C O N T E X T 1 3 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 3 43 The western barrel at King’s Cross after the completion of the refurbishment. Below: Shrapnel damage in one of the ribs near the bomb gap in the western barrel, repaired after the war. Below right: One of the twisted ribs damaged in the blitz, next to the post-war area of roof repair, which is on the left. Note the extensive use of lattice purlins, which replaced the earlier truss purlins on the right. the debris cleared and not a single train was cancelled, despite the destruction. Temporary covers were erected at platform level for the duration of the war to protect waiting passengers from the weather.The major repair of the bomb damage to the main train roof was concluded after the war in 1948. The clear difference between the 19th century ironwork and the post-war repairs and can be seen on platform 8, where three robust spandrels replaced the more delicate 19th century examples lost in the bombing. The brick facade facing on to the platform was reconstructed, though the building behind was not rebuilt.This area is still known today as ‘the bomb gap’, though it has been rebuilt as a part of the station redevelopment, 71 years after its destruction. The missing roof ribs were replaced and the roof rebuilt in 1948, although evidence of the explosion survives. Adjacent to the bombed area shrapnel had punctured through the iron ribs and the holes were patched by small square iron plates, bolted in place.The adjacent ribs were slightly twisted by the blast. Lattice purlins replaced the earlier truss purlin arrangement in the three rebuilt bays. The repairs have a solid, no-nonsense,Ministry ofWorks character to them. The recent roof restoration was an important element of the station-wide redevelopment, and the opportunity for the archaeological investigation of the roof relied upon collaboration between the architects, building contractors and archaeologists. Alongside the chance to investigate the roof’s history, the roof refurbishment has had a dramatic effect on the appearance of the station. Welsh slate and clear glass have replaced roofing felt and tarnished corrugated plastic.As a result the wide internal spaces of the main train shed are again bright and open, as intended by Cubitt in 1852. Sources Bancroft, R M (1887) ‘Renewal of the roof over the Departure Platform at the King’s Cross Terminus’, Society of Engineers Transactions The Builder (1851) 22 November,Vol IX, No 459 ‘The King’s CrossTerminus, Great Northern Railway’ The Builder (1852) 17 January,Vol X, No 504. Article on King’s Cross Terminus Humber,W (1866) ‘The Design and Arrangement of Railway Stations, Repairing Shops, Engine Sheds &c’, Civil Engineer and Architects Journal, 1866,Vol 29 The Engineer (1870) 21 January, ‘The Renewal of the Arrivals Roof, King’s CrossTerminus’ Hunter M,Thorne R (1990) Change at King’s Cross, Historical Publications, London Jackson, A A (1985) 2nd ed, London’sTermini, David and Charles, Newton Abbot and London John McAslan and Partners (2004) King’s Cross Conservation Plan, Report No 190 for Network Rail Sorapure, D (2009) Inverted Arch, Cab Road, Eastern Range, King’s Cross Station, standing building report for Carillion PLC, unpublished client report David Sorapure manages the buildings archaeology team at Museum of London Archaeology.
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