King’s Cross redevelopment on line

One of London’s oldest and busiest train stations, King’s Cross, is undergoing a large scale make-over to boost capacity, increase connectivity between mainline and underground train services and generally improve the travelling experience for the 50M passengers that use the terminus every year.

The centrepiece of the £500M redevelopment is a new steel vaulted, semi-circular concourse structure to the west of the existing station.

The steel framed structure rises some 20m and spans the full 150m-length of the Grade I Listed Western Range,
creating a new entrance to the station through the south end of the concourse and at mezzanine level on the northern end.

Designed by John McAslan + Partners and engineered by Arup, the 7,500m² concourse has become Europe’s largest single span station structure, comprising of 16 steel tree form columns that radiate from a central funnel.

All of the internal steelwork for the concourse, including the mezzanine level has been erected by Bourne Steel. The company has also completed a new train shed for King’s Cross suburban services.

The new and larger station concourse is due to open in spring 2012.