"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.

An alternative plan that was floated but never researched in detail (AFAIK)
was to extend the DLR to Finsbury Park, using the Canonbury Curve - grade
separation for that would have been much cheaper. Such a scheme would be
impossible now, as the 'overground' will need all the capacity it can get
around there, leaving no room for a DLR track in the area.


--

Andrew

"She plays the tuba.
It is the only instrument capable
of imitating a distress call."