In an earlier post I talked about the Japanese mastery of 'Platform 0'. I'm indebted to a correspondent in Japan for introducing me to 'Kaleidescope World' which has a comprehensive list of 'Platform 0' with photographic evidence.
I should have credited the U.K. with three 'Platform 0' - one in England (Stockport), one in Wales (Cardiff) and one in Scotland (Haymarket). Europe musters five 'Platform 0' and Japan remains the undisputed leader with 40 remaining 'Platform 0'. Years ago, Japan had 100 stations with a 'Platform 0'!
In my earlier post, I illustrated the entrance to 'Platform 9-3/4' at Kings Cross as being England's attempt at unusual platform numbering.
On a recent visit, I was surprised to find the portal had magically moved itself to a new location.
I can only assume that whatever magical spirits dwell around the portal have been disturbed by all the building work going on at Kings Cross and have thus relocated to a slightly more congenial area.
Part of the rebuilding at Kings Cross involves the creation of a new platform. The picture below shows the major civil engineering work in progress to drive the new track on the extreme East Side, next to the present Platform 1.
You might imagine that a new platform next to Platform 1 would logically be given the title 'Platform 0'. But, of course, Network Rail laughs in the face of such conformist logic. I am reliably informed that the new platform will be designated 'Platform Y'. Why? The suggestion is that some of the existing signalling or information systems are unable to handle a 'Null'.
