On the subject of 25 kV Met, Marylebone etc etc, I am still of the
view that a better Thameslink upgrade would not have been to link the
ex Midland lines to GN as KX/SP but to have linked the Midland to the
Met/GC at West Hampstead, with trains being able to both switch
between both routes. This could have been done using the sites to the
south of the present West Hampstead stations, and incorporated the NLL
station at a higher level.

This could have allowed the ML to retain its Moorgate link (but some
trains switching to the MET), allowed relief of Baker Street junction
(by having some MET trains switch to TL), and give and electrified
Chilterns route access to TL (solving the longer/more trains at
Marylebone issue).

It would also give a better spread of trains through the TL core - one
of the issues is GN realistically can't take more than 8 TPH off TL
but 24 TPH means 16 TPH have to head for the Midland which is not so
sensible. If those were (say) inner suburbans from (one time)
Wimbledon loop or other southern metro line those logically go to
Watford Met or Uxbridge, while some of the faster TL core trains can
go to [say] Aylesbury as well as Bedford.

Before some nitwit comments, it assumed that all surface lines and
Chilterns works will be to 12cars or 8car SDO where uneconomic - don't
say it is impossible - uk.railways said 4car NLL and 12car TL was
impossible but now are reality.

If this had been done with the TL works, you'd now have a 25 kV wired
Chilterns, and linking with other matters taking AC that way towards
Banbury (for Birmingham) would result in considerable synergy and
economy of scale with the current electric Spine project.

GN capacity in my view should be dealt with by new construction from
around Finsbury Park - thats where Crossrail 2 should go on the
north side.

--
Nick