T5, what a mistake.

DSCF4233
Originally uploaded by MackenzieBlu

Well here is one of my two T5 images that I managed to take. What I can't believe is the level of security surrounding the station. During me taking this picture I was spotted by security and screamed at to not take pictures. Now as a brand new terminal that they plastered all across the papers this level of what my friend (an LU employee) called a "Nazi state". here isn't any sign either to say don't take pictures. I was going to take a look around T5 and take some pictures but after that neither of us where in the mood to stay.

Keeping going BA/BAA, shot your self's in your respective feet again and lose any help in the future. Idiots.

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. 

DLR - Western Leg

I occurred to me that the western leg of the DLR (that's Bank/Tower Gateway to Poplar) is going to be crippled this summer. Lets start with Shadwell which lost its East London Line connection and now has replacement bus services, hardly great for mass numbers. Next is Tower Gateway which closes shortly for a year, so they lose connection to Circle and District lines. Now we find that Bank/Monument is also being no interchange till august. So basically west from Limehouse the ONLY interchange the DLR has is with the Northern at Bank officially. Cue a summer of chaos on the DLR. 

B.2007 Stock

As I've been going past Beckton depot alot lately I can say there is now 4 units of the new B.2007 DLR stock. 

Sorry for the short post but its been a busy week for me!

Jubilee Line......

Well seems the Jubilee had a really bad day. In the same week the Wharf published a front page story on how last week was the worst week on the Jubilee since the JLE opened back in 1999. Now it seems this week really has got worse with a complete rush hour closure of the line.

From what I can tell there was a power failure at Neasden control tower which killed the radio over the entire line (explaining the two different reasons given for the shut down). as I type this at 23:45 the line still isn't working between Finchley Road and Stratford. Ie the busy tunnel section. Not good when this happened somewhere before 6pm. 

I myself managed to get caught up in all this when coming from Beckton to Stratford this evening. The DLR staff where on the ball announcing it quickly on the trains. So I had a trek to Poplar tonight and then had to fight to get onto a DLR to Stratford which was packed the whole way. Lets only hope tomorrow goes better for the line!