"mark townend" wrote in message
...

Linking platform 6 at Moorgate to the east is a very good idea but I
fear that both that or a potental dive-under west of the station would
be unjustifiably expensive. The conflict at Moorgate between
terminating Mets and westbound is not such a headache anyway.

You should try commuting westbound from Aldgate in the evening peak when
disruption on the eastern end of the H&C has resulted in them turning back
trains in the Moorgate bays. Last week I left work, next to Aldgate station,
at 17:35 and hadn't reached Moorgate by 18:00!

Strangely, I hadn't been following this thread until now but had had some
similar thoughts myself (based on 25 years of using that section of line). I
agree with you (Mark) that most solutions suggested are ludicrously
expensive and impractical. However, my solution would be a slight variant of
the reconfiguration of Moorgate described.

The main problem at Moorgate is that to turn back an eastbound service
requires fouling both through lines to get the train into the terminating
bay and then the westbound again when it leaves. At various other locations
(Tower Hill, Mansion House) the turnback is between the two running lines,
reducing conflicts. This could be achieved at Moorgate, by realigning where
the westbound dog-legs into platform 2, taking it into platform 3 (currently
a bay) and making platforms 2/3 an island, with 2 becoming the turnback -
there's rarely a need for both bays to be used and 4 would still be
available in severe situations. This would need the removal of the subway
access from platform 1 and relocation of it - but, compared to the other
solutions, ought to be *relatively* easier to achieve.

The Met/Circle/H&C is now such a farce, especially eastbound in the
mornings, that it now takes me 10-15 minutes longer to get to work than it
used to fifteen years ago (making for a 2hr+ commute). It's now become such
a pain in the backside that I handed in my notice last week. Life is
stressful enough without having to put up with that additional crap five
days a week!