The Anonymous Widower

TfL Advances Plans For DLR And Overground Extensions

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer.

This is the first paragraph.

Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that it is moving ahead with plans to extend the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and the West London Orbital (WLO), part of the London Overground.

So it appears that despite all their financial problems, some progress is being made.

The Docklands Light Railway Extension To Thamesmead

I first wrote about this project in TfL Considering Extending DLR As Far As Abbey Wood.

Now it appears that TfL has been working with Homes England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on a feasibility study for the extension.

I would like to see this extension incorporation the following.

  • A signature bridge over the Thames with good views of the river.
  • A station with a convenient connection to Crossness, which could become one of major London’s tourist attractions with better transport links.
  • A connection to the Elizabeth Line at Abbey Wood station.

It could help to level up Thamesmead, whose main claim to fame is that it was where the violent film Clockwork Orange was made.

The West London Orbital Railway

I have written extensively about this railway and you can see my posts here.

This map from the Mayor’s Transport Strategy shows the route.

I believe this railway could do the following.

  • Level-up much of North-West London.
  • Provide better access to Heathrow.
  • Link West London to High Speed Two and the Elizabeth Line.

It would also provide better links to Brentford’s new stadium.

The New Civil Engineer says this about funding.

TfL now confirms that the West London Alliance has commissioned feasibility work for the scheme. Meanwhile, TfL is considering options for a Borough Community Infrastructure Levy to help pay for it and has been investigating development opportunities on the route that could unlock funds via Section 106 planning obligations and Carbon Offset funding.

Conclusion

It does appear there are ways and means to fund these schemes, without expecting the rest of the UK to fund London’s transport network.

June 18, 2022 Posted by | Finance, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | 4 Comments

London Overground’s Barking Riverside Station To Open This Summer

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Ian Visits.

This is the first paragraph.

Transport for London (TfL) says that it is bringing forward the launch of London Overground services on the extension to Barking Riverside, following good progress being made in the completion of the station commissioning and testing stages.

Are railway lines like buses? You wait years for one to come along and then several turn up in a rush.

This railway line has been built mainly to serve the new housing at Barking Riverside, but as I showed in A Cruise To Barking – 13th May 2022, the route will have leisure possibilities as well.

I also feel, that if this 4.5 km extension of the Gospel Oak and Barking Line is a success, I can see other extensions of Metros and local trams and railways being created or restored, as this extension will show the economics.

I have some further thoughts.

Rethinking Of c2c Services In South Essex

It could even result in a rethinking of c2c services in South Essex.

Platforms 7 and 8 at Barking station will host the following services.

  • 2 tph (trains per hour)  – Fenchurch Street and Grays
  • 4 tph – Barking Riverside and Gospel Oak

There will certainly be scope for ducking and diving at this station.

A same-platform interchange will give an easy route between Fenchurch Street and Barking Riverside.

The next station on the Gospel Oak and Barking Line is Woodgrange Park, which has an out-of-station interchange with the Elizabeth Line at Manor Park station.

The Gospel Oak and Barking Line offers connections all across North London.

Grays station can probably turn four tph.

There could be a new Beam Park station to serve more housing.

I can certainly see the Fenchurch Street and Grays service increased to four tph, if lots of housing is built in South Essex. Provided that the trains can be squeezed in to the timetable.

A Ferry Across The Thames At Barking

There have been proposals to extend the line from Barking Riverside station across the Thames to Thamesmead and Abbey Wood station.

But a tunnel or a bridge, as I prefer, would be massively expensive and take years to plan, finance and build.

This Google Map shows the Thames at Barking.

Note.

  1. Barking Riverside station under construction in the North-West corner of the map, with the Thames Clipper terminal on the North bank of the river.
  2. The sprawling Thamesmead Estate on the South bank of the river.
  3.  In the South-East corner of the map there is the Grade 1 Listed Crossness pumping station, which I wrote about in Open House – Crossness.

An hourly ferry across the river between Barking and Crossness with an intermediate stop at Thamesmead might be the most affordable solution to crossing the river.

 

June 14, 2022 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TfL Considering Extending DLR As Far As Abbey Wood

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on New Civil Engineer,

I am ambivalent about whether the Docklands Light Railway is extended from Beckton to Thamesmead or Abbey Wood.

This map from Ian Visits shows the area.

I’ve always preferred a high bridge from Barking Riverside to Thamesmead.

In There’s A Lot Happening Around Tilbury And Gravesend, I said this.

My personal preference for another connection would be to build a bridge between Barking Riverside and Thamesmead, to take the Gospel Oak to Barking Line over rather than under the Thames, if this was possible. I would use tram-trains on the railway, that if required did a walkabout around the estates as trams on both sides of the river. The bridge would also be open to cyclists and pedestrians.

Properly designed, the bridge could be a visitor attraction in its own right!

But could the bridge taking the DLR over the river become an attraction?

November 6, 2021 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 1 Comment

DLR Extension To Thamesmead Gets Preliminary Funding

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on IanVisits.

This is the opening paragraphs.

TfL has secured funding to carry out more work on plans to extend the DLR from Beckton to Thamesmead.

The current proposals are for a new station be built in Beckton, with a bridge over (or tunnel under) the Thames to a new station in Thamesmead. Both sites are subject to lots of new housing being built, or planned, and the DLR extension was included in TfL’s latest financial plans.

Ian also gives this map.

This Google Map shows the area, where the extension will be built.

Note.

  1. The Eastern end of the runway at London City Airport in the South-Western corner of the map.
  2. The proposed location of Thamesmead station is by the roundabout in the South-Eastern corner of the map.

I estimate that the River Thames is around 500-600 metres wide at this point.

North Of The Thames

This Google Map shows more detail around the ring road of Armada Way on the North side of the Thames.

Note.

  1. The ring road of Armada Way in the centre of the map.
  2. Beckton Depot of the DLR takes up the Southern part of the land enclosed by Armada Way.
  3. The Northern part of the enclosed land is what is left of Beckton Gas Works.
  4. Gallions Reach station by Gallions roundabout, aligned North-South along the road.
  5. Note how the DLR goes under the road to read Beckton station in the North West corner of the map.
  6. To the North of the Armada Way ring, there is Gallions Reach Retail Park.
  7. Surrounding everything to North and East is the massive Becton Sewage Treatment Works.

I am not sure how the extension will connect to the existing Beckton branch of the DLR, but it does look that it could sneak around the inside of Armada Way and strike out directly across the Thames, from a junction to the North of Gallions Reach station.

This Google Map shows Gallions Roundabout and Gallions Reach station.

The connection to Beckton Depot to the North of the station can be picked out. It appears trains can enter and leave the depot in both directions.

This further Google Map shows Armada Way as it goes across the Northern side of the Beckton Gas Works site and along the Southern side of Gallions Reach Retain Park.

Note.

  1. The current route to Beckton station can be seen entering a short tunnel to go under the road.
  2. Could the route go inside Armada Way?

A station appears to be planned in this area called Beckton Riverside.

South Of The Thames

This Google Map shows the area which will be served by the extension South of the river.

Note.

  1. From the first map in this post it would appear that the route from the North makes landfall just to the East of the blue dot on South bank of the River.
  2. Thamesmead station would appear to be by the middle of the three roundabouts shown on the road crossing the map.

Much of the land between, the current buildings and the river could be developed.

Bridge Or Tunnel?

The major piece of construction will be the bridge or tunnel to connect the two halves of the extension.

Consider.

  • The frequency of the extension could be fifteen trains per hour (tph)
  • A bridge may stop large ships like HMS Ocean and MS Deutschland coming upriver to Greenwich or the Pool of London.
  • London has tried to develop a cruise ship terminal at Enderby’s Wharf near Greenwich.
  • Bringing cruise ships into London creates employment.
  • The Docklands Light Railway already has two tunnels under the river.
  • A tunnel would probably be less than a kilometre.

For these reasons, I think, a tunnel will be the more likely option.

Although, I always like railway bridges across a river, as they can become tourist attractions.

A Few Thoughts

These are a few thoughts.

A Frequency Of 15 tph

In his article, Ian says this about the frequency.

If the DLR extension is built, then it’s provisionally expected to be able to offer 15 trains per hour – roughly one every four minutes.

Currently, the frequency between Tower Gateway and Beckton is only 7.5 tph in the Peak and six tph in the Off-Peak.

  • If the Beckton service were to be extended to Thamesmead, to run a frequency of 15 tph, would still need more trains for the service.
  • But where would the extra trains terminate in the West?
  • Could this be handled with the new trains and better signalling?

I’m not sure, but it seems that the Docklands Light Railway is being setup with another 15 tph capacity in the East.

Could it be that the Thamesmead extension will be run back-to back with another extension in the West.

In A Connection Between City Thameslink Station And The Docklands Light Railway, I described a possible Westward extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Euston, St. Pancras and Victoria stations.

This map shows the route.

Note.

  1. Could St. Pancras and Victoria both take half of the 15 tph from Thamesmead?
  2. Bank currently , turns 22.5 tph in the Peak and 18 in the Off Peak.
  3. The new trains may be able to work with shorter headways.
  4. Currently, Euston, St. Pancras and Victoria have no direct connection to Canary Wharf.

I think the DLR could end up with a Peak service something like this service.

  • 7.5 tph – St. Pancras and Lewisham via Canary Wharf
  • 7.5 tph – St. Pancras and Woolwich Arsenal
  • 7.5 tph – Victoria and Lewisham via Canary Wharf
  • 7.5 tph – Victoria and Thamesmead

Except at Custom House and with a walk at Canary Walk, the connection to Crossrail is poor.

Conclusion

The extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead, looks to be a sensible project to serve much-needed housing at Beckton and Thamesmead.

But I feel it needs to be built alongside a Western Extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Charing Cross, Euston, St. Pancras and Victoria.

  • This would enable a train frequency of at least 7.5 tph to Thamesmead.
  • Or 15 tph if the existing Tower Gateway service were to be extended from Becton to Thamesmead.
  • This extension would also provide a direct link between Euston, Kings Cross and St. Pancras stations and Canary Wharf and perhaps take some pressure from the Bank branch of the Northern Line.

But the extension’s primary function would be to balance the Docklands Light Railway and allow capacity through Bank to the East to be increased.

It could be an affordable fill-in, while we wait for better times, in which to build Crossrail 2.

 

December 25, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

TfL Mulls DLR And Overground Extensions To Thamesmead

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on IanVisits.

Overground

TfL’s plan for the Overground would appear to be an extension under or over the River Thames to a single station at Thamesmead and a possible connection to the North Kent Line at Plumstead, Abbey Wood or Belvedere stations.

DLR

The plan for the DLR involves more stations, including a possible one on the North Bank of the Thames. It also serves a proposed massive Peabody housing development, which will provide up to 11,500 new homes.

What Goes East Must Go West

Nothing is said in Ian’s report about train services to Thamesmead.

Overground

On the Overground, there will be four trains per hour (tph) between Gospel Oak and Barking Riverside stations.

There are problems with increasing frequency and capacity, which could be necessary.

  • The terminus at Gospel Oak station is only a single platform.
  • The Gospel Oak to Barking Line is used by an increasing amount of electrically-haled freight trains.
  • There is little space on the line for an additional bay platform to turn trains.
  • Trains can’t continue along the North London Line at Gospel Oak, as that line is busy as well.

The only alternative Western terminals are.

  • Barking – A bay platform could possibly be squeezed in.
  • Enfield Town – Sounds crazy, but there is a chord between Seven Sisters and South Tottenham stations.
  • Fenchurch Street – Busy and possibly could be made larger with redevelopment.
  • Liverpool Street – Busy and only a slight possibility.

There would also need to be platform lengthening to incorporate trains that are longer than four cars.

Although, it might be possible to run five-car trains using selective door opening on the last car.

DLR

Currently, the DLR has a Peak service of 7.5 tph between Tower Gateway and Becton calling at Shadwell, Limehouse, Westferry, Poplar, Blackwall, East India, Canning Town, Royal Victoria, Custom House, Prince Regent, Royal Albert, Beckton Park, Cyprus, Gallions Reach.

The extension to Thamesmead would branch off around Gallions Reach and the current service has the following connections.

  • Shadwell – London Overground
  • Canning Town – Jubilee Line
  • Royal Victoria – Emirates Air-Line
  • Custom House – Crossrail

Will there be enough capacity on this section of the DLR?

  • Tower Gateway is a single-platform station and would need to be upgraded to handle more than 7.5 tph.
  • Thirty tph run through Shadwell, Limeshouse and Westferry station in the Peak.
  • Can stations be lengthened to use longer trains?

It does look to me that the only way to increase capacity would be to extend the DLR to the West, as I outlined in The Bank Station Upgrade And The Western Extension Of The DLR.

This map from TfL shows the possible extension.

What would be the cost of this extension?

Conclusion

The logic and economics of extending either the Overground or the DLR to Thamesmead are sound for that area of South-East London, but does The Mayor have the budget to complete the other end of the transport links?

February 16, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Divided City

London is a divided city and it has always been thus.

I am a North Londoner and can’t understand why anybody would want to live South of the Great Sewer. Compared to my childhood, it’s now grown up to be a river.

This is not just a white middle-class attitude, as I’ve been told by policemen, that criminals rarely commit crime on both sides of the river, and I’ve met several black South and North Londoners, who have my attitude to the other part of London.

In my childhood, the transport system made this divide a lot worse. We learned to duck and dive into the Underground and those in the South, learned how to get around using the Southern electrics, which to a North Londoner seem to have been laid out by the Devil to confuse outsiders.

It’s better now, with Thameslink, the Overground and the Victoria and Jubilee lines  adding extra connections between North and South London.

But one place, where the divide is still great is in the East. London has a housing shortage and two of the areas, where a large number of houses are to be built in the east, are Barking Riverside to the North of the Thames and Thamesmead to the South. The latter found its fame as the set for A Clockwork Orange and now surrounds the notorious Belmarsh Prison.

Both of these areas lack decent transport links.  Wikipedia has a section on transport for Thamesmead which says this.

Thamesmead’s location between the Thames and the South London escarpment limits rail transport and road access points. Thus Thamesmead has no underground or surface rail links. Most residents rely on bus services to reach the nearest rail stations.

Barking Riverside fares little better, according to this section in Wikipedia. Here’s the first bit.

Barking Riverside is connected to Barking, Ilford and Dagenham Dock by the East London Transit bus rapid transit service.

But at least the Gospel Oak to Barking Line is being extended to the houses at Riverside.

What was originally proposed was a new road bridge across the river called the Thames Gateway bridge, that would have originally opened in 2013.

But now in London’s Transport Plan for 2050, a rail tunnel is being proposed that links the Goblin at Barking Riverside to Abbey Wood station for Crossrail and the Kent lines, with an intermediate station at Thamesmead.

It will not be a low-cost option, as tunnelling isn’t a question of hiring a few navvies, so as the DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal cost a couple of hundred million or so, we’re probably looking at a half billion pound project to connect the rail lines under the Thames.

But surely, if it improves the east of London and makes housing in Barking Riverside and Thamesmead more attractive, it surely must be high up the benefit cost scale.

August 3, 2014 Posted by | News, Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 3 Comments