Park of Saint-Pancras

History

Design and construction

The slope and the irregular form of the site posed certain problems but the architects were determined to impress London with their new station. They could see the ornateness of Euston, with its famous vault; the success of Lewis Cubitt' S King' S Cross-country race; innovations of design of iron, glass; and, significantly, simple designs of roof of scale of John Hawkshaw being built at Charing Cross-country race and Canon Street. The initial plan of the station was presented by William Henry Barlow, consulting engineer of the interior. The simple roof of scale of the 74 m, largest built until this time, was adopted for the purely economic reasons to use to the maximum of space without obstructions (the design of roof was a collaboration between Barlow and Ordish de Rowland). A space for a transverse hotel summer included in the plan and was accepted with the beginning of the year 1865. A competition for A-grade officials was organized for the design of the buildings and the hotel of station in May 1865. Eleven architects were invited to compete with, subjecting their designs in August. In January 1866 the Gothic designs of brick rebirth of George Gilbert Scott were selected. There was a certain concern with the choice, partly because the designs of Scott, would cost £315 000, being by far most expensive. The fine splendor of the frontage of Scott impressed the architects, achieving their goal to excel all the other stations in the capital. A following financial compression balanced several floors of the frontage and some ornateness but the impressive design are mainly remained. The construction of the station, without the roof which was a separated offer, was saved with £310 000, and after some problems the offer of the Waring brothers of £320 000 was accepted. The roof was carried out by Butterley Company for £117 000. Work started to leave the autumn 1864 by a temporary bridge above the channel and the demolition of the town of Somers Town and Town Agar. The construction of the bases of station did not start that in July 1866 and the delays due to the engineering problems, particularly in the construction of roof, were banal. The cemetery posed problems - the principal line was to pass above it on a bridge to beams and the metropolitan branch under it in a tunnel. The drilling of a tunnel was particularly delayed by the presence of the human remainders of decomposition, the many produced coffins, and a demonstration in London of driving cholera in the condition of locking up the fleet of river entirely out of iron. In spite of this connection was accomplished in January 1867. The company hoped to achieve the majority of essential building for the month of January 1868. The station of goods in the town of Town Agar received its first train in September 1867, but the services of passenger (on the metropolitan line) began only in July 1868. However, the station was not finished yet when it opened, on October 1st. The station was a mass of the provisional structures for the passengers. The first train, for Manchester, functioned not-stop of the city Kentish Twon in Leicester - the longest not-stop run in the world with 97 miles (156 kilometers). Work on the interior hotel started only in 1868. Conceived by the architect George Gilbert Scott and with construction in a certain number of stages, the hotel opened to the customers on May 5th, 1873. All the costs for the building were £438 000. The building of hotel seems at the beginning being in a polychromatic Italian Gothic model - inspired by stones of John Ruskin' S of Venice - but on a narrower viewing, it incorporates devices of a series of periods and country. Of a so eclectic approach, Scott provided that a new kind would emerge.

Decline of the XXe century

The 20th century was not beneficial for the station. The act of railroads of 1921 forced the fusion of the interior railroad of London with the Western railroad of north (LNWR) in London and the Scottish railroad (LMS), and the LMS adopted the station of Euston of the LNWR as a its principal terminus of London. The hotel was closed in 1935, and the building was used later like offices. During the second world war, the German planes inflicted serious damage at the station. The nationalization of the LMS as an element of British Rail led to another rationalization of the services functioning in the north of London. The station of Saint-Pancras is seen like superfluous, and several attempts were made close the station. The opening of Thameslink in 1988 removed the majority of the remaining suburban services with Saint-Pancras, but the station always continues by serving Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. However this has constitutes only some trains per hour and left the under-employed station and vacuum. In 1962, a proposal to demolish the hotel (to date known under the name of chambers of Saint-Pancras) caused a sharp but successful opposition. In May 2007, a statue of John Betjeman was set up on one of the quays of the station of Saint-Pancras, in the respect of its countryside to save the frontage. The building of hotel remained empty thereafter in the Eighties. The hotel had become a popular place for the turning of films and the productions of television. After the privatization of British Rail, the services at the beginning of Saint-Pancras were approved with the interior subsidiary company of the Midlands Mainline in 1996.

XXIe century brings a new role to Saint-Pancras

The 21st century brings a new role to Saint-Pancras The original plan for the rail link of Channel tunnel implied the creation of a tunnel of some share in the south-east of London, and an underground terminus near the station of King' S Cross.

However, due to the delays of the plans and by the desire of urbanization of London of Michael Heseltine, appointed, a change of route is carried out, with the new line approaching London by the East. This opened the possibility of re-using the station of Saint-Pancras like terminus, with the access via the North of London.

The idea was rejected in 1994 by the secretary in charge of transport, John MacGregor, like difficult to build. However the idea to employ the station of Saint-Pancras as new terminus was maintained, though connected by 20 kilometers of tunnels built in Dagenham via Stratford.

London and Continental Railways (LCR), which was created during the privatization of British Rail, were chosen by the British government in 1996 to undertake the rebuilding of the station of Saint-Pancras, but also the construction of the rail link of the Channel tunnel at the station and the change on British behalf of the Eurostar company, Eurostar (RU).

LCR becomes owner of the station of Saint-Pancras since the privatization of British Rail. Financial problems in 1998, and the collapse of the railway way in 2001, caused the revision of the plans of rebuildings, but LCR remain owner of the station of Saint-Pancras.

It thus had to be very adapted to the trains " longs" of Eurostar, and to provide the capacity for the existing trains (the Midlands) and the proposed services on the rail link at high speed, the existing hall of the station was prolonged on a considerable distance to north, by a new covered hangar. The station was designed to comprise 13 quays in the station. The services towards the Midlands would thus use the quays located at the west, the services of Eurostar would use the quays of the medium which would be the only ones to be prolonged in the existing hall, and the services at high speed towards Kent would occupy the platforms located at the east.

At the same time as the prolongation of station was established in 2004-2005, an underground station was built for Thameslink. This station thereafter would be adapted to give to Saint-Pancras his own quays for this service, but to the beginning, no bottom was given for this work. One also granted in 2005 the restoration of the old hotel, which will become a hotel five stars and which will occupy most of the original hotel, and will open in 2009. Apartments will be also arranged and will occupy the majority of the hotel.

In 2006, funds were given to allow the construction of quays the station of Saint-Pancras for Thameslink. Thus, the station of King' S Corss Thameslink will close its doors and the new stop will be in Saint-Pancras.

Of October 30th, 2006 in Eurostar November 2007 undertook a test routine in which 6000 members of the public were implied in the recording of the ticket, the services of immigration and the departure, and during which the “passengers” made three voyages return ticket of Saint-Pancras at the entry with the tunnel of London. September 4th, 2007, the first train of test functioned of Paris Gare North with Saint-Pancras. The new rail link connecting the Channel tunnel to the station of Saint-Pancras was officially open on Tuesday, November 6, 2007, by the Elizabeth II queen accompanied by her husband, the duke of Edinburgh. The provision of the station was well conceived, although the quays for high speed towards Kent remain unoccupied until 2009.

At the same time as the station was opened, the services of the Midlands Mainline were transferred to a new company, East the Midlands Trains.

Railway services with the Holy departure of the station Pancras

Trains of East the Midlands (of November 2007 to today)

Since November 11th, 2007, St-Pancras is the terminus of the principal internal line (trains of East the Midlands), with routes towards the areas of the Midlands and of Yorkshire (England). The cities served include Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield. Occasional trains also go to Burton on the Trent, Lincoln, Skegness, Barnsley, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, Scarborough and York. The quays are located in the prolongation of the station, at the higher level, and are accessible by elevator or escalator. There are four services per hour (two rapids, two stopping) for Leicester, of the services of every half-hour for Nottingham, the services of every half-hour for Derby (with possible prolongations towards Sheffield), and others for the commuters inhabitants between Kettering and London. There are also other trains:

at the rush hours, towards Burton (the Trent); Lincoln by Newark; Leeds by Sheffield, of Doncaster and Wakefield; and Barnsley by Meadowhall.
in summer, towards Skegness by Bedford and of Boston.
in summer still, towards Scarborough by Leicester, of Sheffield and York.
in winter, towards York only (not Scarborough) by Leicester, of Sheffield and Doncaster.

In the near future, East the Midlands will propose an additional service: a prolongation of Kettering towards the reopened station of Corby.

Thameslink - Capital First Connect (as from December 2007)

Created in 1991, Thameslink stopped at the station of St-Pancras and made it possible to go towards Bedford or Luton. Following the rebuilding of the station for international services, Thameslink had stopped stopping at the station of St-Pancras and changing station for that of King' S cross-country race thameslink. Indeed, as an element of the second phase of the rail link of Channel tunnel (CTRL), the company carrying out this project, was authorized, by the act of rail link of Channel tunnel of 1996, to build an underground station on the route of Thameslink, which would place a new station replacing that of King' S Cross Thameslink. So that can be carried out, the existing tunnels of Thameslink between Kentish Town and King' S Cross had to be closed between on September 11th, 2004 and May 15th, 2005. December 9th, 2007, Thameslink will again deservivera the station Internationale St-Pancras, which will gain quays, located under the station (bottom grade), thus replacing the station of King' S Cross Thameslink.

South Eastern Trains (as from December 2009)

South Eastern Trains will properont from 2009 of the interior connections at high speed towards Kent on the line High Speed 1, starting from the Eastern quays (number 11-13). The travellers will see their times way thus to run. It will take for example only 37 minutes to go from Ashford to Saint-Pancras.

Eurostar (of November 14th, 2007 to today)

The station of Saint-Pancras, new point of arrived and starting of Eurostar, opened its doors with the public on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 in the morning. From now on the trains at high speed linking Paris, Brussels and London will carry out their departures and their arrivals there. It is for the London station of Waterloo the end of arrived of the passengers of Eurostar. This change of station is also accompanied by a time improvement since Paris and London are not any more that with 2:15 one of the other but also for Brussels and London are not any more but with 1:51 one of the other, in particular thanks to maximum speed of Eurostar which is increased today to 300 km/h on all its trajectory.

One will remember that the station of Saint-Pancras required 6 years of restorations which cost approximately 1,2 billion euros. Chief of work of architecture victorienne, the station is made up of an immense canopy under which the international travellers can benefit from the market and the shops of luxury without forgetting the presence of a “bar with champagne considered as longest of Europe”, with its counter of more than 90 meters length.

The station of deserted Saint-Pancras from now on stations of continental Europe, of which the station of North in Paris, the station of Lille-Europe and the station of Brussels-Midday.

Correspondences

The station of King' S Cross-country race

to also see Station of King' S Cross-country race

The station of King' S Cross is just located beside that Saint-Pancras (while crossing Pancras Road) and is the southern terminus of East Coast Main Line which serves the cities of the North-East of England of which Cambridge, York, Durham and Newcastle. Three railway companies use this station for their trains:

GNER: service on East Coast Line Hand.
Wagn: connections with Cambridge and King' S Lynn, local service road of the north of London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Peterborough.
Hull Trains: connection with Hull via East Coast Line Hand.

The station of Euston

to also see Station of Euston

The station of Euston is located at 550 m of the station of St.Pancras (a subway station) and is one of the large railway stations of London (the United Kingdom). It is one of the seventy stations of the British railway network managed by Network Rail. This station is the southern terminus of West Coast Main Line (principal line of the west coast) served by express trains trains connecting Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Holyhead and Glasgow like by regional slow trains. The trains are used by Virgin Trains and Silverlink. First ScotRail also uses night trains towards Scotland.

The subway station King' S Cross-country race St Pancras

to also see King' S Cross-country race St Pancras (subway of London)

The subway station of King' sCross St Pancras is the station charged with 6 correspondences with lines, and is located in the town of London Camden. It is in zone 1 of Travelcard. Two new halls of tickets were built to reduce surchargement.

The station of Saint-Pancras has a geographical good position since it allows the correspondence with the North-East of England the station of King' S Cross (Leeds with 2:25, Newcastle with 3:00, Edinburgh with 4:15), with the North-West at the station of Euston which serves the North-West (Birmimgham with 1:30, Manchester with 2:10, Liverpool with 3:00 and Glasgow with 5:00), but also with London since there are 6 underground lines which serve the station.

Future developments of the station

In the short run

The station will thus make it possible to the passengers to travel towards Bedford, Luton or St-Albans in the North of England, friends also in Wimbledon, Croydon and Brighton in the South. There will be also services towards the airports of Gatwick and Luton. Thameslink will increase its network, passing from 50 to 172 stations. What follows will also apply:

construction of underpasses allowing to join the station of St-Pancras to the hall of the subway station of King' S Cross-country race-St Pancras.
the station of King' S Cross-country race of London, located beside the station of St-Pancras, will allow the voyage towards the counties of North, like East Anglia or Scotland, served by the GNER, FCC and Hull Train.
of connections with the taxi, and the lines of buses which will facilitate displacements in London.

In the long run

In 2008, the trains of the Midlands will move towards Corby.
In 2009, the reopening of Midland Large Hotel
From December 2009, Kent (Ebbsfleet, Ashford) will be served, starting from the Eastern platforms (number 11-13), previously used by the interior services of Mainline and Thameslink during the phase of construction.
In 2010, once the prolongation of Docklands Light Railway will be finished, the services of Eurostar will stop at the station of Stratford-International.
During the Olympic Games of 2012, the station of St-Pancras will be the terminus of the Olympic javelin, and a shuttle service will be conceived to transport the spectators between the Olympic park of Stratford and the center of London.

The station of Saint-Pancras and the cinema

In the second volume of the novels of Harry Potter, Poudlard Express leaves the station of King' S Cross since the quay n° 9 ¾. But in film, the realizer preferred to plant his cameras in the station right beside that of King' S Cross, in Saint Pancras, subjugated by his splendid architecture of neo-gothic style victorien.
the station of St Pancras and St Pancras Chambers were also used as decoration in “Batman Begins”, and the first video clip of Spice Girls.

To see too

http://www.stpancras.com/ * http://stpancras.eurostar.com/fr-fr/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7090000/newsid_7093800/7093881.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&asb=1&news=1&ms3=54 * Images: http://railscenelondon.fotopic.net/p31877522.html
Station of King' S Cross-country race

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