Don't worry folks, a luncheon stop at Normanton is planned.
Seriously though, this is quite a sad thread. A huge amount of thought has gone into the planning of this project. All the points on here and many more have been crawled over in infinite detail. Given the topography can you really imagine a route passing through Nottingham and Sheffield Midland stations without busting the budget? Fact is, it is a compromise and the Hybrid Bill Committee will ultimately decide if it's worth it.
Only benefit the few? Well that depends on what you think of the traffic forecasts and the population forecasts. If you take the view that the WCML will need more capacity in fifteen years time anyway, then there are big benefits to the tens of thousands per day on the classic route as well as on the new route.
Link to HS1--- inherently dodgy, very expensive, not enough traffic. It would be better to put a lot of work into Old Oak Common and make it a true London Junction station for South London, Gatwick, Paris and Brussels as well as for Crossrail and Heathrow. That taps a huge potential market both domestic and international.
The project is not a slam dunk gimme. Nor is it a basket case.