Would this be a good idea in the PM peak?

What about the Southbound passengers who want to get to Charing Cross or Waterloo in the evening peak and will be off-loaded onto a crowded platform at Piccadilly Circus instead?

Reversal at Lambeth North might work, but then this would hardly save any time over using Elephant and Castle.

Also add in the severe speed restriction over the crossover when reversing south to north, trains would soon be blocking back to Baker Street southbound.

Just how much capacity would you lose during the reversal? Two paths in each direction? Three? Maybe 4 even, given the time taken to detrain the punters, wait for a path in the opposite direction, re-man the cab at the other end etc etc

GH

Thanks to The Major and to bruce for taking the time to explain why what I suggested would not work.
The others who responded seem to have failed to notice the first two words of my post were "Would this".
It was simply an idea by an ordinary punter put out for discussion - an idea, not a suggestion.

The VIc line trains are able to run into Brixton platforms at full speed, due to the type of points and overruns beyond the station. They can also leave both platforms at full line speed, which is not the case at Elephant and Castle. This limits the theoretical maximum frequency. At one time, I believe the Bakerloo reversed 35pth at Elephant, although this was before Moorgate protection was brought in. I'm also not sure whether the 35tph was actually achieved in practice on a regular basis, or whether it led to chronic late running at the end of the peak.

High speed crossover is highly unlikely due to sever space restrictions in the crossover tunnel. The only way would be to enlarge the crossover tunnel towards Lambeth North. The sidings south of the station would also have to be moved further south to accommodate the high speed over run protection. I don't think that the expense would be worth the time gained. The money would be better spent extending the line southwards and terminating in a 3 road terminus. Taking into account the many speed restrictions on the Bakerloo Line the installation of a high speed crossover at Elephant would be a waste of money

Rather than this being in the RIPaS board

Now oddly enough, I have a complete set of scale signalling diagrams for that extension fully dimensioned too!

There were two versions drawn up c.1950 by the signalling department, one version had an intermediate station at Camberwell Gate, the other did not. There is also somewhere around in my files a third version with speed calculated at each signal.

I also have a copy of a Lambeth North resignalling somewhere, I can't remember if it is contemporaneous with the Camberwell extensions plans, but it involved a significant resignalling and extra reversing siding (I think) with a larger lever frame, it's been a while since I last saw that file, so I can't date it accurately but I think it might have been in the late '30s because a similar hand drew the concept sketch for Bushey Heath and Elstree South with lever sizes.

Remember, these plans are significantly different from the normal blue-sky thinking on the RIPaS board, these are genuine proposals worked up by the LPTB!