Kings Cross - New station

[stut]

Well, they've had the escalators shut down all week for a trial, and it's certainly made my life easier getting to/from the bike racks on p0. Hope it continues.

Now, if they just got rid of the barriers (many of them seem to spend rather a lot of time open these days) it'd be perfect! Yes, I know it won't happen... At least the EC gateline staff are friendly and helpful (especially if you're laden down or running late).

 

[philjo]

It might be better (& cheaper) if for now they just changed the lift controls so you could call the lifts from platform level so that you can use them to access the bridge - at the moment you have to use a key to call the lift if you want to go up (unless someone conveniently comes down when you want to use it!)

 

[rdwarr]

Escalators have been off all week as part of a "shutdown trial". There are posters asking for feedback on this. This means that passengers are now entering and exiting via the bridge which was set up to be one way.
The best one is the narrow (one person wide) escalator to platforms 4/5. If you get halfway down that and somebody else starts coming up it's an interesting situation.

 

[stut]

Yeah, it wouldn't really work for 4/5.

I'm pretty much sorted now in that my regular trains arrives at p0 and depart from p8, meaning I can use the fixed staircase on p1 to gain access (or head over to the shops via the bridge and then get to the front of p8 via p9 - the old passageway has reopened).

But we'll see. As mentioned above, it's good that they're thinking this way - a very customer-friendly attitude.

 

[jon0844]

I didn't know there was a narrower escalator. That being the case, presumably due to space constraints, how will they put in stairs that would be wide enough?

If a lot of people started to use the bridge as a shortcut to get out, those stairs might suddenly become woefully inadequate and even dangerous. Even the bridge itself isn't that big and certainly won't cope well with two-way traffic, and that's before you get to the tiny gateline.

 

[Oswyntail]

... There are posters asking for feedback on this. ....

Does anyone know where to send feedback to, or in what format. Mrs O has been chunnering about this, but is usually rushing and has no time to pick up these details.

 

[rdwarr]

Does anyone know where to send feedback to, or in what format. Mrs O has been chunnering about this, but is usually rushing and has no time to pick up these details.

Not 100% sure but I would think the form here: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/contact-us/online-forms/stations/ would get the message through.

 

[Fred26]

Platform 8 toilets are permanently closed, for whoever it was asking. I don't understand why KGX toilets (as well as other stations) charge when St Pancras (and Fenchurch Street, for example) don't...

 

[A-driver]

Platform 8 toilets are permanently closed, for whoever it was asking. I don't understand why KGX toilets (as well as other stations) charge when St Pancras (and Fenchurch Street, for example) don't...

Normally if the toilets are through the ticket gates then they are free as only ticket holders will be using them. St pancras is owned or part owned by a private company so its up to them weather to charge or not but I have a funny feeling its partly to get people in to the 'shopping mall and food court' who may spend some money whilst passing through to use the loo-after all at panc is more of a shopping Center than a rail station.

 

[yorksrob]

Platform 8 toilets are permanently closed, for whoever it was asking. I don't understand why KGX toilets (as well as other stations) charge when St Pancras (and Fenchurch Street, for example) don't...

It was me - and I don't understand either.

I see A-Drivers point, but all of NR's stations are like shopping malls so the same logic should apply to all of them.

 

[jon0844]

I expected King's Cross would have had more retail than it does (and what it does is fairly well hidden away from view, just like the other escalators to the northern ticket hall) and so might have had an incentive not to charge for toilets.

King's Cross is very big on places to get food though!

It's a very short walk over the road (or under it) to get the free toilets, and as long as you go to the ones in The Circle, there's little chance of a queue.

 

[Blindtraveler]

i support whoever it was suggested a mod to the lift controlls as its v v awquard for a disabled traveler particularly when booked assistance fails to show, somewhat of a regular happening at the cross. Its ok when on my own but a partner with a guide dog is a different story meaning that EUS is now my London Termini of choice.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I Understand there is now a very good and quite large pub at King Cross Station, where abouts is it?, I am not familiar with the renovated station. has anyone tried this pub, is it any good? & fair prices for food & drink. Tks.

 

[ainsworth74]

It's called the Parcel Yard, access is near the Suburban Trainshed (FCC platforms). It's often very busy so it can be hard to get a table and as far as I'm aware whilst the food and drink is good it is pricey (combination of being in London and at a major terminal).

 

[Bungle73]

As I said a few posts ago I've just been in it. It's nice and you can sit and watch the trains out of the window. You can't miss it really. There are steps leading up from the concourse.

 

[YorkshireRider]

So the Betjeman Arms, is it a proper pub pub - ie one where you go up to the bar to order food and then it gets brought to your table - or is it waitress service? I see they add a "discretionary 12.5% service" charge to you bill. That puts me off a bit.

It was table/waitress service last time i used it for food, but if you are just drinking you can just go up to the bar.

On the subject of the escalators, is there really any time advantage to exiting the station that way even if you are heading to St Pancreas? The barriers out to the main concourse are 2 way now anyway. I do agree that a couple of depature screens train side should be installed, maybe on platforms 1 and 8.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

It's called the Parcel Yard, access is near the Suburban Trainshed (FCC platforms). It's often very busy so it can be hard to get a table and as far as I'm aware whilst the food and drink is good it is pricey (combination of being in London and at a major terminal).

OK, Thanks very much for this info.

 

[rdwarr]

On the subject of the escalators, is there really any time advantage to exiting the station that way even if you are heading to St Pancreas? The barriers out to the main concourse are 2 way now anyway.

Yes, still much faster if one is heading for the FCC platforms at St Pancras.

 

[Lee_Again]

I think some of the problems associated with the existing platforms and general movement around the station is more linked to the underground station than it is with the mainline station.

The loigical, and shortest, route to the Picadilly and Victoria lines (from platforms 0-7, 8 has direct access to 9 so no need to walk to out the front) is to exit the main station and down the steps, turn right and down the escalators. This, of course, is now blocked forcing users to walk to the new northern hall. This is a very long walk so users are trying to shorten it by using the platform escalators and entering the northern hall directly. This saves a good few hundred meters.

In fact, if you arrive at the rear of a train in to platform 0, the sign posted walk to the Victoria line takes ages. I would guess about 2/3 mile.

There are two options which are shorter (and allowed - although sign posted).

Option 1 - leave by the eastern exit and enter at the old Thameslink station. The Victoria line is very close to this entrance.

Option 2 - walk out the front of the station and cross the road to the St Pancras entrance (or go down the stairs directly outside). Then pass through the Cirlcle line gates and follow the signs to the Victoria/Picadilly/Northern lines. This is actually the old hall (the one that is blocked to entry from the passage ways).

Trying to force users on very long walks is never going to work with regular commuters. Airport style one-way systems just don't work in railway stations.

 

[yorksrob]

It doesn't help that LT staff seem to be blocking the main escallator from the original booking hall to the tube platforms a lot of the time !

 

[LE Greys]

I think some of the problems associated with the existing platforms and general movement around the station is more linked to the underground station than it is with the mainline station.

The loigical, and shortest, route to the Picadilly and Victoria lines (from platforms 0-7, 8 has direct access to 9 so no need to walk to out the front) is to exit the main station and down the steps, turn right and down the escalators. This, of course, is now blocked forcing users to walk to the new northern hall. This is a very long walk so users are trying to shorten it by using the platform escalators and entering the northern hall directly. This saves a good few hundred meters.

In fact, if you arrive at the rear of a train in to platform 0, the sign posted walk to the Victoria line takes ages. I would guess about 2/3 mile.

There are two options which are shorter (and allowed - although sign posted).

Option 1 - leave by the eastern exit and enter at the old Thameslink station. The Victoria line is very close to this entrance.

Option 2 - walk out the front of the station and cross the road to the St Pancras entrance (or go down the stairs directly outside). Then pass through the Cirlcle line gates and follow the signs to the Victoria/Picadilly/Northern lines. This is actually the old hall (the one that is blocked to entry from the passage ways).

Trying to force users on very long walks is never going to work with regular commuters. Airport style one-way systems just don't work in railway stations.

My mum complains about this as well. I hope that's going to be sorted out when the square is fully restored. 0-8 will exit straight through the gable ends, turn right and dive down the Underground, 9-11 will turn right after the barriers and cross the road to St Pancras to enter that way (that's the way I tend to use now). Otherwise, they will just have to rearrange the priorities downstairs - again.

 

[Bungle73]

9-11 will turn right after the barriers and cross the road to St Pancras to enter that way (that's the way I tend to use now). Otherwise, they will just have to rearrange the priorities downstairs - again.

What for? There are entrances from the new KGX concourse that lead directly to the new LU ticket hall.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

Isn't the issue that they want to direct new arrivals into the Northern Ticket hall because its much bigger? When the tube lines hall was handling all passengers it frequently hit crush capacity and had to have the gates pulled across

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[LE Greys]

What for? There are entrances from the new KGX concourse that lead directly to the new LU ticket hall.

I'm not quite sure where you mean. If you mean the one nearest the departures board at the north end, I thought that was up-only.

 

[Bungle73]

I'm not quite sure where you mean. If you mean the one nearest the departures board at the north end, I thought that was up-only.

I think the direction of that one, and the one by the escalators to the upper level, gets changed depending on the time of day, but there is an entrance behind the shops, between them and the exit to Pancras Road, and another one just outside the door you would exit to get to St. Pancras, on the left as you exit.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Station plan showing the LU entrences: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/KGX/plan.html

 

[LE Greys]

I think the direction of that one, and the one by the escalators to the upper level, gets changed depending on the time of day, but there is an entrance behind the shops, between them and the exit to Pancras Road, and another one just outside the door you would exit to get to St. Pancras, on the left as you exit.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Station plan showing the LU entrences: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/KGX/plan.html

Oh, I see where you mean now, thanks. I just assumed it was up-only, because that's what it always seems to have been when I've been there. I think I'll switch to the one just outside the door (which I forgot all about earlier ), to avoid cutting through the concourse and its usual traffic jam when coming in on the suburban side.

 

[Lee_Again]

Isn't the issue that they want to direct new arrivals into the Northern Ticket hall because its much bigger? When the tube lines hall was handling all passengers it frequently hit crush capacity and had to have the gates pulled across

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Yes, but that involves a long walk to the Victoria line. Which is why most try and avoid that route; especially the regulars.

 

[Bungle73]

The Great Northern Hotel is due to open at the end of the month. I must say it looks very nice: http://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2013-04-05/kings-cross-hotel-finally-ready-to-open/