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.
- I could go north to Willesden Junction station and then get the North London line to either Dalston Kingsland or Highbury and Islington stations.
- I could also go north on a direct train that eventually ended up at Stratford.
- 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!
Starbucks On Southern
I was offered a cup of coffee from the trolley on the train back from Worthing today.
I refused, as the trolley had the Starbucks logo on the side.
Has the anti-Starbucks protest got to me? I think so, but we had actually discussed this at lunch.
I’ve not completely got them out of my life, but where there are alternatives like Knot Pretzels at Clapham Junction, I use them.
Changing At Clapham Junction Station
The one thing that worked well on my trip today, was changing at Clapham Junction station to go south.
If you use the bridge over the tracks, it is fully served with lifts, so if you are wheeling a heavy case to Gatwick Airport, it is probably easier than say getting it off the Underground at Victoria station. There’s also a couple of coffee shops on the bridge and even in the rush hour today, there was somewhere to sit.
I think we should congratulate Network Rail on doing a good design job in bringing an old bridge up to the standard that travellers expect these days.
I would also recommend you buy your tickets before travelling, unless you are prepared to go through the barriers and buy the tickets at the station.
One good thing about changing at Clapham Junction, is that if you use the bridge it is fairly eas to find your ongoing platform. Coming north, it is very easy as you always go to Platform 2.
Hopefully, this will improve as more and more people use Clapham Junction station to change to and from the south. Today, the trains to and from the station on the South London line weren’t very full. But then that was the case when the rest of the Overground opened.
I don’t think it will stay as quiet for long!
Coffee And Pretzels At Clapham Junction
Not for me the pretzels, but the coffee was good in my pit-stop at Knot Pretzels at Clapham Junction station.
I do love their innovative use of an old trunk for the sugar and stirrers.
Dalston Junction to Clapham Junction Is Test Running
I got a train from Dalston Junction station and the service to Clapham Junction station is running from platform 2. Sadly without passengers. This is the destination display at Dalston Junction.
Dalston Junction to Clapham Junction Is Test Running
Not in Service is a euphemism for Clapham Junction. Note the fifteen minute service interval or four trains per hour.
The New Overground Line To Clapham Junction
I took these pictures today, whilst walking from Surrey Quays station to SELCHP.
Note.
- How the track for the new branch, runs between SELCHP and the fence along the route I walked.
- A couple of trains have been seen travelling along the line. One may have passed me, but I’m not sure.
- It would appear that the new bridge over Surrey Canal Road, has been designed to be incorporated into any proposed Surrey Canal Road station. I actually met a guy with his dalmatian by the station and he and/or a neighbour could remember Surrey Canal Road as the Grand Surrey Canal. The neighbour could also remember troop trains going by over the old line, that was dismantled in the 1960s or 1970s.
- The proximity of the New Den to the proposed station.
- The new line has an out of station interchange at Clapham High Street station with Clapham North station on the Northern line. It would make it easy for anybody in my area to get to the Tooting area, although I think that Clapham North station is not the best.
One thing that would appear to be certain, s that opening the line this year, is not an outrageous boast.
The New London Overground Platform at Clapham Junction
The new platform 1 at Clapham Junction station to accomodate both ends of the main circular London Overground route is nearing completion, as these pictures show.
The train in the picture will use the West London Line to get to Stratford.
It would also appear, that when the extension to the East London Line opens in December this year, that there will be a new station entrance.
The Anonymous Widower 