St Pancras International
St Pancras Chambers, seen from Euston Road
Location
Place	St Pancras
Local authority	London Borough of Camden
Coordinates	51°31′48″N 0°07′30″W / 51.530, -0.125Coordinates: 51°31′48″N 0°07′30″W / 51.530, -0.125
Operations
Station code	STP
Managed by	Network Rail (domestic services)[1] Eurostar (international services)[2]
Owned by	London & Continental
Platforms in use	12 (+ 3 not yet open)[3]
Live departures and station information from National Rail
Annual Passenger Usage
2004/05 *	5. St Pancras is an area of London. Historically the name has been used for various officially designated areas but today it is only an informal term and is rarely used The London Borough of Camden ( is a borough of London, England, which forms part of Inner London. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Network Rail is a British "not for dividend" Company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited a company limited Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris London & Continental Railways (LCR is a railway company based in the United Kingdom. 471 million
2005/06 *	4. 893 million
Transport for London
Zone	1
History
1 October 1868	Opened
15 July 2006	New domestic (Midland) platforms opened
14 November 2007	New international platforms opened
9 December 2007	Thameslink platforms opened
Transport for London List of London stations: Underground | National Rail
* Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at St Pancras International from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Travelcard Zone 1 is the central zone of Transport for London 's zonal system used for calculating co-ordinated inter-modal Travelcard fares within London Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Transport for London ( TfL) is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the Transport system in Greater London in England. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of London Underground stations. Scope This list by their present names of Heavy rail passenger stations in the Greater London region excludes stations served only by the London Underground
UK Railways Portal

St Pancras railway station is a major railway station opened in 1868 and celebrated for its architecture. The station is situated in the St Pancras area of central London between the British Library and King's Cross station. St Pancras is an area of London. Historically the name has been used for various officially designated areas but today it is only an informal term and is rarely used The term Central London refers to the districts of London England which are considered closest to the centre The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852

During the 2000s, the complex was renovated, expanded and reopened—branded St Pancras International—with a new security-sealed terminal area for Eurostar trains to continental Europe. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris The station is served by King's Cross St Pancras tube station on the London Underground network. King's Cross St Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network serving both King's Cross and St The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Background

The station is the terminus of East Midlands Trains for services from London to the cities of Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, and smaller towns in between. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. Derby (pronounced "dar-bee" /dˈɑːbɪ/ is a city in the East Midlands of England. Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England The station provides direct passenger interconnection with Eurostar’s high-speed services to Paris, Brussels and Lille, and First Capital Connect trains on the cross-London Thameslink route, which stop at platforms beneath the station and offer services going south to Gatwick Airport and Brighton, or north as far as Bedford. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is Lille (lil Rijsel is a city in northern France. It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest Metropolitan area in the country First Capital Connect (FCC is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006 Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel Domestic services to Kent (run by Southeastern) are due to start in 2009. Southeastern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom.

St Pancras is often termed the ‘cathedral of the railways’, and includes two of the most celebrated structures built in Britain in the Victorian era. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities The main train shed, completed in 1868 by the engineer William Henry Barlow, was the largest single-span structure built up to that time. For other uses see engine shed and Goods shed A train shed is an adjacent building to a Railway station where the tracks William Henry Barlow (1812-1902 was an English Civil engineer of the 19th century particularly associated with Railway engineering projects The frontage of the station is formed by St Pancras Chambers, formerly the Midland Grand Hotel (1868–1877), an impressive example of Victorian gothic architecture. The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began

Location and layout

Model showing the location and layout of the extended St Pancras station (left) and adjacent King's Cross station (right).

The upper level of The Arcade, looking south under Barlow's roof, just after opening to the public and just prior to Christmas 2007 (hence the tree).

The Arcade at St Pancras railway station, looking north. A Eurostar train can be seen in the platforms to the right.

St Pancras station occupies a long thin site orientated north south. The south of the site is bounded by the busy Euston Road, with the frontage along that road provided by the former Midland Grand Hotel. Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England and forms part of the A501. Behind the hotel, the main Barlow train shed is elevated 6 m (20ft) above street level, with the area below forming the station undercroft. An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since Medieval times To the west the station is bounded by Midland Road, with the new British Library on the other side of the road. The British Library ( BL) is the National library of the United Kingdom. To the east the station is bounded by Pancras Road, with King's Cross station on the far side of the road. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 To the north are the King's Cross railway lands, a complex of intersecting railway lines crossed by several roads and the Regent's Canal. The Regent's Canal is a Canal across an area just to the north of central London, England. ^[4][5]

In order to accommodate the unusually long Eurostar trains, and to provide capacity for the existing domestic trains to the midlands and the proposed domestic services on the high speed rail link, Barlow's existing station train shed has been extended a considerable distance northwards, by a new flat roofed train shed. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris The 13 platforms under this extended train shed are used by services to the East Midlands (the western-most platforms numbered 1–4) and Eurostar services (the middle platforms numbered 5–10). The East Midlands is one of the Regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. Domestic high-speed services to Kent will eventually occupy the eastern platforms (numbered 11–13). KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Thameslink services serve two additional underground platforms, designated A and B and constructed around the existing tunnel where it passes below the Midland Road side of the extended station. ^[5][6]

The platforms used by Eurostar extend back into Barlow's train shed, whilst the other platforms terminate at the southern end of the extension. The Eurostar platforms do not occupy the full width of the Barlow train shed, and sections of the floor of this area have been opened up to provide natural light to the new international concourse, named The Arcade, that lies below. This has been fashioned from the undercroft and runs the length of the Barlow train shed to the west of the Eurostar platforms. Arrival and departure lounges lie below these platforms, and are accessed from the international concourse. The southern end of the international concourse links to the western ticket hall of the King's Cross St Pancras tube station. King's Cross St Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network serving both King's Cross and St ^[5][6][7]

The various domestic service platforms, both above and below ground level, are accessed from a new street level domestic concourse, named The Market, that runs east west across the station below the point where Barlow's train shed meets the new extension. The domestic and international concourses meet at a right angle. The main pedestrian entrance to the station is at the eastern end of the domestic concourse, a location that will eventually link to the planned new concourse for King's Cross station and the planned northern ticket hall for the tube station. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 However until these are completed, access to the tube station for domestic passengers involves either an outdoor walk to the main ticket hall, or a walk of similar length along the concourse of the international station to the western ticket hall. ^[5][7]

The Meeting Place.

At the south end of the upper level of the station, a 9 metre high, 20 tonne bronze statue named The Meeting Place designed by British artist Paul Day is intended to evoke the romance of travel. Paul Day, born in 1967 is a British Sculptor. His high relief sculptures in Terracotta, Resin and Bronze have been exhibited widely in A nearby statue of John Betjeman, gazing in apparent wonder at the Barlow roof, recognises his successful campaign to save the station in the 20th century. Sir John Betjeman, CBE ( 28 August 1906 &ndash 19 May 1984 was an English poet writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who The twentieth century of the Common Era began on ^[8][9]

History

Requirement for a new station

The interior of the Barlow Trainshed, circa 1870

The station was commissioned by the Midland Railway. The Midland Railway (MR was a Railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922 when it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Prior to the 1860s, the company had a concentration of routes in the Midlands and north of London but not its own route to the capital. From 1840, Midland trains to and from London ran from Euston using the London and North Western line via a junction at Rugby. The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 Rugby is a Market town in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. Congestion and delays south of Rugby quickly became commonplace as services expanded.

A new London line was proposed around 1845, towards the end of the period of speculation later dubbed "Railway Mania". Railway Mania is the term given to the speculative frenzy in Britain in the 1840s The Great Northern line was approved by Parliament in 1846 and a Midland Railway spur from Leicester to Hitchin was agreed in 1847. The Great Northern Railway (GNR was a British railway company established by the London & York Railway Act of 1846 Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, and has an estimated population of 30360 While the Great Northern line was constructed, the Midland spur was quietly abandoned in 1850 due to financial problems. Pressure from businesses in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire (notably from William Whitbread, who owned roughly 12% of the land over which the line would run) revived the spur scheme. Leicestershire (ˈlɛstəʃə(r or ˈlɛstəʃɪə(r abbreviation Leics Northamptonshire (or archaically the County of Northampton; abbreviated Northants Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a County in England that forms part of the East of England region. The line was re-presented to Parliament and approved in 1853. Building began quickly but did not proceed at any great pace: the line was opened in mid-1857. The Midland Railway secured initial running power for seven years at a minimum of £20,000 a year. The Midland Company now had two routes into London, through Euston and King's Cross, and traffic quickly expanded to take advantage, especially with the coal trade, with the Midland Railway transporting around a fifth of the total coal to London by 1852.

In mid-1862, due to the enormous traffic for the second International Exhibition, the Great Northern and the Midland companies clashed over the restricted capacity of the line. The International Exhibition of 1862, or Great London Exposition, was a World's fair. This was regarded as the stimulus for the Midland Company to build its own line and surveying for a 49. 75 mile (80 km) line from Bedford to London began in October 1862. However, the Midland Company had been buying large portions of land in the parish of St Pancras since 1861. St Pancras is an area of London. Historically the name has been used for various officially designated areas but today it is only an informal term and is rarely used

St Pancras clocktower rises above tenement blocks in King's Cross in the 1980s. Etching by Colin Bailey

Close up view of the clock tower.

St Pancras was an unprepossessing district, with notorious slums. The area's other landmarks were the covered Fleet River, Regent's Canal, a gas-works, and an old church with a large graveyard. The River Fleet is the largest of London 's subterranean rivers It formerly flowed on the surface The Regent's Canal is a Canal across an area just to the north of central London, England. For the terminus the Midland Railway chose a site backing onto New Road (later Euston Road) bounded by what are now Midland Road and Pancras Road, a few hundred yards to the east of Euston and immediately to the west of King's Cross station. The Midland Railway (MR was a Railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922 when it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England and forms part of the A501. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 The initial plan was to take the station's approach tracks under the canal in a tunnel, although the churchyard and the gas-works were added problems. The site was occupied by housing, the estates of Somers Town and the slums of Agar Town. Somers Town, named after the Somers family who owned the land is an area of London south of Camden Town. Agar Town (or Agar-Town or Agar-town) was a short-lived area of St Pancras, London, England. The landlords sold up for £19,500 and cleared out the residents, without compensation, for a further £200. The church was demolished and a replacement built for £12,000 in 1868–69 in Kentish Town. Kentish Town is an area of north London, England in the London Borough of Camden. The demolished church, St Luke's, was re-erected piece by piece in 1867 as a Congregational church in Wanstead, and still exists (now a United Reformed church). Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, East London. An unrelated American church of similar name is the United Reformed Churches in North America.

The company intended to connect from the site through a tunnel (the St Pancras Branch) to the new Metropolitan Line, opened in 1863 running from Paddington to Farringdon Street below the Euston Road, providing for a through route to Kent. The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground, coloured Magenta on the Tube map. London Paddington station, also known as London Paddington, or just simply Paddington, is a major National Rail and London Underground station Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format

Design and construction

St Pancras Station clock

The sloping and irregular form of the site posed certain problems and the Midland Railway directors were determined to impress London with their new station. They could see the ornateness of Euston, with its famous arch; the functional success of Lewis Cubitt's King's Cross; the design innovations in iron, glass and layout by Brunel at Paddington; and, significantly, the single span roof designs of John Hawkshaw being built at Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Lewis Cubitt was born on 29 September 1799 and died on 9 June 1883. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 &ndash 15 September 1859 (ˈɪzəmbɑrd ˈkɪŋdəm brʊˈnɛl was a British Engineer. London Paddington station, also known as London Paddington, or just simply Paddington, is a major National Rail and London Underground station Sir John Hawkshaw ( 1811 - 2 June, 1891) English Engineer, was born in Leeds, Yorkshire and was educated Charing Cross railway station is a central London railway terminus Cannon Street is a National Rail and London Underground station complex in the City of London, the financial district of London in

The initial plan of the station was laid out by William Henry Barlow, the Midland's consulting engineer. William Henry Barlow (1812-1902 was an English Civil engineer of the 19th century particularly associated with Railway engineering projects Barlow persuaded the company to modify its original plans, raising the station 6m (20ft) on iron columns, thus providing a usable undercroft space and also allowing the approach tracks to cross the Regent's Canal on a bridge rather than a tunnel. The single span roof of 74 m (243 ft) was a collaboration between Barlow and Rowland Mason Ordish and was the greatest built up to that time. Rowland Mason Ordish ( 11 April 1824 -1886 was an English Engineer. It allowed the station to make maximum use of the space beneath without obstructions. A space for a fronting transverse hotel was included in the plan and the overall plan was accepted in early 1865. ^[10]

A close-up of some of the intricate decoration used in the station

A competition was held for the actual design of the station buildings and hotel in May 1865. An architectural design competition is a special type of Competition in which an organization or government body that plans to build a new (often public building asks for Eleven architects were invited to compete, submitting their designs in August. In January 1866 the brick Gothic revival designs of the prominent George Gilbert Scott were chosen. The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began Sir George Gilbert Scott ( 13 July 1811 &ndash 27 March, 1878) was an English Architect of the Victorian Age There was some disquiet at the choice, in part because Scott's designs, at £315,000, were by far the most expensive. The sheer grandeur of Scott's frontage impressed the Midland Railway directors, achieving their objective of outclassing all the other stations in the capital. A subsequent financial squeeze trimmed several floors from the frontage and certain ornateness but the impressive design largely remained.

Construction of the station, minus the roof which was a separate tender, was budgeted at £310,000, and after a few problems Waring Brothers' tender of £320,000 was accepted. Waring Brothers was a British company specialising in railway structures The roof tender went to the Butterley Company for £117,000. Butterley Engineering are an engineering company based in Ripley Derbyshire. Work began in the autumn of 1864 with a temporary bridge over the canal and the demolition of Somers Town and Agar Town. Construction of the station foundations did not start until July 1866 and delays through technical problems, especially in the roof construction, were commonplace.

The former Midland Grand Hotel at the front of St Pancras railway station.

The graveyard posed the initial problems - the main line was to pass over it on a girder bridge and the branch to the Metropolitan under it in a tunnel. Disturbance of the remains was expected but was, initially, carelessly handled. The tunnelling was especially delayed by the presence of decomposing human remains, the many coffins encountered, and a London-wide outbreak of cholera leading to the requirement to enclose the River Fleet entirely in iron. The River Fleet is the largest of London 's subterranean rivers It formerly flowed on the surface Despite this the connection was completed in January 1867.

The company was hoping to complete most essential building by January 1868. The goods station in Agar Town received its first train in September 1867, but passenger services through to the Metropolitan line did not begin until July 1868. However, the station was not finished when it opened, to little ceremony, on 1 October. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. The final rib for the trainshed roof had been fitted only in mid-September and the station was a mass of temporary structures for the passengers. The first train, an express for Manchester, ran non-stop from Kentish Town to Leicester - the longest non-stop run in the world at 97 miles (156 km). Kentish Town station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the Kentish Town area of the London Borough of Camden.

The undercroft of the station was used to store beer barrels brought by train from Burton-upon-Trent, a major brewing town served by the Midland Railway. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a large town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire,

Work on the Midland Grand Hotel did not begin until mid-1868. Designed by architect George Gilbert Scott and with construction in a number of stages, the hotel did not open to customers until 5 May 1873. Sir George Gilbert Scott ( 13 July 1811 &ndash 27 March, 1878) was an English Architect of the Victorian Age Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The process of adding fixtures and fittings was contentious as the Midland Railway cut Scott's perceived extravagances and only in late 1876 was Scott finally paid off. The total costs for the building were £438,000. The hotel building initially appears to be in a polychromatic Italian Gothic style – inspired by John Ruskin's Stones of Venice – but on a closer viewing, it incorporates features from a variety of periods and countries. John Ruskin (8 February 1819 &ndash 20 January 1900 is best known for his work as an Art critic, sage writer, and Social critic, but is remembered From such an eclectic approach, Scott anticipated that a new genre would emerge. ^[11][12]

Following construction services were provided by the Midland Railway. The Midland Railway (MR was a Railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922 when it became part of the London Midland and Scottish This was a period of expansion as the major routes to Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Carlisle opened.

Grouping, nationalisation and privatisation

Two Class 45s at St Pancras in 1984. The British Rail Class 45 also known as the Sulzer Type 4 Diesel locomotives were built by British Rail at their Derby and Crewe Works This photograph, when compared with the earlier photograph of the upper level of The Arcade taken from a similar position, shows the scale of the change that has happened to the station.

A Class 47 locomotive about to depart the unrebuilt station. The British Rail Class 47 (Originally Brush Type 4) is a class of British railway Diesel locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. The gas holder in the background is similar to a 'triplet' gasholder removed during construction of High Speed 1 with the intention that it is rebuilt nearby.

The 20th century did not, on the whole, serve St Pancras station well. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The Railways Act of 1921 forced the merger of the Midland with the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and the LMS adopted the LNWR's Euston station as its principal London terminus. The Railways Act of 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 London Midland for the new (2007 railway company The London Midland and Scottish Railway ( LMS) was a British Railway company The Midland Grand Hotel was closed in 1935, and the building was subsequently used as offices. During the second world war, bombing inflicted damage on the train shed, which was only partially reglazed after the war. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[13]

At the creation of British Railways in 1948, the previous LMS services continued to run. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" Destinations included the London area services to North Woolwich, St Albans and Bedford. Long distance services reached Glasgow, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester, with famous named trains including:

• The Palatine to Manchester
• The Thames-Clyde Express to Glasgow
• The Master Cutler to Sheffield (following the withdrawal of long distance services from Marylebone in 1966)

The 1960s electrification of the WCML between London and Manchester saw the Manchester Pullman running from St Pancras via Derby and Matlock. The Palatine was the name given to an express passenger train introduced by the London Midland and Scottish Railway in 1938: the 10 The Thames-Clyde Express was a named express passenger train operating on British Railways' Midland Main Line, Settle-Carlisle Railway and the Glasgow The Master Cutler is a named passenger train that operates on British railways from Sheffield to London. Marylebone station or London Marylebone station is a National Rail and London Underground station in central London, England. The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. The Manchester Pullman was a first class only Pullman passenger train operated by British Rail, marketed at business travellers These trains and those to Glasgow were withdrawn following the completion of the rebuilding of Euston and the consolidation of these services.

By the 1960s, St Pancras station came to be seen as redundant, and several attempts were made to close the station and demolish the hotel (by now known as St Pancras Chambers). These attempts provoked strong and successful opposition, with the campaign led by the then Poet Laureate, John Betjeman. A Poet Laureate is a Poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events Sir John Betjeman, CBE ( 28 August 1906 &ndash 19 May 1984 was an English poet writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who ^[8][14]

During the sectorisation of British Rail in 1986, mainline services were provided to the East Midlands by the InterCity sector (Midland Division), with London suburban services to St Albans, Luton and Bedford being provided by Network South East. InterCity (or in the earliest days the hyphenated Inter-City was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services 1586 at London Victoriajpg|thumb|right|A train in modified NSE livery with rounded corners It was during this period (in 1988) that the Snow Hill tunnel re-opened resulting in the creation of the Thameslink route and the resultant diversion of the majority of suburban trains onto the new route. Snow Hill Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the northern edge of the City of London between City Thameslink and Farringdon stations Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel However the station continued to be served by trains running on the old Midland main line to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield, together with a few suburban services to Bedford and Luton. This constituted only a few trains an hour and left the station underused and empty. ^[13]

Following the privatisation of British Rail, the long distance services from St Pancras were franchised to the Midland Mainline, a train operating company owned by the National Express Group, with a franchise start date of 28 April 1996. The Privatisation of British Rail was the result of the Railways Act 1993 introduced by John Major 's Conservative government History Intercity Midland Mainline were probably the forgotten operator in the 1990s The term train operating company (abbreviated to TOC is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway National Express Group plc ( is a UK -based Transport group with headquarters in London that operates Bus, coach, rail Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The few remaining suburban trains still operating into St Pancras were operated by the Thameslink train operating company, owned by Govia, from 2 March 1997. Thameslink was a Train operating company in the United Kingdom, run by Govia (a joint venture between Go-Ahead Group and Keolis Govia is a transport company based in the United Kingdom. A joint venture between Go-Ahead (65 per cent and Keolis SA (35 per cent it is a key operator Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar ^[15]

Midland Mainline had initial plans for regular trains from St Pancras to Newcastle and Manchester but these were quickly and quietly dropped. A handful of trains to and from Leeds were introduced, mainly because the High Speed Train sets were maintained there and were already running the route but empty from Sheffield. During the 2000s major rebuild of the WCML history repeated itself with St Pancras hosting trains to Manchester, this time via the Hope Valley route, under the title of Project Rio. The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. ^[16]

A new role is planned

New signage at St Pancras reflects the refurbishment of the station

The original plan for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) involved a tunnel from somewhere to the south-east of London, and an underground terminus in the vicinity of Kings Cross station. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 However a late change in the plans, principally driven by the then deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine's desire for urban regeneration in East London, led to a change of route, with the new line approaching London from the east. The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a senior member of the British Cabinet. Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative Urban Renewal (similar to Urban Regeneration in British English) is a controversial U East London is the name commonly given to the north eastern part of London, England on the north side of the River Thames. This opened the possibility of reusing the largely redundant St Pancras station as the terminus, with access via the North London Line that crosses the throat of the station. The North London Line is a railway line in roughly a circular arc which ran through the inner suburbs of north London, England from Richmond ^[13][17]

The idea of using the North London line proved illusory, and it was rejected in 1994 by the then transport secretary, John MacGregor, as difficult to construct and environmentally damaging. The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. John Macgregor (1802-1858 was a Scottish shipbuilder Birth and Early Life John Macgregor was christened on the 24 August 1802 at However the idea of using the underused St Pancras station as the core of the new terminus was retained, albeit now linked by 20 km of specially built tunnels to Dagenham via Stratford. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Dagenham is a suburban town in east London, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, situated east of Charing Cross. Stratford, historically Stratford Langthorne, is a place in the London Borough of Newham in East London. ^[13][17]

London and Continental Railways (LCR), which was created at the time of British rail privatisation, was selected by the UK government in 1996 to undertake the reconstruction of St Pancras, the construction of the CTRL and the takeover of the British share of the Eurostar operation, Eurostar (UK). London & Continental Railways (LCR is a railway company based in the United Kingdom. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris LCR has had ownership of St Pancras station since the privatisation of British Rail in order to allow for the station's redevelopment to take place. Financial difficulties in 1998, and the collapse of Railtrack in 2001, caused some revision of this plan, but LCR retain ownership of St Pancras station. For the generic term see Rail tracks. Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, Tunnels

The design and project management of reconstruction was undertaken, on behalf of LCR, by Rail Link Engineering (RLE), a consortium of Bechtel, Arup, Systra and Halcrow. Bechtel Corporation ( Bechtel Group) is the largest Engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 9th-largest privately owned company in the Arup is a professional services firm providing Engineering, Design, Planning, Project management and Consulting services for Systra is a railway Engineering Consultancy and transport planning Company, with its headquarters in Paris, France Halcrow Group Limited is an Engineering Consultancy Company, based in the United Kingdom. The original reference design for the station was by Nick Derbyshire, the former head of British Rail's in-house architecture team. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" The master plan of the complex was by Foster and Partners, whilst the lead architect of the reconstruction was Alistair Lansley, a former colleague of Nick Derbyshire recruited by RLE. Foster + Partners is a leading Architectural firm in the United Kingdom. Alastair Lansley (born 1 December 1947) is a British Architect. ^[5][18][19]

In order to accommodate the unusually long Eurostar trains, and to provide capacity for the existing domestic trains to the midlands and the proposed domestic services on the high speed rail link, the existing station train shed was extended a considerable distance northwards, by a new flat roofed shed. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris As extended the station was planned to feature 13 platforms under this extended train shed. Services to the East Midlands would use the western platforms, Eurostar services would use the middle platforms, and domestic high-speed services to Kent would occupy the eastern platforms. The East Midlands is one of the Regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format The Eurostar and one of the Midland platforms would extend back into the Barlow train shed. Access to the Eurostar platforms for departing passengers would be via a departure suite on the west side of the station, and then to the platforms by a bridge above the tracks within the historic train shed. Arriving Eurostar passengers would leave the station by a new concourse at the north end of the station. ^[17]

This original design was later modified, with access to the Eurostar platforms from below, utilising the station undercroft and allowing the deletion of the visually intrusive access bridge. By dropping the extension of any of the Midland platforms into the Barlow train shed, space was freed up to allow wells to be constructed in the station floor, which provided natural daylight and access to the undercroft. ^[17]

The station is rebuilt

The reglazed and repainted Barlow trainshed in September 2007

This statue of John Betjeman, celebrating his role in saving the station, was unveiled at the re-opening of the station. Sir John Betjeman, CBE ( 28 August 1906 &ndash 19 May 1984 was an English poet writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who

Shortly before the station rebuild commenced, the overhead wiring used by the electric suburban trains was removed, in order to allow construction to start on the eastern side of the train shed extension. As a consequence, all suburban trains from Bedford and Luton were diverted to Kings Cross Thameslink and beyond, and the Thameslink train operating company ceased to serve St Pancras for a period. King's Cross Thameslink station is a closed Railway station in central London, which served the Thameslink route (In fact these trains only used St Pancras if there was engineering work further south on the Thameslink line. )

By early 2004, the eastern side of the extended train shed was complete, and the Barlow train shed was closed to trains. From 12 April 2004, Midland Mainline trains terminated at an interim station occupying the eastern part of the extension immediately adjacent to the entrance. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

As part of the construction of the western side of the train shed extension, which now began, a new underground 'box' was constructed on the Thameslink route, which at this point ran partially under the extended station. This box was intended to eventually house new platforms for the Thameslink service. In order for this to happen, the existing Thameslink tunnels between Kentish Town and King's Cross Thameslink had to be closed between 11 September 2004 and 15 May 2005 while the works were carried out. Kentish Town station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the Kentish Town area of the London Borough of Camden. King's Cross Thameslink station is a closed Railway station in central London, which served the Thameslink route Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. As a result, Thameslink services from the north terminated in the same platforms as the Midland Mainline trains, while services from the south terminated at King's Cross Thameslink. ^[20]

After the blockade of the route was finished, the new station box was still only a bare concrete shell, and could not take passengers. Thameslink trains reverted to their previous route, but ran through the station box without stopping. The budget for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link works did not include work on the fitting-out of the station, as these works had originally been part of the separate Thameslink 2000 works programme. The Thameslink Programme, formerly known as Thameslink 2000, is a £5 Despite lobbying by rail operators who wished to see the station open at the same time as St Pancras International, the Government failed to provide additional funding to allow the fit out works to be completed immediately following the line blockade. Eventually, on 8 February 2006, Alistair Darling, the then Secretary of State for Transport, announced £50 million worth of funding for the fit-out of the station, plus another £10-15 million for the installation of associated signalling and other lineside works in the area. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Alistair Maclean Darling (born 28 November 1953 is a British Politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer since 28 June 2007 Railway signalling is a system used to control Railway traffic safely essentially to prevent Trains from colliding. ^[21][22][23]

In 2005 planning consent was granted for a refurbishment of the former Midland Grand Hotel building, which will be refurbished and extended as a hotel and apartment block. ^[24][25]

By the middle of 2006, the western side of the train shed extension was complete, and on 14 July 2006 the Midland Mainline trains moved from their interim home on the east side to their ultimate home on the west side of the station. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

The international station opens

From 30 October to early November 2007 Eurostar conducted a testing program in which some 6000 members of the public were involved in passenger check-in, immigration control and departure trials, during which the 'passengers' each made three return journeys out of St Pancras to the entrance to the London tunnel. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. On 4 September 2007, the first test train ran from Paris Gare du Nord to St Pancras. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Gare du Nord ("Paris North station" is one of the six large terminus stations of the SNCF 's main line network in Paris. ^[26]

St Pancras station was officially re-opened as St Pancras International, and the High Speed 1 launched, on Tuesday 6 November 2007, by HM The Queen accompanied by her consort, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II During an elaborate opening ceremony, Henry Barlow, played by actor Timothy West, addressed the audience, who were also entertained by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the singers Lemar and Katherine Jenkins. Timothy West CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English film stage and television Actor. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ( RPO) is a British Orchestra based in London. Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978) professionally known as Lemar, is a British Soul and R&B Singer, Katherine Jenkins (born 29 June 1980 in Neath, Wales) is an award-winning Welsh Mezzo-soprano. In a carefully staged piece of railway theatre, the first Javelin train set and two Eurostar train sets arrived through a cloud of dry ice in adjacent platforms within seconds of each other. Class 395 is the designation of new dual-voltage EMUs being built for Southeastern to operate new high speed domestic services on High Speed 1. The British Rail Class 373 or TGV-TMST train is an Electric multiple unit that operates Eurostar 's High-speed rail service between Dry ice is solid Carbon dioxide. It is commonly used as a versatile cooling agent ^[27][28]

Eurostar trains in the renovated train shed, January 2008

Public service by Eurostar train via the completed High Speed 1 route started on 14 November 2007. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In a small ceremony, station staff cut a ribbon leading to the Eurostar platforms. ^[29]

The layout of the station is essentially as designed, although the platforms for the high speed link to Kent will remain unoccupied until that service starts in 2009. In the same month that the station opened, the station's traditional services to the East Midlands were transferred to a new franchisee, East Midlands Trains. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. ^[30]

The low level platforms for the Thameslink services opened on 9 December 2007, and at the same time the former Kings Cross Thameslink station closed. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. King's Cross Thameslink station is a closed Railway station in central London, which served the Thameslink route Since Thameslink trains last used St Pancras station, the franchise had changed hands (on 1 April 2006) and services were now operated by First Capital Connect. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. First Capital Connect (FCC is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006 ^[31]

Services

East Midlands Trains (Midland Main Line)

The platforms used by East Midlands Trains, under the flat roof of the newly extended station.

From the 11 November 2007, St Pancras is the terminus of the Midland Main Line and the services operated by East Midlands Trains, with routes to the East Midlands and Yorkshire regions of England. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. The East Midlands is one of the Regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Towns and cities served include Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield. Luton ( is a large town in the east of England, 32 miles (51 kilometres north of London. Bedford is the County town of Bedfordshire, England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the Bedford borough Wellingborough is a Town in Northamptonshire, England situated some eleven miles from the county town of Northampton and eight miles south Kettering is a Town in Northamptonshire, England, UK. It is the main town within the Borough of Kettering. Market Harborough is a Market town in Leicestershire, England. Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional Loughborough (pronounced locally as either /lɘfbɘɹɘ/ "LUFF-burra" /lɘf Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. Derby (pronounced "dar-bee" /dˈɑːbɪ/ is a city in the East Midlands of England. Chesterfield is a historic Market town and local government district in Derbyshire, a County in England. Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Occasional trains also run to Burton upon Trent, Barnsley, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Scarborough. Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a large town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, and west of Doncaster Doncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. Wakefield lies at the heart of the City of Wakefield, a Metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Leeds ( is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. Scarborough is a town on the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire, England. ^[32]

There are currently four services an hour (two fast, two stopping) to Leicester station, half hourly services to Nottingham station, half hourly services to Derby station (with hourly continuations to Sheffield) with interval stops as mentioned above and an additional hourly commuter service between Kettering and London. Leicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England. Nottingham station is the principal Railway station in the city of Nottingham, England, and the Greater Nottingham area Derby Midland Station (often called Derby Station) is a main line Railway station serving the city of Derby in England. Kettering railway station is to the south-west of the Kettering town centre in Northamptonshire, England. ^[33]

Eurostar

Eurostar train at St Pancras having just arrived from Brussels Midi

The full Eurostar timetable came into operation on 9 December 2007. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The basic service provide 16 pairs of trains to and from Paris Gare du Nord every day (17 pairs from February 2008), 10 pairs of trains to and from Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid, and 1 pair of trains to and from Marne-la-Vallée for Disneyland Paris. The Gare du Nord ("Paris North station" is one of the six large terminus stations of the SNCF 's main line network in Paris. Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid (Brussels South is a major Railway station in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. Disneyland Resort Paris' is a Holiday and Recreation Resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a New town in the eastern suburbs of Paris Additional services run to Paris on Fridays and Sundays, with a reduced service to Brussels on weekends. Additional weekend leisure-oriented trains also run to the French Alps during the skiing season, and will run to Avignon in the summer. The French Alps are those parts of the Alps mountain range which lie in France. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment Avignon (/aviɲɔ̃/ in French) ( Provençal: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm is a commune ^[34][35]

Trains observe a mixture of stops at four intermediate stations (Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Calais-Fréthun and Lille-Europe) with some trains running non-stop. Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the borough of Dartford, Kent, just outside the eastern boundary Ashford International railway station serves Ashford in Kent, England. Non-stop trains take 2 hours 15 minutes to Paris, and just under 1 hour 50 minutes to Brussels, with stopping trains taking 5 or 10 minutes longer depending on whether they make one or two stops. ^[34][35]

First Capital Connect (Thameslink route)

The new Thameslink platforms at St Pancras

On 9 December 2007, as part of the Thameslink Programme, St Pancras gained platforms on the Thameslink network operated by First Capital Connect (FCC), replacing the King's Cross Thameslink station further down the line. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Thameslink Programme, formerly known as Thameslink 2000, is a £5 Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel First Capital Connect (FCC is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006 King's Cross Thameslink station is a closed Railway station in central London, which served the Thameslink route In line with the former station, the Thameslink platforms are designated A and B. ^[36][37] The new station has met with some critism due to the extended length of the route from the Thameslink platforms to the underground when compared to Kings Cross Thameslink. ^[38]

The Thameslink Programme involves the introduction of 12-car trains across the enlarged Thameslink network, and as extending the platforms at the existing King's Cross Thameslink station was thought wholly impractical (requiring alterations to the Clerkenwell tunnel and the Circle/Hammersmith & City/Metropolitan Underground lines, which would be extremely disruptive and prohibitively expensive),^[39] a new Thameslink station was proposed, to be situated under the existing St Pancras station. The Circle line, coloured yellow on the tube map is the eighth busiest line on the London Underground. The Hammersmith and City line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the London Underground Map, running between Hammersmith in The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground, coloured Magenta on the Tube map. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

The station allows passengers to travel to destinations such as Bedford, Luton and St Albans in the north, and to places like Wimbledon, East Croydon and Brighton in the south. History The previous Bedford Midland station was built by the Midland Railway in 1859 originally on its line to join the Great Northern at Hitchin Luton railway station is located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. St Albans railway station is one of two railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton East Croydon station is a railway station and tram stop in Croydon, 9 Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. There are also direct services to London Gatwick and London Luton airports. Gatwick Airport is London 's second largest Airport and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow. London Luton Airport (previously called Luton International Airport) is an International airport located on the edge of the Town of Luton The Thameslink Programme will enlarge the Thameslink network more than threefold from 50 to 172 stations. ^[40]

Service patterns

An East Midlands Trains Class 222 Meridian about to depart for Derby. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. The British Rail Class 222 is a Diesel-electric multiple unit High-speed train capable of. Derby Midland Station (often called Derby Station) is a main line Railway station serving the city of Derby in England.

Platform usage

Future developments

St Pancras station spires; in the foreground is the trainshed undergoing renovation. National Rail is a brand name of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the borough of Dartford, Kent, just outside the eastern boundary East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. Services The typical off-peak service from this station is as follows 4 tph to Brighton via London and Gatwick Airport ( First Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough First Capital Connect (FCC is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006 Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel Kentish Town station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the Kentish Town area of the London Borough of Camden. East Midlands Trains ( EMT) is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Southeastern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. First Capital Connect (FCC is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006

Midland Grand Hotel extension under construction

In 2008, as part of the new timetable, East Midlands Trains will cut journey times from London to Sheffield (2 hours 10 minutes) and Leicester (1 hour 7 minutes) and increase service from St Pancras to five trains an hour. New services will run direct from St Pancras to Lincoln and a new station at East Midlands Parkway will be served by existing trains from St Pancras. Lincoln (ˈlɪŋkən is a Cathedral city and County town of Lincolnshire, England. East Midlands Parkway is a planned railway station in the East Midlands of England, to serve East Midlands Airport. ^[41]

From 2009, Southeastern services to Kent over High Speed 1 will occupy the eastern platforms (numbered 11–13), previously used by the Midland Mainline and Thameslink services during the construction phase. Southeastern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format History Intercity Midland Mainline were probably the forgotten operator in the 1990s Thameslink is a fifty-station line in the British railway system running north to south from Bedford to Brighton through the Snow Hill tunnel ^[42]

Also in 2009, the new hotel and apartments occupying the original Midland Grand Hotel building will open. A five-star hotel, owned by Marriott International, will occupy parts of the original hotel, including the main public rooms, together with a new bedroom wing on the western side of the Barlow trainshed. Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies TV shows restaurants and hotels Marriott International Inc ( is a worldwide operator and Franchisor of a range of value and luxury Hotels and related Lodging facilities. The apartments, which are being developed by the Manhattan Loft Corporation, will occupy the majority of the upper floors of the main block of the original hotel. ^[24][25]

Eurostar is only considering calling at Stratford International as the first stop from St Pancras, once the Docklands Light Railway extension is completed^[43]. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Stratford International station is a railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in East London. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR is a Light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London England. Presently there is no fixed connection between the International and domestic (Regional) stations at Stratford. Stratford station is a Railway station in Stratford, Newham, East London on National Rail, London Underground and The DLR extension is due to be completed in 2010^[44].

In 2011, the subway under Pancras Road from the eastern entrance of the St Pancras's domestic concourse, built as part of the station extension, will be opened. This will connect St Pancras station to the new northern ticket hall of the King's Cross St Pancras tube station and the new concourse of King's Cross railway station, both of which are currently under construction and due to open in that year. King's Cross St Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network serving both King's Cross and St King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 ^[45]

During the 2012 Olympic Games, St Pancras will be the terminus for the Olympic Javelin, a seven minute shuttle service designed to ferry spectators between the Olympic Park in Stratford and Central London. The Olympic Javelin is a planned high-speed train shuttle service announced as part of the successful London 2012 Olympic bid. The Olympic Park London, is a new sporting complex to be built in Stratford in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Stratford, historically Stratford Langthorne, is a place in the London Borough of Newham in East London. ^[46]

There are proposals to extend East Midlands Trains service to a reopened Corby railway station, but no firm date has been set for this. Corby railway station served the town of Corby in Northamptonshire, England. ^[41]

King's Cross St Pancras tube station

French London Underground sign at St Pancras

Main article: King's Cross St Pancras tube station

King's Cross St Pancras tube station is the busiest station on the London Underground serving both King's Cross and St Pancras main line stations in the London Borough of Camden. King's Cross St Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network serving both King's Cross and St It is in Travelcard Zone 1.

Major work is ongoing at King's Cross St Pancras tube station to link the various station entrances to two new ticket halls for London Underground and reduce overcrowding. King's Cross St Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network serving both King's Cross and St The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Preceding station		London Underground		Following station
Euston Square towards High Street Kensington		Circle line		Farringdon towards Liverpool Street
Euston Square towards Hammersmith		Hammersmith & City line		Farringdon towards Barking
Euston Square towards Uxbridge, Amersham, Chesham or Watford		Metropolitan line		Farringdon towards Aldgate
Euston towards Edgware, Mill Hill East or High Barnet		Northern line		Angel towards Morden
Russell Square towards Uxbridge or Heathrow (Terminals 1, 2, 3 or Terminal 5)		Piccadilly line		Caledonian Road towards Cockfosters
Euston towards Brixton		Victoria line		Highbury & Islington towards Walthamstow Central

Fictional uses

• St Pancras station can be recognized in the exterior shots of King's Cross station in the Harry Potter film series. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London (not to High Street Kensington is a London Underground station at Kensington High Street. The Circle line, coloured yellow on the tube map is the eighth busiest line on the London Underground. Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough Liverpool Street station, also called London Liverpool Street, is a major railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London (not to Hammersmith is a London Underground station in Hammersmith. It is the western terminus of the Hammersmith & City Line. The Hammersmith and City line is a line of the London Underground, coloured salmon pink on the London Underground Map, running between Hammersmith in Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough Barking station is a railway station served by National Rail, London Underground and London Overground services Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London (not to Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, north-west London. Amersham station is a Railway station serving Amersham in Buckinghamshire. Chesham lies at the end of the Chesham branch of the Metropolitan line, and opened 8 July 1889 as the original northern terminus of the Watford is a station at the end of the Watford branch of London Underground 's Metropolitan Line in the north-western part of the network in Zone 7 The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground, coloured Magenta on the Tube map. Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London. Euston tube station is a London Underground station served by the Victoria Line and both branches of the Northern Line (not to be confused with nearby Edgware tube station is a London Underground station in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, in North London. Mill Hill East tube station is a London Underground station in Mill Hill in North London. High Barnet tube station is a London Underground station in High Barnet in North London. The Northern line is a deep-level tube line on the London Underground, coloured black on the Tube map. Angel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. Morden station is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. Russell Square is a London Underground station on Bernard Street Bloomsbury in the London Borough of Camden. Uxbridge is a London Underground station in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, north-west London. Heathrow Terminals 1 2 3 is a London Underground station at Heathrow Airport on the Heathrow branch of the Piccadilly Line. Heathrow Terminal 5 station is a shared railway station at London 's Heathrow Airport, and opened on March 27 2008. The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark Blue on the Tube map. Caledonian Road is a station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground, between King's Cross St Cockfosters is a London Underground station on the Piccadilly Line for which it is the northern terminus Euston tube station is a London Underground station served by the Victoria Line and both branches of the Northern Line (not to be confused with nearby Brixton tube station, a station on the London Underground opened on July 23 1971, is the southern terminus of the Victoria Line. Victoria Line train leaving depotjpg|thumb|right|300px|1967 Stock train leaving Northumberland Park Depot]] The Victoria line is part of the London Underground Highbury & Islington station is a National Rail, London Overground and London Underground station in the London Borough of Islington in North Walthamstow Central is a station on the Victoria Line and the National Express East Anglia service from Chingford to Liverpool Street. Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J ^[14]

• St Pancras appears at the end of the street in the 1955 Ealing comedy The Ladykillers. For the film see Ealing Comedy (film. For the film comedies see Ealing Comedies. This article is about the 1955 film For the remake see The Ladykillers (2004 film. ^[47]

• The music video for the Spice Girls song "Wannabe" was filmed inside St Pancras. A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics The Spice Girls are a BRIT Award -winning English pop Girl group formed in 1994 " Wannabe " is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls, released as their debut single and widely considered to be their Signature song ^[14]

• Part of the film 102 Dalmatians was shot in St Pancras. ^[48]

• The interior corridor and stairwell shots of Arkham Asylum in the film Batman Begins were shot in the disused Midland Grand Hotel. The Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane is a Fictional setting a Psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually in stories featuring Batman Begins is a 2005 American Superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by ^[49]

• This is the station Gordon ends up going to in the Railway Series book The Eight Famous Engines, in the story 'Gordon goes foreign' after an argument with Duck,and Big City Engine or The Foreign Engine over stations in London. Gordon the Big Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic Tender locomotive in The Railway Series We know how exciting this is but WPTHOMAS/FAQ explains WikiProject Thomas' This list consists all of The Railway Series books by both the Rev Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail

• This station is the location of Valhalla in Douglas Adams's The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul. See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain" is a majestic enormous Douglas Noël Adams (11 March 1952 &ndash 11 May 2001 was an English author comic Radio dramatist The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul is a 1988 humorous Fantasy detective novel by Douglas Adams. ^[50]

Notes and references

External links

• The official St Pancras station web site
• Street level and platform level station plans from the official St Pancras station web site
• Urban75 web magazine feature - photos of St Pancras and Midland Grand Hotel interiors
• Skyscrapernews.com building detail - photos and info of the building and its history
• Official St Pancras Chambers website - information on the history of the hotel and redevelopment plans
• Thameslink Programme – the planned expansion and upgrade of the Thameslink network
• Images of England — details from listed building database (477257)
• Contemporary description of the original station & line