GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY GOODS YARD

This plaque portrays a part of the Great Northern Railway Goods Yard at the end of the nineteenth century. As well as the preserved historic features in front of you the outline of the old canal basin is defined by a band of paving which runs around Granary Square

1. CANAL BASIN (built 1851)
Connected by tunnels to Regent’s Canal, the basin allowed the interchange of goods between Regent’s Canal and the Great Northern Railway rail network

2. HYDRAULICALLY POWERED CRANE (installed 1851)
Used to move goods from canal barges docked in the basin into waiting railway wagons

3. WAGON TURNTABLE (Installed 1850)
Wagons loaded on the basin side were rotated 90 degrees by the turntable and shunted into the Westerm transit Shed for onward transport

4. HYDRAULICALLY POWERED CAPSTAN (Installed 1881)
Used to assist wagon shunting and rotating the turntable

5. WESTERN TRANSIT SHED (built 1851)
(extended 1865 - 1871)
Large warehouse handling outward baund goods

The Kings Cross Railway Station’s Maintenance and Commodity Warehouse was used by the Great Northern Railway, a company established in 1846 with the aim of creating a railway line between London and York.

On the plaque is a detailed description of the tools that were used in the warehouse

In the following pictures, parts of the sign are enlarged: Click for a larger image - General description of the plaque

Click for a larger image - 1. Canal Basin

Click for a larger image - 2. Hydraulically Powered Crane

Click for a larger image - 3. Wagon Turntable

Click for a larger image - 4. Hydraulically Powered Capstan

Click for a larger image - 5. Western Transit Shed