"DW downunder" noname wrote

With the 12-car exercise leading to closure of the City Branch, what do
folks here think of the idea of restoring the east chord at Farringdon,
and installing 3rd rail on the former DOWN or both tracks through to
Moorgate Platforms 5 & 6:

a) can it be done after the works at Smithfield and Farringdon?
b) would it be a low cost substitute for the terminating platforms at
Blackfriars during rebuilding?
c) given that it must be a flat junction at Snow Hill, would this be a
more efficient way of terminating DC stock at City Thameslink, and of
handling northbound dual voltage stock which fails to engage AC?
d) would Moorgate be an acceptable interim terminal (for City workers) and
interchange (to Northern) while access at LB and Cannon St is affected by
works?
e) would we need to activate Platform 4 at Barbican to provide the
interchange to the Circle/H&C/Met Inner Rail - or would "Kentish Man" (the
southern cousin of "Amersham Man") prefer to stay on board one extra stop
and have an "at level" interchange from Platform 6 to Platform 2?

I don't know if it's even remotely possible in view of buildings which have
appeared since the spur was closed (90 years ago?). Certainly not possible
in time for help during the Thameslink Project, and useless in the long
term. The whole point of Thameslink is 24 tph (in the peak) between St
Pancras and Blackfriars, and diverting some trains to Moorgate would reduce
this.

Peter