Kings Cross - New station

[stut]

The NR site is now saying that cycle storage is "West Yard, opp platform 9-11". Any idea where this is?

 

[Lee_Again]

So... after many years in the making I got my first glimpse today (a not totally unsurprised 1 day early). I have to say that first impressions are very, very impressive. Much more space and the retail units are significantly improved.

Normally I'm straight on the tube and the whole arrivals/departure flows looks like it will work well. Word of caution, though. Today I was taking the kids for a spin on HS1 and wanted to 'cut thru' to the exit by 9/10/11. A bit frustrated that I had to leave by the front then walk back around to the main entrance. Not good. And not good for those arriving wishing to catch a north bound train. There were no entry barriers at all in to the main waiting area from the platforms.

And for those coming in via York Way...well, I guess you'll start you own grumbles soon but I fear the worst. York Way to Platform 0 equals 25m, or nearer 250m by the advertised route.

 

[Anonywave]

Presumably to keep the pigeons away.

lika at morden?

 

[swt_passenger]

And for those coming in via York Way...well, I guess you'll start you own grumbles soon but I fear the worst. York Way to Platform 0 equals 25m, or nearer 250m by the advertised route.

Many grumbles about York Way already appear on previous pages of this thread. You're by no means the first...

 

[jon0844]

I wonder how many people with perfectly valid tickets will try and jump the glass/perspex wall near to platform 8?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

The NR site is now saying that cycle storage is "West Yard, opp platform 9-11". Any idea where this is?

There are still the old bike racks between plat 0 and 1, refurbished racks on plat 8 beyond the new access bridge but before the RailGourmet depot, and also on plat 9, in a corresponding position to those on 8.

Here is a picture of the racks on Plat 8 :-

and here is the first bike to use the refurbed racks on plat 8 :-


Here's the new concourse :-



and the new Parcels Shed bar and restaurant :-

 

[jon0844]

I haven't been in the Parcels Shed yet (but did see it from outside).. is it as nice as the Betjeman Arms?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

.. is it as nice as the Betjeman Arms?

I'd say better, a lot better, but that is both a matter of taste and based on a single experience on an un-announced preview and trial day.

The staff were very friendly, there are lots of ideosyncratic railway references, lots of traditional opening sash windows (but departing HSTs are inaudible if any one is speaking), clean, pleasant and elegant toilets, there are plenty power sockets and lots and lots of space, quiet corners and chairs of many descriptions.
Food prices are what I would call high, but not a-typical of any captive market in Central London.

 

[GNER 91128]

What are the prices like in The Parcel Yard?

Have they got Honeydew on the pumps?

Any info please Dave?

 

[yorkie]

The prices were not cheap. I got a round of 3 drinks, one of which was a half-pint and it came to £9.98. (No idea on Honeydew).

-
It's not clear to me if the York Road exit will be enforced as 'exit only in the sense of preventing people accessing the retail units (and using the old concourse as a cut-through). Or if they mean 'exit only' in the sense of not being able to access the platforms directly.

Earlier today, if you said you are getting a train they try to persuade you to go a long way round. If you said you are not, you can then enter the concourse. You then have no main departure screen available at all, however if your train happens to be on platforms 1-8 and is ready for boarding you will be able to see the individual screen for each platform. There are a small number of gates that do allow entry.

If they set all the front gates to exit-only then they are just inconveniencing people for the sake of trying to get them to go and visit the new shops!

Photos by Paul Corfield:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24759744@N02/

 

[Clip]

Have to remember to move/replace them every now and then, or the Pigeons will cotton on.

Dunno about that. the one on the jubilee line platforms at canning town have been there for an age. No pigeons.

Though we loved it at the cross when they got the hawk in of a night to scare them off..

 

[DaveNewcastle]

What are the prices like in The Parcel Yard?

Have they got Honeydew on the pumps?

Any info please Dave?

I can echo Yorkie's comment that they are not cheap, but I'm sorry to say I was not taking note of the drinks' prices. The food prices were a little off-putting, but a quick consideration of the other options in the immediate viscinity might have persuaded me (though I'm quite fond of some of the smaller local italian restaurants which are not exessively expensive.

Most of the hand-pump beers were London beers (Fullers, I think) and I was slightly surprised that tey have capitalised very strongly on their heritage as a national hub, but disregarded that national heritage in their selection of drinks. I noticed one mild real ale, which was the only non-London brew on offer.
I might look again next week if I have time. I guess others who live in the south might be able to advise sooner than I can.

 

[Bungle73]

It's a Fullers pub, so it's no surprise that most/all of the beers are Fullers ones.

One thing I'll miss about the old concourse is being able to wander up and down platform 8 next to the trains.

 

[jon0844]

It all looks rather good. I will be going in tomorrow to have a good look around.

 

[mailman]

So...are we all in love with the new, improved Kings Cross station this morning people? I did manage to score me some celebratory chocolate eggs. Might put them on Ebay later today if they survive that long

All in all though...what an improvement! That station is now wonderful and is so far removed from the depressing state it was in for so long.

Im actually looking forward to getting to Kings Cross now

Regards

Mailman

 

[jon0844]

I've still got a bottle of red wine from FCC! And some Wagn first-class antimacassars that I stole!

 

[swt_passenger]

Cycle storage...

This picture from diamond geezer's flickr stream suggests that despite all the signs and stuff, some cyclists will still just lock their bikes to anything that looks reasonably permanent. Such as in the middle of the taxi drop-off?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/6847882266/in/set-72157629613283003/

 

[Bungle73]

I'll be up that way this afternoon so I'll take a look.

Has anyone tried out the new FC lounge yet?

 

[marks87]

Cycle storage...

This picture from diamond geezer's flickr stream suggests that despite all the signs and stuff, some cyclists will still just lock their bikes to anything that looks reasonably permanent. Such as in the middle of the taxi drop-off?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/6847882266/in/set-72157629613283003/

As a cyclist myself, I'd be in favour of councils having the power to impose "no bike zones", similar to no parking.

The problem would be how to enforce it; with cars, you have a registration plate to ID the owner if the penalty isn't paid. Bikes are anonymous, which means they'd need to go straight to impounding. And that could end up being more hassle than it's worth.

 

[Bungle73]

Unless the bikes are actually causing an obstruction I don't see the problem.

 

[tsr]

Unless the bikes are actually causing an obstruction I don't see the problem.

I can.

More and more bikes tend to end up getting bunched together at both official and unofficial parking locations, so, at unofficial locations, they can eventually become an obstruction over the course of as little as half an hour, especially at busy locations like this.

Furthermore, bike and bike accessory theft/vandalism is encouraged when people park bikes away from monitored, official locations. This leads to an awful lot of accusations (often unfairly!) and general hassle, as well as an unfortunate increase in crime. Even if the cycle racks at a station are monitored, the station operator is probably not going to make themselves liable for thefts, but it may make obtaining evidence (from cameras or as witness statements) easier, should a crime occur.

Parking your bike in unofficial locations can mean you need to cross busy roads and junctions which are not designed for tired or rushed cyclists to cross after parking their bikes. For example, you will be putting yourself (and other road users) at risk if you dismount and lock up your bike on the "road side" of pedestrian safety railings.

Finally, parking your bike in the wrong place may mean your bike is removed by the property owner, and may be destroyed or impounded. Your bike lock will likely be damaged and this may be costly.

It's different if there are no nearby parking stands or racks for bikes, of course. At stations, this normally does not apply.

I am a regular, competent road and singletrack MTB cyclist. I ride (and park) bikes very frequently, including in London and at stations!

 

[Oswyntail]

......

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/6847882266/in/set-72157629613283003/

Delighted to see the BR sysmbol is being kept

 

[marks87]

Delighted to see the BR sysmbol is being kept

It's now the logo for National Rail, so it's not surprising it's been kept. All stations still display it.

 

[Barclay]

In considering the success of the new King's Cross, it's worth remembering what has been lost from the station in order to secure its restoration and modernisation. "Sacrifices" include:

• The Handyside bridge (now in happy retirement on the Mid-Hants of course)
• The timber Parcels canopy and walkway which sat between the suburban trainshed and the western range
• The cast-iron porte-cochere which covered the area ahead of the western range central block (where the 'funnel' is now)
• The western range central block roof (now a plant deck)
• The ground floor windows of the western range central block - now apertures giving access to the ticket office
• The ground floor windows of the Western range southern building - now the Southern gateline
• The original stationmaster's offices, now Watermark and the mezzanine footbridge
• ...plus many other minor alterations.

But for my money, the job strikes the right balance between preserving what is important and providing the facilities demanded of a modern station.

 

[jon0844]

I think you keep the stuff that's really unique and special, but also consider what the original designers and architects would have done if they'd needed to cater for more users, or had been given more modern materials and technology (or money).

To build something in keeping with the original design is better than simpy listing everything and having to keep it at any cost. I think King's Cross has got it mostly right, and it's certainly not finished yet. Besides the changes to come after the Olympics, I am sure there will be some tweaks here and there only after seeing how the station is used over the coming months.

 

[JB1601]

I'm going to be interested to see how the system works when the front canopy is demolished and the new public square is erected. From what I can gather, if the current one-way system is kept, everyone getting off their trains will go through the gates and pretty much be straight outside into the open air and whatever weather is descending on London, which may not be the best welcome to the capital! Will arrivals have to walk around outside to re-enter the concourse and use the tube/suburban or go to the St.Pancras connections?

 

[Bungle73]

Just went to have look. First impressions: very nice, and certainly a lot more spacious, and pleasent than the old concourse.

One (so far) downside: you can't see the trains at all from the concourse. I also used to like sitting down on a the seats on the platform in the trainshed, which you can't do anymore (at least I assume you cant), and without going through the gate line.

 

[Barclay]

everyone getting off their trains will go through the gates and pretty much be straight outside into the open air and whatever weather is descending on London, which may not be the best welcome to the capital! Will arrivals have to walk around outside to re-enter the concourse and use the tube/suburban or go to the St.Pancras connections?

There will still be a canopy at the front of the station covering the exit route to the tube, a lightweight glazed job at a gentle angle that should have minimal impact on views back to the Southern facade from Euston Road. It will be 6 metres wide which is more than enough to keep rain off the masses.

I understand that if you want to go into the concourse on arrival, you will have to walk around though. I suspect there will be alterations to the entry-only policy of the Southern gateline by the time the existing "green shed" comes down though.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Just went to have look. First impressions: very nice, and certainly a lot more spacious, and pleasent than the old concourse.

One (so far) downside: you can't see the trains at all from the concourse. I also used to like sitting down on a the seats on the platform in the trainshed, which you can't do anymore (at least I assume you cant), and without going through the gate line.

You can see trains in the Suburban trainshed from the new concourse, and you never used to be able to do that! Plus there is a great view through to trains at the bufferstops through the Southern gateline when you're alongside the Great Northern Hotel arcade.

 

[YorkshireRider]

I like it alot, loads of space which even in bad disruption should still mean lots of room to move. I thought the south side depature boards were a bit high and the sun coming off them made them harder to see. The M&S is quite small too, can see lots of pushing and shuving going on in there at busy times, but these are just nit pickings really, very impressed.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . you can't see the trains at all from the concourse. I also used to like sitting down on a the seats on the platform in the trainshed, which you can't do anymore (at least I assume you cant), and without going through the gate line.

But you can see the main platforms very well from the restaurant and loft bar in the "Parcel Shed".