On 29 Sep, 14:36, Mizter T wrote:

There's a rather dark side to the passageway though, which doesn't
really match up with it's smiley façade.

Because of the Kings Cross fire? That really was one of the most
unfortuate aspects of the disaster, quite apart from the personnel and
organisational failings uncovered by Fennell.

For background, at the time of day that the Kings Cross fire happened
the passageway was closed and the Bostwick gates to it from the
Piccadilly/Victoria line platforms locked. This was because the
Midland City line (subsequently Thameslink) station was at that time
closed in the evenings for the station to be upgraded and overall roof
constructed.

If the passage had been open (or had been fitted with the emergency
unlocking devices that have become standard since the fire), then it's
quite possible that many of the passengers from the tube platforms
would have been evacuated (or evacuated themselves) that way rather
than being directed up the Victoria line escalators towards the
impending flashover. Having said that I don't think anyone could have
predicted just how violently the fire would erupt from the Piccadilly
escalator shaft.

ISTR that eventually - 30-60 minutes after the flashover - someone was
finally found who could unlock the Bostwick gates and allow trapped
people to be brought to the surface through the Pentonville Road
ticket hall.

Although the 'SMILE' panelling was part of the original 1981 KX
Midland City station construction, not installed after the fire for
the Thameslink station rebuilding.