DLR Stratford International

And so it begins. Work has physically started on the DLR extension to Stratford International this week. there has been some work in recent weeks including putting turnstiles into the fence between the track and pavement/road. this is for worker access.

The extension from Canning Town to Stratford International is going to be the mass transit system nearest to the Olympics in 2012 as well as serving the international station there. In true DLR style most of the route is using old trackbed, this time part of the North London Line, which in turn shut once the City Airport DLR extension opened a few years ago. From the mega junction south of Canning Town trains from both Woolwich Arsenal and Beckton (and in 2017 Dagenham Dock) which branch off into different platforms at Canning Town. 

Canning Town will be an interchange point for the DLR, but unlike other DLR station, passengers from the Bank/Tower Gateway direction will require some time as you have to go down to the Jubilee Line platform level, down to basement/ticket office level, walk around and then go back up to the Stratford International platforms. I can see this creating alot of problems especially for tourists (ie from City Airport or even changing from the Jubilee Line as DLR will be both upstairs and downstairs).

Im curious what they are going to do at West Ham as there isn't much space to put the lift in as the station end of the platform (which are narrow to start with) go straight into steps to the bridge over the road (I think this might be the only part of the JLE that isn't wheelchair friendly). Time will tell. 

Around Star Lane station the road is already closed and they have begun to take apart the road barriers. This is because they are actually moving the road at this point to provide space for the DLR platforms. They had the toilets there by thursday so it seems this is going to be a major point for the workforce. I hope to get some pictures soon. 

So the extension is due for opening some point in 2010, once open the whole DLR system will spend about two years without a single change. Hopefully all the new train will also be running by this point. Then once the Olympics are over is back to building new bit for the DLR starting with Dagenham Dock.