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Monday 17 May 2021

Three-day closure at King’s Cross in June marks end of multi-million pound station upgrade

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

• Network Rail continues to simplify track layout at King’s Cross during main stage of £1.2billion East Coast Upgrade
• No trains to/from King’s Cross on the afternoon of Friday 4, and all day on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June
• No trains to/from St Pancras via Finsbury Park all day Friday 4, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June
• Full service resumes on Monday 7 June
• Work will reduce congestion and bring more reliable journeys for passengers
• People should continue following the latest Government guidance and minimise travel

Network Rail, Great Northern and Thameslink are reminding passengers to check their journeys and plan ahead if travelling on Friday 4^th, Saturday 5^th or Sunday 6^th June.

The advice comes ahead of plans to close King’s Cross station from Friday lunchtime until first thing Monday morning to facilitate the final stages of a multi-million pound improvement programme.

No trains will run to or from St Pancras via Finsbury Park all day on Friday 4, Saturday 5 or Sunday 6 June. In addition, from lunchtime on Friday 4 June, no trains will run to or from London King’s Cross., and all day on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June, to allow further improvements to be made to the signalling in and around King’s Cross.

The closure will result in the following changes to Great Northern and Thameslink services:

Friday 4 June:

• All day, there will be no trains between Finsbury Park and St Pancras International. Thameslink services between Brighton and Cambridge and between Horsham and Peterborough will instead run to and from London Bridge.
• From around lunchtime for the rest of the day, trains won’t run between Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross. Passengers should use online journey planners to check the times of the last trains to and from London King’s Cross.
• Passengers will be able to use London Underground between Finsbury Park and King’s Cross St Pancras to complete their journeys.
• Trains to and from Moorgate will run to amended timetable.
• Thameslink trains between Bedford and St Pancras International will run as normal

Saturday 5 June:

• Before 06:00, buses will replace trains between Finsbury Park and Welwyn Garden City /Stevenage via Hertford North/Hitchin.
• Trains won’t run between Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross or London St Pancras International all day
• Passengers will be able to use London Underground between Finsbury Park and Kings Cross St Pancras to complete their journey.
• Trains to and from Moorgate will run to an amended timetable.

Sunday 6 June:

• Before 07:10, buses will replace trains between Finsbury Park and Potters Bar/Gordon Hill.
• Before 10:45, buses will replace trains between Huntingdon and Peterborough.
• All day, there will be no trains between Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross/London St Pancras International.
• Passengers will be able to use London Underground between Finsbury Park and King’s Cross St Pancras to complete their journey.
• Trains to and from Moorgate will run to an amended timetable.

The King’s Cross upgrade will simplify track layout at the station and make services more reliable for more passengers. The work is a key part of the wider £1.2 billion upgrade of the East Coast Mainline.

Teams working at King’s Cross have already removed the complex, 40-year-old track layout at the station and replaced it with around 2800 metres of new track in a redesigned and simplified layout. A major milestone was reached last month when platforms 0-6 reopened and work began on platforms 7-11.

While the second half of the station has its transformation, the slightly amended service which has been in place since the beginning of March will continue until early June, including over the late May Bank Holiday. People should continue following the latest Government guidance and minimise travel where possible.

Ed Akers, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail’s East Coast Upgrade, said: “Major progress is being made every day at King’s Cross as we complete work across the second half of the station and fast approach 7 June.

“Upgrading the track layout, will allow more trains to enter and exit the station, reduce congestion and bring more reliable journeys. With just one three-day closure to go, we want to thank passengers for their continued patience throughout the project.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Great Northern and Thameslink said: “If you do choose to travel with us over this period then please plan ahead by checking train times. Journeys will take longer and you’ll probably have to take the bus or Tube.

“This three-day closure is the last hurdle in a huge upgrade of the tracks at King’s Cross which creates more space for trains coming in and out, helping make trains more punctual.”

Passengers who need to travel are strongly advised to check their journey via National Rail Enquiries, at EastCoastUpgrade.co.uk or with their train operator.

ENDS