Works on new escalators at the Northern Line stop at Kentish Town

KENTISH Town Tube station should be open in the run-up to Christmas – if no more issues are found in the 1908 station and work to make it safe continues at its current pace.

This week, the New Journal had an exclusive tour of the station, which shut in June 2023 and was due to reopen a year later. Delays caused by the discovery of cracks and degraded concrete means the work has taken on a new level.

Residents and businesses have complained about the ongoing work, while others have queried why new lifts have not been installed.

Project manager Jennie Ward said that the original budget came in at £9m but costs have risen as new work was required.

She explained how the original plan to replace two escalators ballooned as builders moved in. The work for the escalators was estimated to take up to a year, but because the station was closed – a rare occurrence on the network – engineers used the opportunity to give the historic building a thorough health check.

What they found meant they had to embark on much greater work than first envisaged.

Ms Ward said: “The original concrete used was not fit for purpose.”

Project manager Jennie Ward with Adrenne Read,  TfL’s head of built environment

The ticket hall floor and ceiling had to be taken out in sections and then strengthened, with hundreds of tons of concrete used. The escalators were also removed in pieces, revealing extra structural work needed to support their replacements.

She said: “It is done in sections – they are big, heavy pieces to remove.”

The largest weighed six tons and needed specialist lifting gear. With maintenance, the new stairs will last for many years and reduce the energy used, added Ms Ward.

She said: “The new escalators will be much more energy efficient – and to keep them running for as long as possible, the plan is to occasionally change the direction of travel to lessen wear.”

Elsewhere, the station will meet high green standards, with low energy lighting throughout.

The new ticket hall will have a much better passenger experience, added Ms Ward.

She said: “We are putting in two new wider aisle gates and five of the regular ones. There will be more space – we have removed the defunct former ticket office – and  have retained the historic features.”

These include original clocks on the platforms and outside the station, and careful work to save as many historic tiles inside, as well as replacing those damaged like for like.

One issue they discovered was work done under the Tubelines PFI deal in the late 1990s was poorly completed. One set of tiles had been laid on top of the originals to save time and money – and now the builders are putting it right. It means one part of the station will look exactly as commuters in 1908 would have seen it, with square tiles instead of the more modern oblong ones.

Ms Ward said: “We have to work carefully as this is a historic building, heavily used. It has meant we have had to check everywhere.” Contract manager Gavin  Enright has been overseeing the new floors and ceilings.

He said: “It wasn’t up to modern standards and we had to fix it for future proofing. The quality control back then just isn’t what it is today.”

Alex Bennett, lead surveyor for the London Underground Infrastructure Renewals, explained why work had taken approximately six months longer than first envisaged.

He said: “The original escalators were bespoke and there were issues with getting parts. “We found some cracking on steps and that catapulted the project forward. Often, when we repair an escalator, it can be a case of doing work behind hoardings. But because we don’t often get full station closures, it meant there was scope to look at what else was needed.

“We had to do more than was expected. The concrete was not up to modern standards. Some sections had come away and were resting on the false ceiling.

“At Christmas, we discovered quite how much extra was required. I can’t apologise for closing a station for safety reasons. I can apologise for the disruption to people who use it – but we needed to do these works.” He added that lift shafts, built in 1908, did not take passengers to platforms and if re-introduced would not make the station step-free access.

Councillors’ open letter to TfL…

To TfL Commissioner Andy Lord: WE are writing as local councillors for the Kentish Town North and South wards, regarding the latest delays to the reopening of Kentish Town Underground Station.

We are very disappointed to hear of further delays, given the continued severe impact on local businesses and our residents.

Following a site visit, which Cllrs Slater and McNamara attended in February, we were updated on extra works needed to the station building due to significant structural issues.

We accepted the explanations given as to why reopening would be delayed until late summer because of the obvious concerns around passenger safety.

However, we find the lack of notice of further delays very difficult and indeed residents are now losing trust in TfL’s ability to manage this project. We remain concerned at the lack of communication with the community and with us as elected representatives. This is why we have now asked for monthly update meetings to ensure that we can monitor the progress of these works and hold TfL to account.

The number one aim now is to get Kentish Town open for entry and exit as soon as is safely possible.

Therefore, we urge you in the strongest terms, to investigate all options for the station to reopen as soon as possible, including any partial reopening which can be considered.

We look forward to your response, outlining what steps TfL are taking to get Kentish Town moving again.

Cllr JAMES SLATER, Kentish Town North
Cllr SYLVIA McNAMARA, Kentish Town North
Cllr MERIC APAK, Kentish Town South
Cllr JENNY HEADLAM-WELLS, Kentish Town South