King's Cross is London's most magical train station
The station is located in the north-east part of London, in the Cadman district. By the time it was opened, it was the largest transport hub in the country, and only a few decades later, stations with a larger area and the ability to accommodate more passengers appeared in the UK. Nevertheless, passenger traffic at King's Cross remains impressive, annually this transport hub receives more than 26 million passengers.
A LITTLE HISTORY AND LEGENDS
Despite the monumental view, King's Cross Station is not so old. It was built in 1852. Its name is associated with the mention of kings only because a monument to the English monarch George IV was previously erected on the site where the building now stands. Literally, the name of the station translates as "crossroads of kings". There is no other connection with the monarchs.
The architectural style of the station is uncomplicated, minimalistic, nevertheless it is a unique object. The building has the shape of a rectangle. Railway tracks run under its two parallel arches made of glass and metal. The reinforced concrete facade does not attract attention with decorative elements and causes mixed emotions. But the one who got inside will experience a real delight. At the end of the 90s of the last century, the interior design of the station was transformed beyond recognition. And later – again. Thus, passengers who have visited the station in different years can note radical changes in the design.
There is a developed infrastructure on the territory of the station. There are many areas for recreation and entertainment. There are cozy cafes and small shops where you can pass the time while waiting for your train. From King's Cross station, by the way, you can get not only to various cities in England (Cambridge, Peterbro, York, Darlington, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham, etc.), but also to Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Dundee, Aberdeen). If the waiting time for the flight is long, you can stay in an inexpensive hotel located near the train station. Prices for accommodation here are much lower than in central London.
Residents of foggy Albion are very fond of ancient legends. Stories, as a rule, are often associated with architectural objects. King's Cross Station was no exception. It is said that the spirit of the Celtic queen Boudica, who died at this very place during the Roman conquests, sometimes wanders around the station near platform 10. There is no documentary evidence of this fact, of course, but thanks to the underground London River Fleet, Roman anchors were found in this place and the grave of a legionnaire was discovered. And although the specific burial place of Boudika was never found, no refutation was received. And since it is known from historical sources that a Roman camp was previously located on the site of the station, most Englishmen tend to believe this legend.
MAGIC TRAIN STATION
Kings Cross has been repeatedly mentioned in literature and cinema. Sherlock Holmes – the main character of A. K. Doyle's books went on a journey from him. Bram Stoker in his book "Dracula" also mentions this particular station. In the movie "Gentlemen's Games", robbers dig a tunnel just under King's Cross. But the station gained worldwide fame after the release of a series of books by J. K. Rowling about the young wizard Harry Potter. It is from Kings Cross that the train to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry departs at exactly 11:00. Thus, the author emphasized the close connection of the human world with the world of wizards. After all, people also set off from the station, only on ordinary trains. Why can't they see the wizards? In fact, they do, but such cases are immediately recorded by ministerial officials who are able to influence people's memory so that they do not remember anything.
To get on the magic train, you need to pass through the wall between platforms 9 and 10 at a certain time. The one who succeeds gets to platform 9 ¾. Why this particular number? Even J.K. Rowling herself doesn't know this, she says she chose it at random, she just really liked the number, it's kind of special. But if you think about it, there may be other fractional platforms at the station. For example, 7 ½ or 5 ¼, but they open at a different time and lead to other magical objects. Well, perhaps new books by the writer will be released soon, from which we will learn about other magical worlds.
INTERESTING FACTS
In fact, when shooting the film, the creators had to cheat. The fact is that in reality platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross are not separated by an arch, they are located in different buildings and 2 paths are laid between them. That is, in fact, there is no such wall through which one could pass. In the filming, a wall was used between platforms 4 and 5. The place was artificially expanded with special decorations.
And this is not the only trick associated with the station. In the second film, when Harry and Ron couldn't get through the wall, they flew to Hogwarts by car. And at the very moment when the car rises into the air, the audience sees the train station in the background, but this is not King's Cross, but St. Pancras. Its neo-Gothic facade seemed to the filmmakers more attractive and suitable for this scene. In fairness, it should be clarified that both stations are located next to each other, so theoretically the facade of another building could appear in the frame, but still the events of the film describe the building as Kings Cross.
By the way, the English-speaking audience was much more lucky, since the station is mentioned in more literary sources. For example, the children's writer D. Bisset wrote a story, the events of which tell about a quarrel between two stations - St. Pancras and King's Cross, which caused serious confusion in the train schedule. Unfortunately, this story is not so widely known to the Russian-speaking audience, but in vain, it is very instructive.
Immediately after the release of the first book, the station began to be visited by admiring readers. They really wanted to find the very place where the magic express departs from and check if it is possible to pass through the wall. What if it's not fiction and the author just described the events that she saw herself or even took part in. After all, everything is described so accurately and in detail that there is not a drop of doubt about the existence of a real platform 9 ¾. And the administration of the station, seeing such a situation, decided to meet the fans of Potteriana. A kind of monument was erected at the station, which immediately became a place of attraction for tourists. In the main hall, not far from the exit, half of the trolley is mounted in the wall. Such a composition really gives the impression of the possibility of passing through the wall. There is no end of those who want to be photographed here, some come to London specifically for the sake of such an opportunity. It is noteworthy that you can take a photo for free if you use your camera. If there is no camera at hand, a photographer is always on duty nearby, ready to suggest a good angle and make a good shot, but for a small fee. There is also a magic souvenir shop based on Harry Potter nearby. Here you can buy everything from magic wands to a full set of clothes for Hogwarts students. Fans of Harry Potter books joyfully greeted J.K. Rowling on the first platform of King's Cross Station in 2000. It was here that she communicated with fans and signed autographs after the release of the book "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire".
LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT KING'S CROSS STATION
JK Rowling's parents met here for the first time. They were on their way to Scotland and met on a train that was leaving King's Cross. This fact is called one of the reasons that the writer made the station so famous and paid so much attention to it in her books. But even funnier is that Joan once admitted that she had mixed up the stations. When she remembered what the station looked like from the inside, and thought over the location of the secret platform, she imagined Euston Station. That is, it is actually described in the books, but under a different name. But if this fact is not mentioned, no one will guess, the story turned out to be so realistic that the reader simply does not pay attention to minor inconsistencies.
Another interesting fact about the train station – only here and nowhere else in London there is platform No. 0. The whole secret is that it was completed later, in 2010, when all other platforms were already functioning. And it is located in front of platform No. 1. The management considered various names, including Platform Y (in honor of the nearby York Road station of the London Underground). The version of Platform 9 ¾ was also considered, but it was not accepted. In the end, in order not to confuse passengers with letter designations and incorrect numbering order, it was decided to assign the new platform the serial number 0. There are 12 platforms at the station in total.
In 1931, a circular runway could have appeared on the roof of King's Cross Station. They wanted to build hangars for airplanes under the station, and special elevators to move them to the roof. Such a project really existed and was considered by the city authorities. However, a decision was made on the inexpediency of its implementation. The era of jet aircraft required longer runways, and this project would allow the use of only light aircraft, the benefits and economic benefits of which are much less. Thus, the station remained only a train station, and could also be an airport.
Also, few people know that King's Cross Station was connected to the world's first subway line, built 11 years after the station was put into operation. English architects designed the station so that passengers could transfer from one mode of transport to another, overcoming only a small section of the way in the form of a bridge or underpass. Other countries, including Russia, have adopted such an important experience in the history of transport development.
TRAGIC INCIDENT
In 1987, a fire broke out at King's Cross Station. The reason was a match thrown past the urn. She set fire to the lower part of the wooden escalators, as a result of which the fire engulfed a significant part of the building. Then more than 100 people were injured. More than 3 dozen died. After such an incident, smoking was finally banned on the London Underground. Prior to that, the ban on smoking was in effect in many public places, but the metro authorities did not introduce it. It wasn't until after the King's Cross fire that he showed up. Who knows, maybe this incident prevented an even bigger catastrophe.
MODERN LOOK
In the Harry Potter films, you can consider the architecture of the building and the interior, but time does not stand still. And after 2001, when the first film was shot, the building was reconstructed more than once. For example, the bridge, previously equipped with metal railings, is now equipped with glass barriers. Renovations also affected other objects of interior decoration. Most of them were held by 2012, when the Olympic Games were held in London. For example, the station was supplemented with a semicircular roof consisting of 2000 triangular panels. Some of them are made of glass. Now the building looks more modern than in the movies, but it does not lose its attractiveness as a separate tourist attraction. Despite the fact that the station is considered the most magical in London, you need to buy a ticket to get to its platforms. Magic won't work. At least, that's what the Kings Cross staff say. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or on the website of the National Roads of Great Britain.
