King's Cross Closed 24-25 August

[Pyewipe Junction]

Just seen this on a local Lincoln website:

'Network Rail are renewing the track, overhead wires and signalling on the approach to the station. The track is being re-laid in a new layout, with a disused tunnel being reopened, allowing for six tracks into the station instead of the current four. When these works are complete LNER will be able to run over 25% more trains into and out of the station every day.

The works also include: (a) Network Rail will transfer control of signalling equipment from King’s Cross signal box to a state-of-the-art facility in York. It will also carry out work on the overhead line equipment outside of the station to support improvements to the power supply, track layout and signals; (b) in Stevenage, work will continue on a major project to construct an additional platform to support increased services along the route; and (c) Network Rail is renewing a level crossing in Newark which is of unique design and historically, has had to be renewed every 15-20 years. Engineers will replace timbers with a more durable material, which will provide a more reliable railway and greatly reduce the amount of times we need to carry out work in the future.

There also was a photo of the approach to King's Cross. I was mortified to see weeds growing on and between the tracks. Good God! Can't they even afford weeding at King's Cross?

PS: whatever happened to the Newark flyover?

[52A]

Even Hitler couldn't manage that!

[manna]

G'day Gents

Any pictures of what's being done ?????

Is it 'Only' Gasworks Tunnel having it's New track fitted or is Copenhagen Tunnel being done as well.

manna

[Pyewipe Junction]

I must admit I've been surprised not to see any further comments on this thread. I can only assume that the closure has been publicised for some time and isn't newsworthy any more. Are suburban services being terminated at Finsbury Park? Which is the disused tunnel that is being reopened (and why hasn't it been reopened before)?

[Mickey]

I must admit I've been surprised not to see any further comments on this thread. I can only assume that the closure has been publicised for some time and isn't newsworthy any more. Are suburban services being terminated at Finsbury Park? Which is the disused tunnel that is being reopened (and why hasn't it been reopened before)?

It is the eastern tunnel which originally carried the Up fast & Up slow lines that ran parallel together and were closed and lifted just south of Holloway the Caledonian road over bridge through Copenhagen eastern tunnel and on through Belle Isle and then on through the eastern tunnel of Gasworks tunnel back in 1977 this rationalisation work was done under British Rail as part of the re-modelling and track rationalisation of Kings Cross & Belle Isle at that time.

I think Gasworks tunnel is now referred to as Canal tunnel but I could be wrong about that?. I was watching a dvd a few days ago that featured Kings Cross station as it was back in the early 2000s and features the old 1970s concourse on Euston road which was demolished three or four years ago and the old passenger loco appears as a open piece of waste ground anyway an electric DMU is seen climbing through Belle Isle on the Down fast line and the voice over of the dvd calls the Belle Isle area Copenhagen Fields not that there are any fields to be seen??.

[StevieG]

No trains at all south of Peterborough/Cambridge / Kings Cross/Moorgate.
Yes Mickey, it's only the Gasworks Tunnel eastern bore that's planned to reopen AFAIK.
Canal Tunnels are the single track pair (start briefly at the north end as one double-track) of the Belle Isle - St. Pancras ('low level')Thameslink connection.

[Mickey]

Canal Tunnels are the single track pair (start briefly at the north end as one double-track) of the Belle Isle - St. Pancras ('low level')Thameslink connection.

Ok Stevie so 'Canal tunnels' are a different couple of tunnels altogether and nothing to do with Gasworks tunnels?.

It just goes to show that my interest in the Kings Cross-Belle Isle area declined sharply towards the end of the 1970s once the track rationalisation had happened in 1977 and the OHL was switched on and the EMUs and the HSTs took over 40+ years ago.

[manna]

G'Day Gents.

I always thought it was a bad idea to shut the up slow and up fast, KX needs as much track space as possible, just Geography.

manna