Kings Cross Station is well known as being one of the main Victorian station buildings in central London and for being next to St Pancras Station where you can scoot over to Paris on the Eurostar.
It is also known for the sad events of 7 July 2005, known often simply as 7/7. Â I will always think of those who lost their lives and those who survived but suffered, God bless you, but I shall say no more on that infamous matter.
However, I think we can thank J K Rowling for possibly giving it the happiest reason to be famous. Â Harry Potter and his friends returned from holidays to school on a train which always left Kings Cross Station. Â From platform nine and three quarters. Â Such a simple idea yet those words have become a household name in themselves! Â You simply cannot say ‘nine and three quarters’ without thinking of the trolley being hurled at the wall. Â There is in fact a special piece of brickwork on the concourse, with a permanent feature of what looks like the remains of a trolley as it passes through the wall. Have you seen it? Â There is a queue daily where fans can have their photo taken at ‘the trolley’ .. I’m not sure I should post a photo I took of two random teenage girls who were not mine. Â I took it to show my nieces who are 10 and 6 and who are racing for the first time through the set of books!
I did however visit the shop, also opened up inside Kings Cross. Â What a success story! Â Catch a train to Leeds, buy a coffee in Pret, oh and pop into a Harry Potter merchandise store for those last minute presents!
Look at these print re-runs where you can buy the first book, ‘The Philosophers Stone’ but in these delectable colours … are they the house colours perhaps? Â I didn’t hang around long enough to investigate, as I had a train to meet!
The 7th of July 2005 was my 63rd birthday. I was walking, via Edgware Road, from Little Venice, aiming to pass Kings Cross en route to North Road. Many friends and relatives knew I would be doing that at the relevant time. Many sent messages asking if I was safe. I could only receive a few and answer none, because the networks had been given over to the emergency services. I was oblivious as to the reasons for the diversions until I arrived at the foster home I was visiting. They, of course, had been desperate to reach me.
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What an amazing tale… thank goodness you were alright but what an agonising few hours for your family and friends 🙈
The handing over of the networks to the emergency services is something I didn’t know could happen for real; I’ve seen it in Hollywood films … it makes so much sense for them to use them.
Bless you for sharing this 🌸
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🙂
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So cool!
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Isn’t it just? 😃
So pleased I found it; had no idea it was there!
Now I’d even go back to the station for a visit in its own right 🙈😂 even if I wasn’t catching or meeting a train!
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I would too!!
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