City Thameslink to close in 2027 for replacement of all 10 escalators

Replacement planned during station closure

Network Rail and Thameslink have announced plans to close City Thameslink station from Monday 17 May until late December 2027 to replace all 10 escalators. Thameslink trains are expected to continue through the station but will not stop there during the closure. The replacement work has not yet taken place. [1]

Network Rail says the existing escalators have served passengers for more than 35 years and that flooding has accelerated their deterioration. It plans to replace the full group in one closure rather than keep parts of the station open while work proceeds. Network Rail says this approach will shorten the overall project and allow the work to meet its safety requirements. [1]

Passenger access during the works

The scale of the programme makes station access, rather than train operations, the principal disruption for passengers. Network Rail recommends London Blackfriars as the alternative station and says additional staff will help manage passenger flows there. It estimates the walk from City Thameslink at six minutes from the Ludgate Hill entrance or about 11 minutes from the Holborn Viaduct entrance. [1]

Lift Hub editorial, with AI assistance.