Mizter T wrote:

There is a fundamental issue with this though that many people simply
fail to comprehend. IIRC this stretch of the NLL is currently three
tracks, but it will become four tracks. The ELLX trains will run on
the southern pair of tracks at this point, with the NLL passenger
trains and freight on the northern pair. The Canonbury Curve tunnel is
to the north of the NLL alignment - if ELLX trains were to run up to
Canonbury they'd have to cross the NLL passenger and freight tracks on
the level, i.e. a massively conflicting movement.

The only way to deal with it would be some sort of grade separated
junction to take the ELLX trains over the NLL tracks to the Canonbury
curve. That's *far* easier said than done - the NLL alignment here is
in a cutting surrounded by housing on both sides, and there's a bridge
carrying Highbury Grove to contend with as well. I suppose a grade
separated junction might have been possible in the stretch between
Wallace Road and Highbury Grove where the cutting is a bit wider (this
is where Canonbury station is sited). Nonetheless it'd be far from an
easy task.

Anyway, you speak about it being "utterly absurd this wasn't forced
through" - well the fact the whole ELLX project has actually happened
is amazing enough. Trying to add a very expensive extra such as a
grade separated junction here was likely seen as being beyond the
realms of the possible.

I would have liked like the NLL (passenger and freight) to have been
diverted between Canonbury and Gospel Oak to run via Finsbury Park, Parkland
Walk, Crouch Hill and Upper Holloway. Let the ELL completely take over
Canonbury - Camden Road - Gospel Oak. The NLL would be much more useful at
Finsbury Park than the ELL, since it would allow eastward and westward
connections from the Cambridge trains and Piccadilly Line. But maybe this
would put too many trains through Crouch Hill.