List of Docklands Light Railway stations

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light rail system in the United Kingdom that serves the London Docklands area of east and south-east London operated by Transport for London (TfL).

Construction of the DLR was a key component in the regeneration of large parts of the London Docklands from disused industrial land into valuable commercial and residential districts. The first part of the system opened in 1987 initially serving 15 stations utilising a combination of redundant railway infrastructure and new construction. The network has been progressively extended and the capacity of its trains expanded so that now nearly 70 million journeys made every year.^[1] Stations are located in the City of London and the four boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich and Lewisham with the majority of the network to the north of the River Thames.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Background 1.2 Opening and extensions 2 Stations and routes 3 List 4 Notes 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

History

Background

For over 200 years London's docks and wharfs thrived on imperial commerce. From the Pool of London and St Katharine Docks close to the Tower of London They grew eastwards along both sides of the River Thames to include London Docks, Surrey Docks, Limehouse Dock, West India Docks, Millwall Dock, East India Docks and the three Royal Docks, eventually extending to Barking and becoming the world's largest port. The docks stimulated and supported an extensive network of industrial enterprise such as ship repair, heavy engineering, food processing, warehousing and distribution plus industries based on imported raw materials, particularly tobacco, timber and skins. The expansion of the docks culminated with the King George V Dock, opened by the King himself in 1921. In the 1930s, the docks were at their peak, employing hundreds of thousands of people, but technological and managerial changes as well as changing patterns of trade led to a gradual decline after World War II. The government started to look at the implications and consequences of possible closures and alternative uses.^[2]

In 1962, The Rochdale Report was published which was especially concerned with the London Docks and St Katherine Docks. It recognised that whilst activities at the Docks were useful, the traffic could be developed elsewhere in the Port or especially at Tilbury Docks. The Docks could be filled in and used for storage and warehouses could be used by Private Enterprise.^[2] After extensive review, the Port of London Authority decided that that the smaller up-stream docks were commercially unviable and closures began in 1967 with East India Dock and and 1968 with St Katherine Dock, London Docks and Surrey Docks. Other docks were under serious threat. Between 1966 and 1976, the workforce in the five boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich was reduced by 20 per cent by the PLA. The overall objective of the closures was to concentrate resources on of Tilbury Docks downstream for containerisation and the accommodating of larger ships therefore profitable bulk cargoes in the Lower Thames Estuary.^[2][3] A five year phased project was set up in 1970 by the PLA to close more upper docks and berths. Competition from air traffic and European ports also contributed to the decline of trade within the London Docklands until only the Royal Docks remained in operation. These too closed in 1981.^[2][3]

A report published in 1973 by the London Docklands Study Team saw future demand for better transport in the Isle of Dogs. An early suggestion was an underground line, but it was thought that there was insufficient demand. The idea was revived in 1976, but put on hold by Norman Fowler in 1979 in favour of lower cost alternatives. In 1974, the Docklands Joint Committee was formed from the five dockland boroughs and the Greater London Council (GLC), with the plan to redevelop the London Docklands with new industry and housing as quickly as possible. Throughout the 1970s, various light rail options were proposed. A later recommendation was that of an automatic light rail option from Aldgate East to the Isle of Dogs and finally to Beckton. As an alternative to the east-west route, a cheaper north-south route from the Isle of Dogs was consider, but later forecasts of population and employment growth, coupled with the absence of any connection to the south of the river showed that both routes were needed.^[3][4] The London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC), formed in 1981 with responsibility to regenerate the whole area, helped to speed up the process.^[4]

In June 1982, a report published by the GLC, LDDC and various other authorities recommended the construction of two light rail routes from the City of London to the Isle of Dogs and Mile End to the Isle of Dogs. Funding was promised within three months for the Docklands Light Railway. Later £77 million was approved to be spent by 1987.^[3][4] In the mid-1980s it was found that the original plan to run at street level along the A11 to Mile End could not be achieved, so an alternative route was found along a railway cutting north to Stratford. This provided better transport connections and the line could use a disused platform at Stratford station.^[4]

Opening and extensions

The system from Tower Gateway and Stratford to Island Gardens opened on 31 August 1987 with 15 stations. The tracks used a combination of redundant and new viaducts and underused railway routes.^[4] The station at Canary Wharf did not open until 1991 as the first sections of the Canary Wharf development were still under construction.^[5] Sites for two further stations were safeguarded for future development at Carmen Street (later Langdon Park) and Pudding Mill Lane, the latter of which was to be located on a passing loop on the Stratford branch.^[5] The extension to Beckton opened on 28 March 1994.^[4]

In 1997 the DLR commissioned a 'Horizon Study' into the possible expansion of the DLR network as there were still significant transport gaps. One of the planned extensions was from Canning Town to a site in North Woolwich. Among the options considered were North Woolwich station and a site near King George V Dock. The development of Silvertown and North Woolwich and the projected expansion of London City Airport users, led to this line being planned as well as a possible extension to Woolwich Arsenal.^[4] The branch opened all the way to King George V station on 2 December 2005,^[6] with Woolwich Arsenal opening on 10 January 2009.^[7] On this branch, a station site has been safeguarded at Thames Wharf whilst the area awaits redevelopment.^[4]

With plans being developed for regeneration around Stratford International station and the expansion of London City Airport, connecting the two along the North London Line route via Canning Town was investigated. Whilst it was acknowledged that the Jubilee Line already ran over part of the route between Canning Town and Stratford, it was seen that the DLR link would be valuable and that it could connect with Stratford International at a low cost and with less difficulty if the North London Line was closed and converted for DLR use between Stratford and Canning Town.^[4] The North London Line closed between Stratford and North Woolwich in 2006,^[8] and the extension is planned to open during the Summer of 2011 with the former North London line platforms at West Ham and Stratford rebuilt for DLR trains and new DLR stations opened along the route at Star Lane, Abbey Road, Stratford High Street and Stratford International.^[9] A further station between Stratford and Stratford International was proposed at Carpenters Road.^[4]

Tower Gateway station was seen as a interim solution to serve the City within the original £77 million budget. Almost immediately, it became apparent that two-car trains stopping at short platforms would not be able to cope with the projected 50,000 people working in the Canary Wharf development. This had been originally done as a cost-cutting measure. £276 million was eventually spent on upgrading the signalling, lengthening the platforms and providing an extension to Bank, which was later built in 1991.^[3][4] When the system opened, the section south of Crossharbour station followed a disused railway embankment of the Millwall Extension Railway. It ran on this route beside East Ferry Road to a point where it diverged east on to a new bridge to accommodate Mudchute station before returning to the railway's 1872 single-track viaduct through Millwall Park to a terminus at Island Gardens.^[4] For the £200 million DLR extension under the River Thames to Lewisham, the route south of Crossharbour was replaced with a new alignment which allowed the tracks to connect to the tunnel under the river. Mudchute and Island Gardens stations were resited on to the new route, with Island Gardens being constructed underground.^[3][4] Canning Town station was resited to accommodate the Jubilee line extension.^[10] South Quay was resited in 2009 to accommodate the adoption of three car trains across the network. The original site had sharp curves at each end making extension in its original location impossible.^[11]

An extension to Dagenham Dock has been proposed, but is currently unfunded.^[12] Another previous proposal was an extension to Thamesmead.^[4] These were to both start from just east of Gallions Reach on the Beckton branch.^[4][12] Consideration has been given to an extension west from Bank station to the disused Jubilee line platforms at Charing Cross.^[13]

Stations and routes

This list includes all current stations on the Docklands Light Railway. Listed for each station is the branch or branches it is on, the local authority and London Travelcard zone in which it is located,^{[note 1]} interchanges with other modes of transport, the opening date and any resiting.

Four stations have direct interchanges with London Underground lines: Bank (Central, Circle, District, Northern and Waterloo & City), Canning Town (Jubilee), West Ham (Hammersmith & City and District lines) and Stratford (Central and Jubilee). There are also indirect interchanges at Canary Wharf and Heron Quays (for Jubilee line from Canary Wharf), Bow Church (for District and Hammersmith & City lines from Bow Road) and Tower Gateway (for Circle and District lines from Tower Hill). In addition, there are interchanges with London Overground at Stratford (direct) and Shadwell (indirect). Seven stations provide an interchange with the National Rail network: Greenwich, Lewisham, Limehouse, Woolwich Arsenal, Stratford, West Ham and Stratford International.

List

Station	Image	DLR Branch[note 2]	Local Authority	Zone(s)	Opened (DLR only)	Resited	Previous names[note 3]	Interchange[14]	Coordinates	Notes
Abbey Road		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
All Saints		Stratford branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Built on the site of Poplar (East India Dock Road) railway station (1866–1944)[8][17]
Bank		Bank branch	City of London	1	01991-07-01 1 July 1991[18][19]	9999 !–	z !–	London Underground: Circle and District lines from Monument, Northern, Waterloo & City and Central lines from Bank		A separate station was safeguarded at Tower Hill[5]
Beckton		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Beckton Park		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Blackwall		Beckton branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Built near the site of Poplar railway station (1840–1926)[8][17]
Bow Church		Stratford branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	London Underground: Hammersmith & City and District lines from Bow Road tube station		Built on the site of Bow railway station (1850–1944)[8][17]
Canary Wharf		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01991-04-01 1 April 1991[5][20][21]	9999 !–	z !–	London Underground: Jubilee line from Canary Wharf tube station		Construction did not begin until after the original line opened as the Canary Wharf development was not ready[5]
Canning Town		Beckton branch Woolwich branch Stratford International branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	01999-05-14 14 May 1999[3][10]	z !–	London Underground: Jubilee line		Between Canning Town and West Silvertown, a station is safeguarded at Thames Wharf[4] The DLR City branch platforms are located on top of the Jubilee Line platforms.[10] Original station opened 1847.[8]
Crossharbour		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	East Ferry Road, Glengall Grove,[4] Crossharbour & London Arena[8]	z !–		Built on the site of Millwall Docks railway station (1871–1926)[8]
Custom House		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Original station opened 1855–2006[8]
Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich		Lewisham branch	Greenwich	2 & 3	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Cyprus		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Deptford Bridge		Lewisham branch	Lewisham	2 & 3	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Devons Road		Stratford branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
East India		Beckton branch	Tower Hamlets	2 & 3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Elverson Road		Lewisham branch	Greenwich	2 & 3	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Gallions Reach		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Greenwich		Lewisham branch	Greenwich	2 & 3	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	9999 !–	z !–	National Rail: Southeastern		Original station opened 1838[8]
Heron Quays		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	02002 2002[20]	z !–	London Underground: Jubilee line from Canary Wharf tube station		z !–
Island Gardens		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	Cubitt Town[4]	z !–		The original position of the terminus before the railway opened was to be on the other side of Manchester Road.[4]
King George V		Woolwich Arsenal branch	Newham	3	02005-12-02 2 December 2005[6]	9999 !–	North Woolwich[4]	z !–		Between King George V and Woolwich Arsenal, a station has been projected at Woolwich Reach.[4]
Langdon Park		Stratford branch	Tower Hamlets	2	02007-12-09 9 December 2007[20][22]	9999 !–	Carmen Street[5]	z !–		Station safeguarded since original railway opened.[5] Built to the south of South Bromley railway station (1884–1944)[8]
Lewisham		Lewisham branch	Lewisham	2 & 3	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	9999 !–	z !–	National Rail: Southeastern		Original station opened 1849.[8]
Limehouse		Bank branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	Stepney East[4]	National Rail: c2c		Original station opened 1840[8]
London City Airport		Woolwich Arsenal branch	Newham	3	02005-12-02 2 December 2005[6]	9999 !–	z !–	London City Airport		z !–
Mudchute		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	01999-11-20 20 November 1999[4]	z !–	z !–		z !–
Pontoon Dock		Woolwich Arsenal branch	Newham	3	02005-12-02 2 December 2005[6]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
Poplar		Central interchange	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	Other DLR routes		z !–
Prince Regent		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Between Prince Regent and Royal Albert a station was safeguarded at Connaught but this was later withdrawn[5]
Pudding Mill Lane		Stratford branch	Newham	2 & 3	01996-02 February 1996[5][23]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Station safeguarded since original railway opening[5]
Royal Albert		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Between Prince Regent and Royal Albert a station was safeguarded at Connaught but this was later withdrawn[5]
Royal Victoria		Beckton branch	Newham	3	01994-03-28 28 March 1994[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Built to the east of the site of Tidal Basin railway station (1858–1943)[8]
Shadwell		Bank branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	National Rail: London Overground from Shadwell railway station		Built on the site of Shadwell and St George's East railway station (1840–1941)[8]
South Quay		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	02009-10-26 26 October 2009[11]	z !–	z !–		Between 12 February and 15 April 1996 there was no service south of Canary Wharf due to a bombing near South Quay[4]
Star Lane		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	z !–	Cody Road[4]	z !–		z !–
Stratford		Stratford branch	Newham	3	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	02007-06 June 2007[20]	z !–	London Underground: Jubilee and Central lines National Rail: London Overground and National Express East Anglia, DLR Stratford International Branch		Original station opened 1839[8]
Stratford		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	z !–	z !–	London Underground: Jubilee and Central lines National Rail: London Overground and National Express East Anglia, DLR Stratford branch		Occupies site of North London Line platforms (1846–2006)[8]
Stratford High Street		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	9999 !–	Stratford Market[4]	z !–		Built on site the of Stratford Market railway station (1847–1957)[8]
Stratford International		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	9999 !–	z !–	National Rail: Southeastern		National Rail station opened 2009[8]
Tower Gateway		Tower Gateway branch	City of London	1	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	Tower Hill, Minories[4]	London Underground: Circle and District lines from Tower Hill tube station National Rail: c2c from Fenchurch Street railway station		Other options before the railway opened included a separate terminus for Tower Hill and a tunneled terminus at Aldgate East[4]
West Ham		Stratford International branch	Newham	3	02011-08-31 31 August 2011[15][16]	9999 !–	z !–	London Underground:' Hammersmith & City, District and Jubilee lines National Rail: c2c		Original station opened 1901[8]
West India Quay		Lewisham branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		z !–
West Silvertown		Woolwich Arsenal branch	Newham	3	02005-12-02 2 December 2005[6]	9999 !–	z !–	z !–		Between Canning Town and West Silvertown, a station is safeguarded at Thames Wharf[4][5]
Westferry		Bank branch	Tower Hamlets	2	01987-08-31 31 August 1987[4]	9999 !–	West Ferry Road[4]	z !–		z !–
Woolwich Arsenal		Woolwich Arsenal branch	Greenwich	4	02009-01-10 10 January 2009[7][20]	9999 !–	z !–	National Rail: Southeastern		Between King George V and Woolwich Arsenal, a station has been projected at Woolwich Reach.[4] Original station opened 1849.[8]

Notes

See also

• List of London railway stations
• List of London Underground stations
• List of former and unopened London Underground stations
• Category:Railway stations in London by borough

References

External links

• Docklands Light Railway – Transport for London

Docklands Light Railway Stations Bank/Tower Gateway-Canning Town Bank  • Blackwall • Canning Town  • East India • Limehouse  • Poplar • Shadwell • Westferry • Tower Gateway ( Tower Hill, Fenchurch Street) Lewisham branch Canary Wharf  • Crossharbour • Cutty Sark • Deptford Bridge • Elverson Road • Heron Quays • Greenwich  • Island Gardens • Lewisham  • Mudchute • South Quay • West India Quay Stratford branch All Saints • Bow Church • Devons Road • Langdon Park • Pudding Mill Lane • Stratford Beckton branch Beckton • Beckton Park • Custom House • Cyprus • Gallions Reach • Prince Regent • Royal Albert • Royal Victoria Woolwich Arsenal branch King George V • London City Airport • Pontoon Dock • West Silvertown • Woolwich Arsenal Stratford International branch Abbey Road • Canning Town  • Star Lane • Stratford  • Stratford High Street • Stratford International  • West Ham click to enlarge Future Extensions to Dagenham Dock • to Charing Cross or Victoria Stations Connaught Road • Thames Wharf Rolling stock Rolling Stock B90 • B92 • B2K • B07 Depots Beckton • Poplar Transport for London London Transport portal