London Regional Transport Cleaning Services Manager

[ModernRailways]

Hello!

I've had something bug me for a while about the London Regional Transport Cleaning Services Manager building near Kings Cross and tonight I finally got round to doing some digging. I can't seem to find any information whatsoever with regards to this. I'd love to know what's in there as it seems to be a right state on the outside. If anyone knows or has any idea, I'd be more than grateful!

Here's the image of the link above (click for bigger)


Thanks!

Edit: It's right on top of the former Kings Cross Thameslink station too, but it looks like it pre-dates that being there.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's the former entrance to the Met/Circle platforms that used to be at that location, (it was a shared rail/underground station with four platforms pre-war). The underground station was resited west to the current location in front of St Pancras I think in about 1940 or so. You can still see the remains of the 'inner rail' platform from an LU train as you pass the back of the redundant former Thameslink down platform, this now covers most of the width of the LU side of the island.

The fascia is obviously showing long out of date information, but I think the doorway and stairs are still a maintained escape route from the LU side.

Some pics of the former Kings Cross underground station here, this is the second page of two that covers the station, but it includes the surface entrance: http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Kings_Cross_station_2.html

 

[ModernRailways]

It's the former entrance to the Met/Circle platforms that used to be at that location, (it was a shared rail/underground station with four platforms pre-war). The underground station was resited west to the current location in front of St Pancras I think in about 1940 or so. You can still see the remains of the 'inner rail' platform from an LU train as you pass the back of the redundant former Thameslink down platform, this now covers most of the width of the LU side of the island.

The fascia is obviously showing long out of date information, but I think the doorway and stairs are still a maintained escape route from the LU side.

Some pics of the former Kings Cross underground station here, this is the second page of two that covers the station, but it includes the surface entrance: http://www.abandonedstations.org.uk/Kings_Cross_station_2.html

Thanks for that! Seems really interesting, seems odd that the fascia is showing such old information and nothing to seem to relate to a Modern day Underground, it hasn't even been painted over or anything!

Was there ever any plans to reopen it when the Kings Cross Thameslink station was open as it would have provided a good interchange with Thameslink, much like Farringdon! Now with St Pancras Thameslink it wouldn't be as good a location and so would have likely been moved/closed.

The Kings Cross Circle/Met/H&C platforms do seem rather new at Kings Cross? Is this because the station was given a massive overhaul after the fire or has it been more recent!

 

[swt_passenger]

I expect the possibility was thought of but quickly discounted as the stations would be just too close, but I also think the previous LU station would have been completely overwhelmed if they'd attempted to use it as an interchange between Thameslink and LU - the down Thameslink platform was seriously undersized for safe use anyway, at only about 2m wide at the south end (towards Farringdon) even without sharing its capacity with eastbound Circle/H&C/Met. Of course it couldn't be rebuilt at that site because of the proximity to tunnels - which is really why the new Thameslink station, designed for 12 car trains, had to be eventually built.

The current LU station in front of St Pancras was given a massive upgrade (opened May or June 2006 IIRC) just in time for the opening of HS1 to St Pancras, with its newly built western ticket hall, and the 'paid side' access between there and the tube ticket hall (Vic/Picc/Nthn lines) being provided at the same time.

 

[transmanche]

Was there ever any plans to reopen it when the Kings Cross Thameslink station was open as it would have provided a good interchange with Thameslink, much like Farringdon! Now with St Pancras Thameslink it wouldn't be as good a location and so would have likely been moved/closed.

No, the old platforms are too close to the current platforms - only 400yds away.

In any event, King's Cross Thameslink (or King's Cross Midland City, as it was when it opened) wasn't really a 'new' station; it was built in exactly the same location as the previous platforms served by trains on the Widened Lines. (That is trains from the MML to Moorgate until about 1978 and previously also by trains coming off the GN until about 1976).

So in effect, the SSL trains moved away to give better interchange with the deep tube lines. And the mainline trains have carried on serving the Widened Lines platforms ever since - except for breaks for reconstruction.

This is what the Widened Lines platforms looked like in 1976 (before reconstruction) - you can see a Met/Circle line train passing.

Source: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/k/kings_cross_thameslink/index71.shtml

The Disused Stations site has lots more photos of the Widened Lines platforms.

The Kings Cross Circle/Met/H&C platforms do seem rather new at Kings Cross? Is this because the station was given a massive overhaul after the fire or has it been more recent!

Page 1 of the Abandoned Stations link that swt_passenger gave shows some good comparison shots of the SSL platforms before and after the 2006 changes.

 

[ModernRailways]

Thanks both! Really nice to find out about this kind of thing! Quite odd seeing just how much it has changed in 50 years!