Paul Scott wrote on 23 September 2011
18:59:23 ...
wrote in message
...

I had always assumed that the reason for the slow movement and the loud
screeching was that the line had originally been built cheaply and that
there was no scope for re-aligning the track. Does anyone know how much
work has been done on the section between Farringdon and St. Pancras
International and if further improvements are planned?

There have been closures most weekends for about two years, ample time for
them to completely refit the track, and I think one of the current items of
work is full resignalling with shorter block lengths and four aspects - this
is being done in discreet sections, but if they've covered the bit in
question it may have made journeys less 'stop start', IYSWIM.

In the 1960s my route to work was Palmers Green to Moorgate. Does the
route between Farringdon and Finsbury Park still exist?

No longer possible, the 'Hotel curve' tunnel that connected the 'widened
lines' to the GN, (which had been out of use anyway since the 70s
resignalling), has been obliterated by the LU northern ticket hall project.
The equivalent up route, the York Rd curve is not much use on its own, but
is still there with track removed throughout AFAICT - and used for NR
maintenance access to various items of electrification and signalling
equipment located underground...

From 2018, it will again be possible to travel from Farringdon to
Finsbury Park, as that route is one of the extensions being implemented
in the Thameslink Programme. Trains will run via St Pancras
International, and then by a new link to the ECML.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)