Changes to the system

The idea would be that when the platforms for Thmeslink are abandoned in december this year that LU takes em over for use as terimating platforms. Only T-Cup/Hammersmith trains would terimate at Edgware Road as they can't loop back onto there line.

Moorgate is used a great deal!

It's the get out of jail free card for the Met, a place to turn late running Circles and H&Cs and also if there is trouble on the District.

I think it would be "simpler" to connect up to the current NR Moorgate TL branch when Farringdon sidings are no longer able to be used. You might just be able to cut across from the east end of the station onto the current NR lines.

The Thameslink Route Upgrade will see the platforms at Farringdon extended south to 12 cars long - over the current junction.

The section from just east of Farringdon to Moorgate will become out of use. By skewing the westbound running line into the NR tunnel, Barbican centre platforms could be used as a terminus, and with a little alteration at Moorgate, Barbican could be used to terminate traines form both directions.

Agreed: Moorgate would require too much work to alter.

I really think Barbican is the key; it would be an opportunity missed otherwise!

Barbican would be a useless place to terminate trains I think. If a double junction could be made east of Farringdon (replacing the current sidings) then good access could be made to the bay roads at Moorgate, rather than poor crossovers next to Moorgate that take a while to clear.

I can't see Moorgate getting DLR lines because of the cost. I want to keep the Circle Line, but I'd leave the Wimbleware line as the District line!

Getting rid of flat junctions is of the upmost importance; the problem is though that in central London there isnt that much space to build them that doesnt go for a premium. Unless you have the terminal platforms in the middle of the running lines, then the tracks must cross those of non terminating trains on the flat which limits capacity. Surely?

Because you'd miss the ability to change to the Hammersmith and City and the Circle line, which run the same route as those Met trains (bar Aldgate for the H&C) and provide an extra 16 trains per hour that you can't change to at Finchley Road.

Hell no! The flexibility of Baker Street is the ability to project trains into the City. We don't want to be cutting off platforms 2-3 from the city lines. Baker Street isn't the best station capacity wise. It's not poor, but it's not the best either. If all the Met passengers have to more to platform 5, things will get very busy!

Normally, Met trains are timetabled for cross junction working at Baker St East junction although this isn't always possible!

Well they're supposed to be

only if you have very very steep gradients - the DLR is below the Northern at Bank - you have a long climb and the Northern line blocks this (and basements/vaults block sideways motion for a lot of the way between Bank and Moorgate) - there's not enough distance to get from 3 levels below the Met halfway between Bank and Moorgate to level with it at Barbican (also, Crossrail would cause problems for getting under the Thameslink lines a little further on, unless you end it at Farringdon).

The only option I can see for using the Thameslink tracks for anything but storage sidings is if the up track is extended 'down' to merge into the circle and the whole thing is used for reversing sidings that don't reduce capacity on the main tracks. Basically it would put the through tracks on the outside of the reversing ones at Moorgate.

Well, what I mean is, it wouldn't be more than a commuter railway instead of a metro line, not actually taking you through but simply to London.

Prefect example of how special the Met is, coming home from Kenton/Northwick Park heading for Stratford. Get a comfortable seat that you can easily sleep in with very little announcements (i.e. DVA not going on and on like some lines) and stay onto Baker Street. get on the Jubilee Line and realise how noise it is. And after the Met feels very cramped! But I still love going on the Tube but the Met is something different.