Navigating The Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) or Topsy to her friends is one of London’s transport success stories, although in it’s early days a Glaswegian once called it a Disney railway. Why? “Because it disney work!”
Since its opening in the 1980s, Topsy has grown from a simple system with single-coach trains serving just fifteen stations, into the transport system that was one of the real stars of the Olympics in 2012. According to a Senior Manager at Transport for London, I met on the DLR, ridership during the Olympics on the system, outperformed all their expectations. And the system coped!
Topsy has developed a character of her own and is a friendly transport option in the area of London, East of the City to Stratford, Woolwich and Lewisham. The DLR is on the Tube Map, but it also has its own welcoming map on the platforms.
DLR Map At Shadwell Station
It could be a bit confusing to visitors, as I had to show a Frenchman how to hop to Canary Wharf, but generally it works.
The Cardiff Valley Lines, which although they are heavy rail has a surprisingly similar layout, so perhaps they should create a similar map to help visitors.
But whatever happens, long may Topsy continue to grow!
I doubt that the line will get to Dagenham Dock, although the area could be better connected to Stratford and Crossrail.
But I do think, the system could reach to Euston and St. Pancras or expand southwards from Lewisham.
Whatever happens London’s transport system will get overloaded and just as they have done a few times in the past, they’ll call again on Topsy!
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