"Mr Thant" wrote in message
...
On 11 Dec, 10:08, Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
01:42:39 on Tue, 11 Dec 2007, Mr Thant
remarked:

Why are the platforms at St Pancras Thameslink so massive in width?

There has been some discussion of whether or not the box was designed
to
a take two island platforms, but reduced to the current layout to save
costs. Now that it's possible to access the station, perhaps we can
see
if it would be possible to steal the outer edges of each platform to
make a track each side, to regain an island layout?

I had a think about this when I was there on Sunday. The answer is
probably yes, but you'd be left with Clapham style islands and
escalators no nowhere.

You'd have to move things like the escalators.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. The platforms would be two feet wide, so
installing anything wider than a stepladder would block access to the
south end.

U
One of the crutisms of Kings Cross Thameslink was the narrow platforms so I
thank the planners for making them bigger in what for many commuters is
almost a London Termini station it could now have to cope even more with
luggage laden International passengers and with the future expansions of
Thameslink will be become even bigger. Have you seen the size of the
platforms at places like Canary Wharf and Canada Water the planners have
apparently anticipated rail traffic growth to the year 2060. It is far
easier to close parts off in future if not needed, rather than make larger
particuarly when you are dealing with a below ground station