"1506" wrote in message
...

Since Farringdon, and City Thameslink each have two platforms, there
would be little to gained from more platform accomodation at KX/StP.

On the contrary. The logic behind the "two islands" idea was that two trains
could be signalled from the north to arrive together on opposite sides of
the island. In the northbound direction Train X could be signalled into one
side of the island. As soon as it has passed the turn-out, the road can be
reset for the other side, allowing Train Y to be signalled into the other
side of the island - see the northbound fast island at Milton Keynes for an
example of this. With the "two track throughout" arrangement we are now
stuck with in perpetuity, this cannot happen, and as others have said, the
idea of 24 tph with vast numbers of passengers trying to get off at StPILL
seems optimistic.

Also as others have said, credit should be given for doing the rest of the
scheme properly - even at the expense of spreading the work/cost and
therefore delaying completion. The railways are littered with the blighting
effects of short-sighted money-saving ideas - LNW quadrupling (by use - not
corrected in the '60s, not corrected in the last upgrade), South Devon
atmospheric, only four MML platforms at StP just to name a few that
immediately spring to mind.

Regards

Jonathan