please empty your brain below

Nightmare 1 is deliberate, no doubt about it, since you can still get into the top hall, and down the Vic-line escalators.
Nightmare 2 is probably only partly deliberate, and much more likely to be their gross incompetence. Even as a regular Vic-line user, I got caught the first time, then remembered the “old” tunnel at the NE end of the Vic-line platforms.

I hope you are not completely correct, and that entrance to KX will still be possible from the front (S side). The other complete failure of planning here is that, although there is a new platform under construction/planned on the NW side of the suburban platforms, they are still only going to be of 8 coaches’ length, not 12. STUPID.

The purpose of the new passageways (and signage) is to divert a proportion of people to the far end of the tube platforms, instead of everyone crowding at one end as they do if they arrive from the old escalators.

and the 'secret' passageway that was the shortcut between the Northern and Piccadilly lines is still out of action.. why? to let the construction worers dump their equipment there. most annoying.

except the gates at BOTH ends were unlocked the other day (i checked) and i was very tempted to walk along it just for the sake of donig so.

but yes, KX: horribly complicated, never believe what the signs tell you (Green Park and obviously Oxford Circus are two other culprits that spring to mind...)

I regularly do journey number 1 and noticed that suddenly I was walking much further. I then found at that by following the H&C line signs and then from there signs to the Victoria line I got there much quicker. The cynic in me wonders is if that now TfL have spent lots of money building a new ticket hall they want to make everyone walk through it. I did contact TfL but didnt get a very helpful response.

Yes, the whole arrangement seems purposely designed to drive people round the bend.

While we're moaning about Tube station signage, the interchange at Euston from the Victoria to the Northern Line City branch is annoying too. The signs give a platform number, but no indication that trains go via Bank. You can only work it out if you've already noticed the Charing X signs further up the platform or you've a photographic memory for Tube station platform numbers. Totally un-user-friendly.

Kings X nightmare 1 is also nightmarish in reverse. I pity the travellers who alight on the northbound platform and blindly follow the signs towards the train stations. 'NO!' I want to cry, 'Follow the signs for Euston Road and go to the end of the platform'.

But I don't, because, well, I'm a Londoner and I rarely talk to other people while I go about my daily business.

The KX redevelopment plans state that passengers will still be able to leave the station through the south end of the building, but it's not clear if you'll be able to enter that way.

KX main line station will look a hell of a lot better, though, when the modern concourse has been demolished, and the original facade is fully visible for the first time since the 19th century.

Hey DG, thanks for blogging about this. We exchanged emails about it a few months back & I remember you saying you would go round with a stopwatch at some point once the main works were finished. It's really interesting. I still get wrongfooted by the signs (use these platforms about once a week) but I think I have got my head round it now :) [Don't tell anyone but I reckon I'm going to keep a print out of this post in my bag until I really can do it the old/short way on both Vic and Northern line platforms ;)]

Can't stand it - avoid like the plague now. Victoria line to Northern line (bank branch) better at Euston.

I look forward to TfL introducing a shuttle bus from the Thameslink platforms to the Circle/H&C. They really are pushing it calling that an interchange now. But then this is part of my wider point of how the St Pancras rebuild was very pretty but bloody useless.

Funny how times change..

I'm old enough to remember WHS being built and how up-to-date the station suddenly looked after the taxi road had been blocked...

And now it's the end.. how I dislike getting older..

There is no new platform planned on the suburban side, as Greg suggests. If there ever was it isn't shown in any of the planning drawings.

However the same drawings definitely show KX fully barriered.











TridentScan | Privacy Policy