Thanks for that. Not great to see 1 less platform and in my opinion, it looks more complex than it does now from a pathing perspective, you can't make the lines 'up' or 'down' as such, they will have to be used BiDi all day because of the point locations.
Given much of the suburban traffic no longer uses the station it seems reasonable, particularly given that it will just be back to the number before platform 0 was opened.
The lines through Gaswork tunnels are already used bidirectionally.
AIUI after the various platform lengthening they couldn’t fit standard S&C for a third suburban shed platform in the remaining overall distance. But as has also been said, there aren’t supposed to be so many trains with Thameslink max taking them down the canal tunnels.
While it might not be planned, the second things go a bit off in the Thameslink, the platforms might be used more. I know you can't plan for disruption but when KX can be used for diverted Thameslink core services from Peterborough and Cambridge or for services from Moorgate, it's has the potential to have a good chunk more trains when disruption happens.
I know they are already used BiDi but they will have to be used BiDi a lot more with the new layout. I was under the impression that generally they used the lines as Up and Down lines and BiDi was only used when it had to be like P0 or when there is slight disruption to try and get services regulated quicker.
Given the usage levels I doubt there will be the capacity for any platforms to be favoured. Some may be easier to reach from certain lines but that doesn’t help if there is a train already present in the platform. Platform allocations will be planned into the working timetable. Unless there is disruption the signallers will not be in the habit of choosing platforms on the grounds of convenience.
Do you design a layout that is optimal for 99% of the time, or is compromised against its objectives to allow for the < 1% of occasions when the type of disruption you mention occurs. How many times in the last year would it have been useful I wonder?
That may be true, but rationalizing the pointwork probably also improves reliability. I believe the new layout is also faster, which probably improves capacity as well as journey time as trains spend less time blocking other trains as they pass through the throat.
As mentioned above there are relatively few 8-car workings so it is likely the designers gave priority to providing capacity in and out of the 12-car platforms. If there are problems on Thameslink, approaching trains can be turned back at Finsbury Park (I presume they can run down towards Drayton Park and reverse there to avoid a flat crossing of the Fasts), or at St Pancras Thameslink, or if no other options were available could reverse in the Canal tunnels.
The new layout also allows more parallel moves and far more options to stack trains waiting to arrive on the 5/6 tracks (3/4 for KGX assuming TL access is always kept clear) south of Copenhagen for most the of platforms.