The list display in the original pages was similar to what you describe where an alphabetical list was always present. Everything was translated/converted/rewritten to conform to the new site.
The new upper-level pages were heavily rewritten as part of the upgrade to the new server. So basically, I do not know how to reintroduce the long page index using the new format. I would prefer that as well. Especially for a new user I think it is easy to miss the pull-down option at the end of the large āIntrinsicsā bar myself, with an option to hide the list but with it initially visible but not sure what to do that with the new site. Wondering if anyone knows if that is supportable with the new format?