for
passengers.

Regarding the current arrangement - once the entrance to the Tube
station in the middle of the current concourse shuts, there won't as
you say be a completely covered route - but it's almost completely
covered. Look at this bird's eye view - the building with the 'King's
Cross' label imposed on it is actually the (fairly) new wide stairway
entrance down into the Tube station. The actual distance between that
and the existing canopy is pretty miniscule (the temporary structure
that appears in between them is no longer there).

Regarding the arrangement encouraging you to use your bike - well,
some might well say good, nothing wrong with that, in fact it should
be positively encouraged - for a start people opting to go by bike
take some pressure off the Tube network. Though you should perhaps
note that the small lack of cover from the sky between the mainline
station and the Tube entrance somewhat pales into insignificance
compared with the lack of cover provided when cycling, what with it
being out in the open and all that.


I note that the footbridge in the main trainshed was scheduled to be
removed over Christmas - I haven't been into KX lately so can't say if
this happened or not. It was fun walking over it when it was still
open, it was a distinctly forgotten corner of the station. It only
gave access to platforms 1 and 8 - was this always the case? I also
note that it's being/been taken into storage - any ideas for a new
home for it?

It went alright. It's even reported in the latest Modern Railways (I
think, could be Railway Magazine).


OK, thanks for the info,