(9 hours ago)Malarkey wrote I've just sat and watched this and found it very interesting and in turn there was nothing I didn't disagree with on the changes that are needed to the ECML between Newcastle and Edinburgh in terms of what he discussed.

One thing I did wonder in regards to capacity at Newcastle Central Station and options to increase it is where the sidings are adjacent to Platform 9 & Forth Street could you build an additional platform or 2 with an entrance from Forth Street as there is a gate from street level that leads up to the sidings?

You mean platforms 7 and 8 the shared platforms at rear,. Platform 9 is one of the 4 near Sainsbury's

I think for me some platforms are very under utilised .  Platform 1 now used a bit more since Northumberland Line started running.  But platforms 9, 10, 11 and 12 are constantly idle 

They could move some of the more locals to those platforms and free up the longer joint 5/6 and 7/8 platforms for Northbound if the lines have the layout to do so