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(rshsdepot) Elevated Railway- London, The Docklands Light Railway, Part One

Another series, I was going to wait until I finished Bangor, but perhaps it is time for the elevated series. I am also sure that many don't click through all the pictures. This one if I don't split it will have 43 links, but I will say that most are choice.

The Docklands Railway was expanded as part of the project for the Millennium celebration. It opened in 1987. And as you will see it is an elevated, an automated and clean one, for sure, but it shadows the streets and has buildings around it in London.
It has a little bit of underground, but mostly it is elevated. It is mostly on old railway right-of-ways.

It is an elevated: http://www.photopolis.co.uk/2vehicles/dlrl.jpg
http://www.biblelife.co.uk/life/pics/docklandrailway.jpg
http://www.tfl-vcs.co.uk/tfl/about/report-library/annual-reports/2003/media/photo-docklands-mid.jpg
http://home.arcor.de/fredrik.matthaei/London_Underground/Docklands_Light_Railway_1997.jpg
http://home.arcor.de/fredrik.matthaei/London_Underground/DLR_Zug_im_Spiegelbild_1997.jpg
http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/image/1041.jpg
http://www.mykreeve.net/london/docklands/docklands_construction_site_england_flag.jpg
Some is underground: http://www.rail.ac/travel/uk1998/dockland.jpg

These docks have a rich history; nationalized in 1908. Here is a bit of rail action at the Albert Dock Basin:
http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd05_albertd1909.jpg    
London Dock closed 1968, all other docks close by 1981.

A map of the original Docklands Railways: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/dockrailmap.jpg

One of the old railways whose routes the Docklands Light Railway uses was the Beckton Railway.
Manor Way Station on the Beckton Railway, 1908: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd25_manorwaystation1908.jpg
A "level crossing" on the Beckton Ry.: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd22_levelcrossbeckton.jpg

The Docklands Light Railway was built on the remains of the London & Blackwell Ry. Here is a map of the L&B: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/blackwallrailmap.jpg
Blackwell Railway Terminus near current DLR East India station: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/ml06_blackwallterminal.jpg
Platforms at Blackwell Terminus: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/lir01_blackwallstation.jpg

The DLR at East India Dock, 1995, next to Brunswick Power Station:
http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/images/dedlreindia1.jpg
http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/images/dedlreindia3.jpg
DLR East India Station: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/images/dedlreindia2.jpg

A neat story of one man who rode the last London and Blackwell Ry. passenger train on the Millwall Viaduct and the last DLR on the viaduct before rerouting to new construction. The viaduct unused is a protected landmark.: 
http://metadyne.tripod.com/pics/MillwallViaduct.jpg

About the DLR conversion of the North London Line: http://pressroom.dlr.co.uk/latest_news/details.asp?id=66
More: http://www.city.ac.uk/languages/images/docklands%20light%20railway%20picture%201.jpg

Here is a map of the DLR: 
http://www.voyagenow.com/travel-references/en/media/b/b4/docklands_light_railway.png    Note the two separate terminals in central London to the west.
More detailed DLR map: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7069/gblondlr.gif
Airport extension map: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7069/gblcytrack.gif

Many pictures here, an old viaduct, the underground Bank station and many other interesting pictures and maybe all you might ever need to know about the DLR. Get there early for a front window seat:
http://metadyne.tripod.com/DLRgenPhots.html  
The multiple unit trains are driverless. 

Some of the DLR stations are amazing, and some play off the many of the Railway Terminal sheds around London. (There are 11 of these in London, actually 14, it is quite amazing, but that will come (much) later.

Docklands Station (Canary Wharf) (1987) (Dockands Light Railway, London Docks to London Center) This is a new station and it has an arch roof! Even if this is a failed project (is it?), it is so neat.:
http://www.lado.ne.jp/colu/uk/images/docklands_station.jpg
Canary Wharf Station (from other side):
http://www.urban75.org/photos/london/images/lon283.jpg 
http://www.mykreeve.net/london/docklands/dlr_towards_canary_wharf.jpg 
http://home.arcor.de/souvenirs/gb/4497a.jpg   Oh the parabola of it all!

Inside Canary Wharf DLR station: 
http://www.buyimage.co.uk/photonet/canary/images/13.jpg
http://www.mykreeve.net/london/docklands/canada_square_canary_wharf_dlr_roof.jpg

And a matching station entrance for the underground:
Canary Wharf Underground Tube Station, London. Entrance:
http://www.biblelife.co.uk/life/pics/canarywhalfstation.jpg  A parabola.  Jubilee Line station.
http://www.mykreeve.net/london/docklands/canary_wharf_tube_station.jpg
The Concourse at this station: http://www.mykreeve.net/london/docklands/canary_wharf_tube_escalator.jpg

DLR Tower Gateway Station entrance: http://en.wikipedia.org/upload/thumb/4/4a/300px-Towergateway.jpg
http://www.transportforlondon.gov.uk/dlr/images/stations/photos/towergate.jpg

The DLR has been extended three times and will be extended to London City Airport by 2005. More expansion is planned. 60 million riders a year by 2006 is projected.

Opened 1987 between Tower gateway , Island Gardens and Stratford. Here is the Cross Harbour Station next to London Arena:
http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/images/dedlrxharb1.jpg  

The DLR at Beckton Park, 1995: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/dld04_rail&roadrollercoater.jpg

DLR at Royal Albert 1998: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/images/lightrailway.jpg
http://www.conscape.com/docklands3.jpg

Steam train at Gallions Station at Gallions Hotel: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/dockrailmap.jpg
Gallions Hotel:
1883: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd23_gallionshotel1883.jpg
1971: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd24_gallionshotel1971.jpg

Tramway Bascule Bridge open at Royal Albert Docks: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/eh12_basculebrtramway.jpg
Connaught Swing Bridge: http://www.bardaglea.org.uk/bridges/docklands/images/nd18_connaughtswingbr.jpg

You can access pictures of each of the 35 stations on the DLR here, start on this page for Stratford Station: http://www.transportforlondon.gov.uk/dlr/stations/stratford.shtml

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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