LT King's Cross Mystery Tunnel

[roythebus]

I don't recall that when I worked on the NCL when it was being rebuilt, but then I didn't take much notice from the loco, too busy looking out for people on the track.

[roythebus]

Here's the link to the loco spur at Farringdon, thanks to Harsig and District Dave.www.harsig.org/PDF/FarringdonBankingSpurRelocation.pdf

[Swindon 123]

I was recently given a pamphlet about the Kings Cross 1933 re-signalling scheme. It makes for an interesting read and gives some insight as to how the place worked and of course the signalling to/from the Met lines at York Road & Hotel Curve. I have scanned it and it can be found on my Flickr site at   https://flic.kr/s/aHskvC1YEk  for those interested.

 

Paul J.

[jamie92208]

Thanks for posting that Paul.  It makes very interesting reading.     The 'south spur' off the York Road line down to the Met is intriguing.  Was it the remains of the North to West Curve used as some sort of loco holding siding?

 

Jamie

[Swindon 123]

Thanks for posting that Paul.  It makes very interesting reading.     The 'south spur' off the York Road line down to the Met is intriguing.  Was it the remains of the North to West Curve used as some sort of loco holding siding?

 

Jamie

No jamie92208 it wasn't the remains of the curve. The junction for the North to West Curve was a lot further inside the tunnel from York Road down to Kings Cross Midland, as it was in later days. The only obvious use for the South spur was to hold a loco for a loco change in York Road platform or possibly a loco to be added to the front of heavy freight trains using the route to the Southern, although whether that ever happened is a moot point. The bottom photo on page 4 shows a goods train in York Road platform heading for the Southern.

 

Paul J.

[LNERGE]

I was recently given a pamphlet about the Kings Cross 1933 re-signalling scheme. It makes for an interesting read and gives some insight as to how the place worked and of course the signalling to/from the Met lines at York Road & Hotel Curve. I have scanned it and it can be found on my Flickr site at   https://flic.kr/s/aHskvC1YEk  for those interested.

 

Paul J.

Box diagram here. Best viewed original size..

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwayowen/15990737357/

[Derekstuart]

There are some interesting differences between the two documents. Does anyone know what year the middle road (9) and the staggered platform (3-4) was rebuilt to the plan that is in place now? I had assumed it was 1977 with the main rebuild, but it seems not as there are enough photos of Deltics at P7/8 (old P8/10) to show that happened earlier.

[31A]

There are some interesting differences between the two documents. Does anyone know what year the middle road (9) and the staggered platform (3-4) was rebuilt to the plan that is in place now? I had assumed it was 1977 with the main rebuild, but it seems not as there are enough photos of Deltics at P7/8 (old P8/10) to show that happened earlier.

 

 

1934 and 1938, respectively (according to 'The Great British Railway Station - King's Cross' by Chris Hawkins).

[Derekstuart]

Thanks Steve. I have "built" most of KX in Templot, just because I wanted to see what it would look like. "Big" is the answer.

[LNERGE]

Thanks Steve. I have "built" most of KX in Templot, just because I wanted to see what it would look like. "Big" is the answer.

I have a drawing for the current layout at KX. It's huge and lists every type of chair required, block joints and other paraphernalia. 

[Derekstuart]

I bet that's a nice bit of late night reading then!

 

I don't suppose you have one for pre 1977 by any chance?

I have a drawing for the current layout at KX. It's huge and lists every type of chair required, block joints and other paraphernalia. 

[LNERGE]

I bet that's a nice bit of late night reading then!

 

I don't suppose you have one for pre 1977 by any chance?

Frayed knot sorry.

[LNERGE]

[Derekstuart]

That's impressive. That one slip is a 7.5 and the other is an 8 just goes to show how complex and exact these things can be- compared to models where we would have 2 the same.

[russ p]

There's a new thread about London maps,had a look the mystery tunnel past St pancras is shown but not the North to west curve

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102345964

[russ p]

Don't know if this link will work, but after looking at the map it appears that York road curve was open air for a short length behind what is now McDonald's.

Had a look on Google maps and it appears it's still like it today,although it's hard to see it does look like it's been covered over but it seems to be in holes

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/tZeDQj4zTty

Edited March 9, 2016 by russ p

[Nearholmer]

I'm sure that in another thread, one of the guys that used to work at Kings Cross Model Shop said that they could see the trains running down that section from the back rooms of the shop.

 

K

[russ p]

I missed that somehow Kevin. Is that it on the picture?

[Nearholmer]

You can see the open air bit on the map below. I can't remember exactly which buildings were part of Kings Cross Model Shop, despite having been there zillions of times between the early 70s and when it closed, but I think the buildings bordering the courtyard, and backing onto the railway trench were their workshops.

 

K

[Derekstuart]

Wasn't KXMS just diagonally opposite the Eastern vehicle entrance just by Plat. 1? I seem to recall that you could see the shop from inside the station, so my guess is the building just to the right of the word urinal.

[Grovenor]

My best guess is that kXMS is now occupied by the Tanning Shop, it has the same double frontage at two levels, then one of the cafes between there and McDs was the Italian Cafe we used to favour on MRC club nights.

Regards

[roythebus]

Yes, I worked at the model shop in 1968 or 69, it was at 14 York Way. Numbering up from the PH on the cornet, 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 makes it the second house down from the top of the plan.

 

I had to visit an adjacent building about 10 years ago with my younger son, moving stuff from a top floor recording studio, and yes, we could see the opening in the tunnel still there down below complete with trees growing through the track bed.

 

Grovenor, many others, and myself used to frequent Cafe Renzo in the 1960s, complete with a nice Italian waitress called Margerita. they used to sell nice rum babas.

 

The north to west curve was indeed further round the tunnel. There's so many odd bits of tunnel down there it was difficult to see from the loco as it was rather dark down there. the only was we knew where we were was by the sound of the openings.

Edited March 10, 2016 by roythebus

[Swindon 123]

Have come across this piece of film footage for the KX area and some parts of the widened lines, courtesy of Mr Wibble. Some interesting scenes, although the period soundtrack can be annoying. It certainly brought back some memories around KX goods yard.

 

https://vimeo.com/19906655

 

Paul J.

[Nearholmer]

It might have been a trick of the eye, but I'm sure I glimpsed a burly chap, carrying a cello case, being admitted to a quirky old house by a frail little old lady.

 

K

[jonny777]

Have come across this piece of film footage for the KX area and some parts of the widened lines, courtesy of Mr Wibble. Some interesting scenes, although the period soundtrack can be annoying. It certainly brought back some memories around KX goods yard.

 

https://vimeo.com/19906655

 

Paul J.

 

 

That footage has been ripped from a TVP video called The East Coast Main Line, Pt 1 - Kings Cross.

 

The original video lasted 55 minutes and contains some fascinating archive b/w footage, not just of KX and Holloway Bank, but goes as far out as Hatfield IIRC, with colour footage of the contemporary scene, which is itself now 25 years old.

 

It is well worth getting, if you can find a decent second hand copy. I'm not sure if it made it to DVD.