The Value Of A Train Captain
The Docklands Light Railway in East London is driverless, with trains controlled automatically. But each train has an onboard Train Captain, who is a cross between a traditional guard, a ticket checker and almost a tourist guide. Today two incidents showed why the system is so good.
As we left Bank station to travel in the tunnel to Shadwell, I heard a slight commotion behind me. As I was changing trains at the next station, I got up as we approached and found that a small boy of about five or six had got on without his mother. But the Train Captain was in command and had ascertained that his mother was following on the next train and that they’d be reunited at Shadwell. He also found a responsible lady to wait with the child until the train arrived. I think as it happened, the mother had got in another carriage on the train, so she found him, without the child having to wait on the platform with the volunteer.
It had been handled very professionally and another Train Captain told me it happens all the time, normally because the shopping gets put on more carefully than the children.
The other incident was very much run-of-the-mill with a twist.
On another train, the Train Captain took over the driving of the train, as they sometimes do. As he’d had to move another five or six-year-old boy out of the way to open the driver’s console, he then showed him what the various controls were for, in a very professional manner.
From Poplar To Canary Wharf
I walked from Poplar Station to Canary Wharf, taking pictures of the Docklands Light Railway and the building of the Crossrail station at Canary Wharf.
It’s going to be an architectural masterpiece when it’s finished. Or I certainly hope so!
One of the great things about using the Docklands Light Railway is that on a hot day like yesterday, it is a great way to explore the Eastern parts of London. Most of the stations have lifts and give good views of what is going on. The area is steeped in history and some great architecture from the old to the very modern.
The ticketing system is effectively, hop-on and hop-off, so you just use your Oyster once or buy a paper ticket and you’re away.
Someone needs to write a proper tourist guide to the Docklands Light Railway.
Pudding Mill Lane Station – 17th July 2013
From Stratford I moved on to the area around Pudding Mill Lane station to see progress on both the new station and Crossrail.
The pictures show that things are moving on quite well.
Note.
1. According to this entry in Wikipedia, the new station should be finished in 2013.
2. The current station will have to be demolished to allow work to proceed on Crossrail.
3. There is no sign of the tunnelling machines at Pudding Mill Lane, which will drive from there to Stepney Green.
To Greenwich Under The River
I’d never been through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, when I used it to get from Island Gardens station on the DLR to Greenwich Pier, so I could get pictures of HMS Illustrious.
As the pictures show, I shared the lifts and the tunnel with a party of extremely well-behaved Primary School children. I mentioned to the teacher in charge, that I’m surprised Health and Safety let children into the tunnel. She said things were getting better and the children loved using the tunnel.
Pudding Mill Lane Station – 6th May 2013
I passed through Pudding Mill Lane station on the DLR this morning and the new station is progressing.
Note that you can now see the lift towers.
Onto The DLR At Tower Gateway
This picture shows the entrance to the DLR at Tower Gateway station.
Onto The DLR At Tower Gateway
Sensibly, the signage mentions that Travelcards are welcome.
The Tower of London And Modern Buildings
I walked past the Tower of London on my way to get a DLR train at Tower Gateway station.
In some ways it could have been surrounded by a much worse collection of buildings. Although nothing of the quality of One New Change seems to have been built near to the Tower to blend the ancient and modern.
At least it’s impossible to see the Tower of London and the Tower Hotel at the same time.
Riding The DLR To The Cable Car
On Sunday, I did my usual trip from Royal Victoria to North Greenwich on the Emirates Air-Line. I took these pictures as I progressed along the DLR to Royal Victoria Docks station.
There is a lot to see!
On any Sunday with good weather, it is an enjoyable trip to do a circular route.
I would start early, by going on the roof of One New Change for the amazing views of St. Paul’s.
Then a quick walk to Bank and take a DLR train to Royal Victoria station. You might not get one direct on a Sunday, so change at either Shadwell, Poplar or Canning Town.
The cable car is close by the DLR station and don’t forget to use an Oyster card to cross to the other side, as it’s cheaper and you don’t have to queue.
At North Greenwich there is quite a few places to eat by the O2 Arena.
You can continue in one of two ways. Either take the Jubilee line from North Greenwich station to Canary Wharf or take a bus to the centre of historic Maritime Greenwich.
If you take the second option, you can take another DLR train from Cutty Sark station to Canary Wharf.
Canary Wharf is a good place to eat lunch and also do some shopping, as a lot of the best shops are there.
After Canary Wharf, I take the Jubilee line, back to London Bridge station, where you can see The Shard, London’s forgotten cathedral; Southwark, Borough Market and the other attractions between London and Tower bridges.
London Is My Gymnasium
The weather is better today, so I did a trip round the various construction and other sites that I keep a watch on.
The pictures are in order and show how I went to the Excel to see the CrossRail progress, then over the cable-car to Greenwich. I then took the Jubilee line to Stratford and the DLR to Pudding Mill Lane station, again to look at CrossRail. I also had a coffee and some delicious gluten-free cake at the ViewTube, before coming back to Highbury and Islington station, where I did a bit of shopping.
I tend to use these trips as long walks with the occasional climb up and down stairs to get fit. I found that on the cruise stair-climbing with a rail on the left, was good for that side of my body.
Canary Wharf’s Floating Bridge
Whilst at West India Quay DLR station, I also looked at the floating bridge.
Canary Wharf’s Floating Bridge
It is a unique design and it is something that could be copied elsewhere.
The Anonymous Widower 