Pudding Mill Lane Station – 4th May 2012
Pudding Mill Lane station on the DLR is unique in that the platforms can’t take full length trains and the track is only single on the Canary Wharf side of the station. This picture shows the new station being constructed.
The New Pudding Mill Lane DLR Station
Completion date is given as 2013. Towards Stratford, the viaduct that will carry the track is now visible.
The New Viaduct at Pudding Mill Lane DLR Station
The station will be a great improvement on the one it replaces.
City of Lost Tourists
I’ve said before that tourists seem to get lost in London.
Today it was a Dutch couple, I encountered at Shadwell in the mezzanine level above the Overground, who were trying to get to the British Museum. I was pretty sure, they’d seen the tube map and thought they could get to Bank on the DLR to get a train nearer their destination. So I led them through the gates to the nearby DLR station and up in the lift to the platforms for Bank. Some of these interchanges to and from the DLR are tricky, to say the least. But that is more to the nature of the DLR, which has grown like the proverbial Topsy.
My nominations for bad interchanges to and from the DLR include.
- Canary Wharf, where the DLR and the Jubilee line are two separate stations.
- Canning Town, where there are two DLR lines and the Jubilee line on various levels.
- Poplar, which is a major DLR interchange and a good place to get lost.
- Shadwell, where the DLR and the Overground are two separate stations.
- West Ham, where the DLR and the Underground meet haphazardly, nowhere near West Ham United Football Club.
Note that three involve my least-favourite Underground line; the Jubilee line.
I suppose one of the DLR’s problems is that most of the stations are unmanned and most of the maps only show the DLR and its interfaces. So the system assumes a certain amount of knowledge amongst the passengers. On the other hand, every train has an excellent Train Captain, who can usually give you the information you require.
Perhaps what is needed is a Route Finder at each station, similar to those on the bus spider maps. It would give a list of major attractions and the route to take.
First Time on a Bus in Years
Not me, but an old friend of mine, who came to visit last week.
After an hour or so of pleasant conversation and a couple of drinks, he needed to get to Ealing and I wanted to go to the Olympic site to have a look.
So it was a walk to the 141 bus and from there to Bank, where he got the tube to Ealing and I got the DLR.
From the look on his face, I think he quite enjoyed the experience. He did remark that he was surprised at the comfort.
So buses must be getting better.
The East India Dock Basin
Travelling towards the River Thames, you come to the East India Dock Basin, which is now a nature reserve, is described here.
As you can see, it is well-laid out and has good views of the River Thames. The island in the middle of the basin is growing using the same method that salt marshes do in places like Norfolk. There were quite a few birds about with sheld-duck, tufted duck and coot easily spotted. Apparently, there’s a local kingfisher too! There is a lot of good information. What would Jack Dash have thought?
There are plenty of places to sit and considering how close it is to the end of the 277 bus route and East India station on the DLR, it’s an ideal spot to go for a picnic.
We Need More Canning Town Stations
Canning Town station is a major interchange in East London and will be important in getting spectators to the Olympics.
The Jubilee line, two DLR lines and lots of bus routes meet there.
We need more interchanges like this in London and over the whole country for that matter. As I have said before, Hackney Downs and Hackney Central stations should be combined, with a bus station below.
From Bank to Poplar on the DLR
This video shows why the DLR appeals to kids of all ages.
As the train is driverless, you can often get the front all to yourself. I just sat in the right hand seat and balanced my elbows on the cover in front of me.
To get these pictures, I waited on Platform 9 at Bank station until a train going to Woolwich Arsenal or Beckton stations and got in the front on the right hand side. The Lewisham trains would be a worthy alternative, especially as they go through Canary Wharf station.
A Church With A Station in the Rectory
I mentioned in the last post, that St. Mary Woolnoth had the access to the Docklands Light Railway, where the rectory used to be. So I took some pictures this morning.
It would appear the church has gone commercial with a Starbucks. too. What more could a commuter want? Religion, coffee and a quick way to the City Airport.
It was actually a three stage drop to the platforms of the DLR, but the lifts would have taken the average loaded wheel-chair and a pusher with ease. The first lift actually gets you to the escalators, so it could be a quick bypass of the stairs from street-level, if you’re carrying something heavy.
Disabled and Normal Access on the Docklands Light Railway
When I was in Bank station yesterday, I noticed that there is a lift down to the Docklands Light Railway. Where it comes out at the surface, I don’t know. and it is worth an investigation. As it is foggy today, perhaps I’ll go and have a look. According to Wikipedia, the lift gets to the surface in the rectory of St. Mary Woolnoth
i should say though, that access to the DLR has greatly improved from the Northern line and now it is just one short staircase and twenty metres or so in a tunnel. There are also escalators everywhere, which is one of the reasons I didn’t use the lift. so sometimes, when they refurbish a station, like they have at Bank, they do get it right.
But this web site for Stratford International station doesn’t. Type disabled or wheel-chair into the site search engine and nothing is found. Although the station is known to be step free and if you want to transfer between the DLR and say a service to Ipswich, Southend or Dalston, it’s lifts all the way.
Why can’t people who design web sites get them right? I suspect that there’s full information on how to get to Eastfield, the Shopping Centre though!
To take the Golden Syrup picture, I travelled to West Silvertown station, which is a typical elevated DLR station, with a lift and a staircase to both platforms. Incidentally, this station has some short term parking, as many do on the DLR, so it is an ideal place to set someone on their way in a wheel-chair say and then go and find somewhere safe to leave the car for a longer time.
What Do They Make Here?
This picture was taken from West Silvertown station on the Docklands Light Railway.
What Do They Make Here?
I think the answer is obvious. But how many companies advertise their products on their factories in such a manner?
The Royal Docks Terminal of the Emirates Air-Line
These pictures are a few bad ones of the new Royal Docks terminal of the Emirates Air-Line.
It looks like that once the fences come down, it will look a lot better. The line will also give a new route to the O2 and spectacular views of London.
The terminal is a short walk from Royal Victoria station on the Docklands Light Railway.
Note that since the original post, I’ve added a few pictures of the intermediate cable towers. These pictures were either taken from or around West Silvertown station or from the top deck of a 474 bus, which runs from Canning Town station along the line of Docklands Light Railway to London City Airport and further to the east.
The Anonymous Widower 