FDF wrote "Equally stupid was (1) no chord at airport junction to allow trains to go west, "
Absolutely correct frank - worse than that it was originally planned to build the chord but not connect it at tthe time - then they sold the site so BMidland could build an office there......
Todays Times suggest that Heathrow Express would like to run the Reading service - I'll bet they would at their prices!
Crossrail is a dog for LHR services - it is a stopping (everywhere) service from Maidenhead to Essex (tho the good folk of Maidenhead don't realise they 'll be getting a much slower service when it starts)