King's Cross Railway Station with Map, London, UK

King's Cross Railway Station

The Victorian Frontage of King's Cross Railway Station in the upper half of the photograph,
with the extension, known as the 'Green Shed' in thee lower half. Photo by Ewan-M

The stationhas located in Euston Road

King's Cross Railway Station Redevelopment  & Improvements

King's Cross is undergoing massive major improvements costing £400,000,000 whilst it still remains open as the main Rail Station for the East Coast railway line to beyond Scotland's capital Edinburgh & Britain's oil capital the Granite City of Aberdeen

Western Concourse the New extension

Kings Cross Western Concourse

An amazing semi circular extension is being constructed on the right hand (west) side that will house a new ticket office. information, shops, cafes, etc. This extension should be opened some time before the start of the 2012 London Olympics

Removal of the external "Green Shed"

Kings Cross Front extension - the Green Shed
Photo by Ewan-M

The current large 1 story extension that is in front of the Victorian Station, nicknamed "The Green Shed" because of its plain green facias, is to be pulled down and the area turned into a square with trees, allowing the old frontage of the station to be seen again.

Currently this area houses The ticket & Information offices, fast food outlets a large waiting and sometimes queuing area in front of the large train departure board.

The removal is scheduled to take place after the 2012 Olympics and completed in 2013

King’s Cross Square

Kings Cross St Pancras Future View showing Kings Cross Square in front of the station
© Miller Hare

After the removal of the Green Shed  the area will be converted into open space, King’s Cross Square, which will contain trees. The square will be larger than Leicester Square.  The magnificent Victorian Frontage, designed in1851 by Lewis Cubitt. will then be visible in all it's glory.

Bridge over platforms

Old Kings Cross Station bridge now replaced with a modern bridge
Photo by migclick

The old cast iron Handyside Bridge, also known as the Harry Potter footbridge, located roughly half way along the platforms has been removed.

This has been replaced by a modern glass sided bridge with lifts, stairs & escalators. The site of the new overbrige is next to the northern edge of the new western concourse.

Arched Roof

Kings Cross Refurbished Roof
Photo by avail

The plastic windows & black panels have been replaced by glass, allowing plenty of daylight to enter the station.

The photo shows the near side of the roof completely restored

At the far end the roof is still being restored.

Compare this photograph with the one above showing the old roof.

Kings Cross Departure board

Kings Cross Departure board Photo by garethjmsaunders

The massive train departure boardhas located in the current Concourse in the Green Shed, just before the platform entrances.

Note the yellow queue lanes on the floor. Passengers are sometimes prevented from going onto the platforms whilst the trains are cleaned after there journeys into the station. This can create long queues in this area that can become rather crowded.

Station Platforms

Kings Cross Platform 7 & 6 of 8 to 0 in this area. Note the old roof Photo by cloneofsnake

There are 2 sets of platforms at King's Cross all of which are terminal platforms

• The main long distance Platforms 0 to 8
• Commuter platforms 9 to 11

Platforms 0-8

When facing the platforms with your back to Euston Road the platform numbering starts from the right hand (east) side with platform 0 which is a recent additional platform has been added on the extreme right (east) side and will be called Platform 0 (Zero). This saves renaming all the other platforms, not a difficult task, but also saves renaming thousands of signalling & points equipment..

These platforms are used by mainline trains running to the North. The main one being the East Coast line to Scotland.  This line actually goes no where near the east coast until it reaches Scotland.

Gap between 8 & 9

There is a wide gap between platforms 8 & 9. The next set of platforms 9-11 are in an adjacent but connected building, and are an old extension to the building, which is set much further back from Euston Road, being behind the Great Northern Hotel & the new Western Concourse

Platforms 9-11

These much shorter platforms are used by commuter & local trains serving the Greater London area & slightly beyond.

Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4

Kings Cross Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4. Photo by [wendy]

 

Kings Cross Hogwarts Express. Photo by A Princess

  

• The invisible Platform 9 3/4 was located in the gap between platforms 8 & 9,  not 9 & 10 - as stated by J. K. Rowling who had mixed up the platform numbering system with that at Euston station where the gap is between 9 & 10.
• The platform actually used in the film for The Kings Cross Hogwarts Express was Platform 5 renumbered to 9 3/4
• Harry asks a member of he station staff for directiond to the platform who replies Think you are being funny do you? and walks away.
• In the film the secret entrance is through the end of a brick supporting wall about a metre thick. Note that that
• After demand by Harry Potter fans Kings Cross errected a Platform 9 3/4 sign in the station, although there was no siggn in the film. Also in the film there is no arch above the brickwork, it is just a plain supporting wall.

Kings Cross Underground Tube Station

 

King's Cross Hotels - St. Pancras Hotels

The 2 railway stations, King's Cross & St. Pancras are both located in Euston Road A501, and only separated from each other by Pancras Road

These hotels are ideal before an early, or after a late, Eurostar journey from St. Pancras International Rail Station

For guests on Room Only or Bed & Breakfast. There are plenty of cafe,s restaurants & takeaways in the area with a wide variety of cuisines to satisfy all tastes.