Cllr .Jon Davies made a site visit to see what is actually happening down on the platforms at Kennington Tube.
Anna Hladkyi and Michael Flynn gave him a sneak preview of one of the four new tunnels that are being constructed between platforms in anticipation on the increased passenger demand once the Northern Line Extension is opened to Vauxhall and Battersea.
It came as a bit of a shock when Transport for London announced that Bank Line trains wouldn’t be stopping at Kennington this summer. Anna, a veteran of major works at King’s Cross, Victoria, Crossrail etc, explained that without closing the platforms the works would have been very slow and difficult to achieve. For example every couple of a days the platform filled with the tons of spoil that were being dug out. Happily for local residents it was taken away on the engineering trains at night. She explained that closing the platforms meant the work could be done much more quickly and safely.
Happily the service has resumed.
The work isn’t finished though and each tunnel needs kitting out with specially handmade matching tiling to fit in with this listed building. There will also be all the electrics and lighting to finish
So we won’t be using these new tunnels for a while yet but Anna is confident they will be ready for the opening of the new extension.
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