Light fantastic as £550m King’s Cross concourse is unveiled to guests

Published on 15/03/2012 06:41

A NEW concourse at one of the UK’s best-known railway stations was officially opened in a blaze of light last night.

An audience of 350 guests, including MPs from towns and cities which will benefit from improved links into King’s Cross station, were treated to a three-minute light show.

The £550 million work represents the biggest transformation in its 160-year history. The station is commonly used by rail passengers travelling from Edinburgh.

The shell-shaped glass and steel building will open to the public on Monday, and will provide three times the space of the current station concourse.

There will be better facilities, new links with the Tube, better links to St Pancras station, more shops and restaurants, larger destination boards and clearer station announcements.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening, London mayor Boris Johnson, Network Rail chief executive Sir David Higgins and television presenter Kevin McCloud, who fronts the Channel 4 series Grand Designs, were among those at the opening ceremony.