A programme to upgrade the entire UK East Coast Main Line is reaching deep into the southern terminus of the line. Rail freight is playing a significant part in the project. It will also be a significant benefactor from the project. Network Rail teams are currently working at London King’s Cross station to reopen the third Gasworks tunnel, straighten platforms, upgrade tracks and replace overhead line equipment. Materials and equipment are being brought to the site by rail, during lengthy engineering possessions.
Greater capacity at London King’s Cross station will allow higher-frequency passenger services on the prestigious East Coast Main Line (ECML). Much more wide-spread upgrades, all the way along the 400-mile (640km) route will also allow for much more freight traffic on the intensively used mixed-traffic line. At the end of April, the newly constructed platforms zero to six will re-open, with work then starting on platforms seven through to eleven.
This work at London King’s Cross is the final disruptive phase of the 1.2billion pound (1.45 billion euros) East Coast Upgrade, which is due for completion in early June. It will deliver a simplified track layout as well as an increase in the number of tracks serving the station from four to six, enabled by the reopening of the previously disused tunnel. This will allow more trains to enter and exit the station, reducing congestion and, as a result, simplifying operations out of London, making more paths on the ECML in general.