On Nov 17, 11:47 pm, Mizter T wrote:

This is the crux of the matter, is it not? i.e. if the services coming
up from the south through the Elephant are set to be 8-car, then what
does or doesn't happen at Kentish Town is somewhat irrelevant.

Well yes and no.

I was under the impression that a side effect of the SL RUS suggesting
(for good reasons IMHO) Wimbledon loop be decoupled from Thameslink
was diversion to other lines where 8car length limits (such as around
all of the Wimbledon loop) would be less of a problem.

The South Central Metro services supposedly have their own 10car
extension scheme although I'm not sure to what timescale and already
most if not all of Kent suburban is already 10car (I accept the access
route between Kent via Elephant to Thameslink core is not 10car).

So I do think it is relevant that north of the Thames there just might
be one limiting station, ignoring conspiracy theory about bean
counting, where south of Thames at least 10car could be run on routes
or planned routes existing for other reasons before 12car extensions
are looked at on top of the exisitng main line 12car stations.

This does throw another variable into the frame ... possible bean
counting compromises of 10car trains through the core ... probably not
that hard to built into the rolling stock order if considered early
enough.

Digressing having mentioned rolling stock, I notice the latest Modern
Railways that I have only just got to read refers [page 51 middle
column] to the four car units with their three motor coaches (like
377s) having three traction motors per motor coach. Is that right i.e.
1A-Bo ? I am a little bit sceptical about what that section is ,
beginning bottom previous page, as it starts off by correctly saying
378 are akin to 376 as both are 75 mph, but then ends up ''gearing
the motors for rather than the 100 mph'' makes it unclear what they
are comparing between 376/378 and 375/377 as they switch the term
Electrostar instead of class numbers.

Anyway the reason I'm mentioning 378s now is if they are 9 motors vice
6 per 4car train, and the traction spec might be similar to the new
NGEMU for TL especially as TL core has two of the fiercest grades
anywhere (approaching Farringdon and departing City both southbound)
so we ware talking 27 motors in a 12car train ... thats 50% more than
a 12car 375/377 ... so do we need more DC power upgrades ?

--
Nick