The Anonymous Widower

Changing At Clapham Junction On The Overground

Yesterday, when I returned from the New Kings Road, I didn’t come the obvious way of taking a bus to somewhere like Sloane Square or Piccadlly from where I would get the Underground. after all, the last time I did this journey, it took forever. As it was sunny, I decided to walk to Imperial Wharf station on the Overground.

I had three choices there.

1. I could go north to Willesden Junction station and then get the North London line to either Dalston Kingsland or Highbury and Islington stations.
2. I could also go north on a direct train that eventually ended up at Stratford.
3. I could go south to Clapham Junction station and then get the extended East London line to Dalston Junction station.

Dalston Junction station is my preferred destination, as I can walk out of the front and get any of a number of buses to close to my house.

In the end, I let the trains make my decision for me and after looking at the indicators I got on the first one to arrive.

It was a southbound one to Clapham Junction station.

It was the first time I’d done this west to east transfer at the station and it was simple, in that I just walked up the platform and got in the train to Dalston Junction. There was a staff member on the train, so I was able to know what was the front. But on these trains it doesn’t matter as they are walk-through from head to tail.

In some ways it was a surprising way to go from Chelsea to Dalston, but it was painless and probably quicker than the alternative. The view was  a lot better too!

The step-free train change at Clapham Junction station was so much better, than those where you have to walk miles between platforms. The decision to split a platform and have one destination at each end, seems to have been an excellent one.

I suspect the only improvement is to have more and longer trains on the Overground. But that will happen!

January 16, 2013 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel, World | Clapham Junction Station, Dalston Junction, Design, East London Line, London Overground, North London Line, Stations, Step-Free, Trains