Gasworks Tunnel
| Gasworks Tunnel | |
|---|---|
The Gasworks Tunnel as viewed from the platforms of London King's Cross railway station | |
Interactive map of Gasworks Tunnel | |
| Overview | |
| Line | East Coast Main Line |
| Location | Kings Cross, London |
| Coordinates | 51°32′07″N 0°07′24″W / 51.53531°N 0.12331°W |
| Status | All three bores in use (since 2021) |
| System | National Rail |
| Crosses | Regent's Canal |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | Central bore: 1852 Eastern bore: 1877 Western bore: 1892 |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Operator | See East Coast Main Line § Operators |
| Technical | |
| Length | 528 yd (483 m) |
| No. of tracks | 6 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrified | 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
| Operating speed | Up: 20 mph (32 km/h) Down: 45 mph (72 km/h) |
The Gasworks Tunnel, also historically known as the Maiden Lane Tunnel, is a railway tunnel immediately to the north of King's Cross railway station in London, United Kingdom. It consists of three parallel bores which carry the six tracks of the East Coast Main Line under the Regent's Canal, as well as roads and housing. Each bore is 528 yards (483 m) in length and all the tracks are designed to be used bi-directionally.
Each bore was opened separately between 1852 and 1892. In 1977, as part of greater modernisation efforts, the eastern bore was taken out of use and the other two bores were converted to be used bi-directionally. To increase capacity, the eastern bore was reinstated in 2021 as part of a larger upgrade of the station and the entire East Coast Main Line.