"Martin Krieger" wrote in message
...
but then commuters don't expect mobile phone reception in any another
below ground station

I find this very astonishing. In other parts of the world mobile phone
coverage of underground lines has been custom for years. The operators
have installed several transmitters (e.g. here
http://www.fst-gsm.de/d1-u-bahn.html is a list for one operator in
Cologne, Germany. The other 3 German operators have similar equipment). It
works.

As far as I know the phone operators pays the transport company (KVB) a
rent - so KVB gets more revenue and improves service at the same time.

Of course, the London underground network is much, much larger. But even
then I find it hard to understand why it is that difficult there.

They used the 'security threat' excuse on LU didn't they? And now they have
to have a trial to see if the technology will work - 'not invented here'
springs to mind...

Paul

"Sky Rider" wrote in message
...

I would be surprised if during the forthcoming weekend closures of the
core Thameslink route didn't invlove the renewal of *at least* most of the
track along the whole stretch, including the legendary Hotel Curve.


What's the Hotel Curve?

wrote in message
. uk...

"Sky Rider" wrote in message
...

I would be surprised if during the forthcoming weekend closures of the
core Thameslink route didn't invlove the renewal of *at least* most of
the track along the whole stretch, including the legendary Hotel Curve.


What's the Hotel Curve?

Its the disused route for down trains from just north of KXTL to the west
side of the Kings Cross layout, now containing a gas main as part of the
preparatory works for the northern ticket hall. So it may not be involved in
any track relaying. The opposite direction route was the York Road curve.

Paul

In article ,
(Sky Rider) wrote:

Peter Lawrence wrote:

snip

Signs and indicators matching the those rest of
St.P.I. The train indicators do show intermediate stations (ref
earlier comment here.) Seats only at the outer ends of the
platforms, probably not enough of them, particularly since half of
them will be off the end of 4 coach trains.

Seating is unfortunately at a premium throughout the whole StP
complex at the moment (unless you fancy a £7.50+ glass of champagne
:-)).

Do you have to buy a glass to use a seat?

Surprisingly, the southern ends of the platforms are on a curve but
these will only be needed if and when we get 12 coaches. This curve
causes much flange noise from southbound trains to compete with
automatic train announcements.

I would be surprised if during the forthcoming weekend closures of
the core Thameslink route didn't invlove the renewal of *at least*
most of the track along the whole stretch, including the legendary
Hotel Curve.

Not so much legendary as long departed. You mean Midland Curve surely?
Hotel Curve was from the Widened Lines up to the King's Cross suburban
platform 16, long since gone.

Access looks OK with escalators (2 each side) and stairs between
platforms to a mezzanine level and then more of the same up to the
main station undercroft. Exit/entrance, with gateline, in use, faces
the end of the arcade.

Lifts available from platforms to the mezzanine at least (and
hopefully further but I did not explore.)

I won't be there until tomorrow (apparently Ruth Kelly is due to
'officially' open it on that day) but I'm certain that there are
two lifts - one covers the street, mezzanine and platform (A)
levels while the other covers the mezzanine and platform (B) levels.

How will one get a bike between the platforms and street level then?

snip

--
Colin Rosenstiel

"John Rowland" wrote in message
...
Peter Lawrence wrote:
First impressions of the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras which
opened on time this morning (after what must have been a massive
tidy-up operation).

Where's the street entrance? I drove through Midland Road yesterday and
couldn't see any signs marking a station at all.

Pancras Rd - probably why the station isn't being called 'Midland Rd'
anymore?

The Midland Road doors were signed internally as a 'taxi only' exit when I
was last there a couple of weeks ago - perhaps they feel its still too much
of a building site that side?

Paul

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:
Do you have to buy a glass to use a seat?

There are a handful of public seats on the Midland Main Line concourse
and on the Thameslink platforms, but the rest of the seats are allocated
to cafes, restaurants and the champagne bar (which has plenty of seats,
hence my earlier remark).

Not so much legendary as long departed. You mean Midland Curve surely?
Hotel Curve was from the Widened Lines up to the King's Cross suburban
platform 16, long since gone.

If the Midland Curve is the section of King's Cross Tunnel where the
carriage length limit is significantly restricted due to the severity of
the curve then yes.

How will one get a bike between the platforms and street level then?

If the lifts (let's call them 1 and 2) are big enough then your options a
Street level - Lift 1 - Southbound platform
Street level - Lift 1 - Mezzanine - Lift 2 - Northbound platform

In message , at 14:21:48 on Sun,
9 Dec 2007, John Rowland
remarked:
First impressions of the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras which
opened on time this morning (after what must have been a massive
tidy-up operation).

Where's the street entrance? I drove through Midland Road yesterday and
couldn't see any signs marking a station at all.

The same entrances as the rest of St Pancras. The one from Midland Rd
may still be masquerading as a "taxi-passengers only, exit".
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 14:47:34 on Sun,
9 Dec 2007, Neil Williams remarked:

Whoever designed that aspect of StP (was it the architect we saw
agonising over small details on TV, or someone else) has clearly got an
aversion to seating.

Same as Euston[1], then? Maybe it was intentional to encourage
business for the shops and bars.

When MML was using the Kent platforms as interim-platform, there was
almost a sensible amount of seating near the buffers. But now it's as
bad as KX (which does have seats around the perimeter of the 1970's
concourse, but they are always full). On the other hand, the KX Suburban
platforms have plenty of seating on them.

If the lack of seating is a "feature" then they haven't provided any
useful seating within catering establishments anywhere near the MML
platforms.
--
Roland Perry

On Dec 9, 3:30 pm, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
"John Rowland" wrote in message

...

Peter Lawrence wrote:
First impressions of the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras which
opened on time this morning (after what must have been a massive
tidy-up operation).

Where's the street entrance? I drove through Midland Road yesterday and
couldn't see any signs marking a station at all.

Pancras Rd - probably why the station isn't being called 'Midland Rd'
anymore?

The Midland Road doors were signed internally as a 'taxi only' exit when I
was last there a couple of weeks ago - perhaps they feel its still too much
of a building site that side?

Paul

National Rail refers to the station (on it's departures board) as
STPXBOX.

In message
, at
08:34:47 on Sun, 9 Dec 2007, Railist
remarked:
National Rail refers to the station (on it's departures board) as
STPXBOX.

That Bill Gates is everywhere !
--
Roland Perry