please empty your brain below
As someone on the Beckton branch... underwhelmed...

AC | 31.08.11 - 2:01 a.m. | #

Let's hope it does open today. Think you're quite right to highlight the odd service pattern though, I can't see that lasting long

SELondoner | Homepage | 31.08.11 - 8:31 a.m. | #

Considering it seems to impact so few people, I wonder how this project even got off the ground? The net benefit for all that spend must be pretty small

Rob | 31.08.11 - 8:40 a.m. | #

The new extension got built because
a) Stratford International had to be linked to the main rail network somehow
b) most of the line reuses old track
c) the project was therefore relatively cheap

diamond geezer | Homepage | 31.08.11 - 9:29 a.m. | #

Showing my age - I remember the original opening. Sigh...

I agree that the service pattern on the new branch looks confusing. Especially as many of the users of the Woolwich branch won't be regular users (who can learn and adapt to these idiosyncracies) - they'll be visitors headed for City Airport. Someone arriving into Canning Town (from the Jubilee) in peak hours and hurrying for the next train to the airport will face real confusion about which platform to head for.

Island Resident | 31.08.11 - 9:37 a.m. | #

Are you sure the peak hour service from Woolwich to Canning Town has doubled?

There used to be alternate trains from Woolwich to Bank and Canning Town. It looks like the ones that used to terminate at Canning Town now go on to Stratford international instead.

And during the off-peak, when the Woolwich-Canning Town shuttle didn't run before, it looks like those trains are now being used for Beckton to Stratford International.

dg writes: Agreed. Post updated, thanks.

Steve | Homepage | 31.08.11 - 10:08 a.m. | #

The frequencies to both Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal have both remained unchanged. Previously trains ran Beckton - Blackwall off-peak and Woolwich Arsenal - Canning Town peak. These now both go to Stratford International instead.

| 31.08.11 - 2:13 p.m. | #

I also remember the original opening. We got to Island Gardens, a station up in the air in those days, by walking through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. In the lift down to the tunnel we met a man in his eighties making only the second trip through there in his life. The other trip had been in August 1902, when the tunnel opened.

James Bunting | 31.08.11 - 2:18 p.m. | #

Stratford Int!

http://www.dlrdaisy.co.uk/daisy/stl/stl31pid.htm

No further crimes against apostrophe… :-)

DG is clearly having some influence….

Dan | 31.08.11 - 4:55 p.m. | #

I was disappointed that it didn't open yesterday as I travelled down to London to see... nothing apart from the usual fences! :(

Does the above comment by Dan, and the fact trains are shown as running to Wooly Arse mean it opened today? Because if so, me, Barry, Karen and Blue Witch won the sweepstake :D what do we win? ;)

Daniel | 31.08.11 - 4:59 p.m. | #

I was wrong! Further crimes against the apostrophe!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianvisits/6100094992/

(Has this now been fixed, or is the online display different to the physical display??!)

Dan | 31.08.11 - 5:32 p.m. | #

Platform displays: S'Ford Internat'l
Front of trains: Stratford Int

diamond geezer | Homepage | 31.08.11 - 6:10 p.m. | #

I'm sure it all made sense to someone, but not me. I can just imagine in a few years time that they will start a big "simplification" campaign to reduce the complexity.

Andrew Bowden | Homepage | 31.08.11 - 6:17 p.m. | #

Crimes against the apostrophe? For those, just look outside Stratford station (next to the crossing that everyone keeps almost being run over at):

http://picplz.com/user/causton/pic/hs4st/

Daniel | 31.08.11 - 7:03 p.m. | #

I've just looked on the DLR website and it states that it is open. As we were right Karen, Daniel and Blue Witch join me in a spot of a celebratory sing song.

We are the champions, we are the champions, no time for losers because we are the champions of the world!

Barry | 31.08.11 - 7:42 p.m. | #

*sings along*

Just read the press release - look at the notes to editors at the bottom! Such bull.
"It offers much faster and more frequent services than the former North London line it replaces, with a train arriving every eight minutes during peak periods"
Well yes, but those trains aren't necessarily going to the most useful places... plus the Jubilee's come in since then!

Daniel | 01.09.11 - 1:54 a.m. | #

The lack of day time trains to Woolwich is a mistake for me, Beckton is already well served, has weirdly got 3 car services before Woolwich.

Woolwich to Stratford Westfield services would do really well at the weekend come September 13th.

Sacha | 01.09.11 - 12:44 p.m. | #

Ironically this weekend the new service runs to Woolwich Arsenal at all times. This is because there is engineering work on the Beckton branch.

PC | 01.09.11 - 9:30 p.m. | #

A special service will be running during Westfield opening week as its also the DSEi "security exhibition" (arms fair) at ExCeL.

The weekend service on Westfield weekend should include direct services between Stratford and both Woolwich & Beckton.

The alternating service pattern is targetted at commuters towards Stratford in the peak and those travelling to ExCeL and UEL offpeak. Not saying that's the best solution but it is what it is :-/

Dave A | 03.09.11 - 10:38 a.m. | #

Can i plug this video? I can! thx... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V_hoK8GuZA

Geofftech | Homepage | 08.09.11 - 4:36 p.m. | #











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