91-738: ExCeL London (an abbreviation for Exhibition Centre London ) is an international exhibition and convention centre in the Custom House area of Newham , East London . The facility is situated on a 100-acre (0.40 km) site on the northern quay of the Royal Victoria Dock in London Docklands , located between Canary Wharf and London City Airport . The Centre was designed by Moxley Architects and built by Sir Robert McAlpine . It opened in November 2000. In May 2008 it
182-523: A "minitram" people-mover system capable of carrying up to 20 people in each unit should be constructed to connect the Docklands with the planned Fleet line tube railway terminus at Fenchurch Street railway station . The Greater London Council formed a Docklands Joint Committee with the Boroughs of Greenwich , Lewisham , Newham , Southwark and Tower Hamlets in 1974 to undertake the redevelopment of
273-447: A central boulevard containing catering facilities and information points. There are also three sets of function rooms, one overlooking the water, another above the western end of the central boulevard, and the third on the north side of the building which are used for smaller meetings, seminars, presentations and corporate hospitality. The property is surrounded by six hotels, bars and restaurants, and 1,800 parking spaces situated underneath
364-523: A cost of £200 million funded mostly by the private sector as a Private finance initiative . It left the Island Gardens route south of the Crossharbour turn-back sidings, and dropped gently to Mudchute , where a street-level station replaced the high-level one on the former London & Blackwall Railway viaduct. The line then entered a tunnel, following the route of the viaduct to
455-457: A door fails to remain shut. Cutty Sark station is underground, and both costs and the risk to nearby historic buildings prevent platform extension. The tunnel has an emergency walkway. Additional work beyond that needed to take the three-car trains was also carried out at some stations. This included replacing canopies with more substantial ones along the full platform length. A new South Quay station has been built 200 m (660 ft) east of
546-576: A feasibility study into extending the system under the River Thames . This led the council to advocate an extension via Greenwich and Deptford , terminating at Lewisham railway station . The ambitions of the operators were supported by politicians in Parliament, including the future Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott , and Lord Whitty ; and by 1996 construction work had begun. The Lewisham extension opened on 20 November 1999, at
637-527: A flat triangular junction near Poplar . Services ran from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and from Stratford to Island Gardens; the north side of the junction was used only for access to the Poplar depot . The stations were mostly of a common design and constructed from standard components. A common feature was a short half-cylindrical glazed blue canopy. All stations were above ground and were generally unstaffed. All stations featured lifts and level access into
728-444: A local food initiative organised a cooking class for local children For the 2012 Summer Olympics , ExCeL London was divided into five sports halls with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 that were used for boxing , fencing , judo , taekwondo , table tennis , weightlifting , and wrestling . ExCeL hosted two boxing matches on 10 December 2005, the first between British heavyweights Danny Williams and Audley Harrison and
819-599: A shallow subsurface station at Island Gardens , accessible by stairs or a lift. It crossed under the Thames to Cutty Sark in the centre of Greenwich, and surfaced at Greenwich railway station , with cross-platform interchange between the northbound track and the London-bound main line . The line snaked on a concrete viaduct to Deptford Bridge , before descending to Elverson Road at street level, close to Lewisham town centre, terminating in two platforms between and below
910-454: A total length of 12.1 km (7.5 miles). It was mainly elevated on disused railway viaducts or new concrete viaducts, and adopted disused surface railway formations between Poplar and Stratford. The trains were fully automated, controlled by computer, and had no driver; a Passenger Service Agent (PSA) on each train, originally referred to as a "Train Captain", was responsible for patrolling
1001-459: A tunnel, which opened in 1991 at a cost of £295 million. This extension left Tower Gateway on a stub. The original trains were not suitable for underground usage due to not meeting the fire safety laws for underground trains. They were operated for a time on the above-ground sections only, and were later sold . As the Canary Wharf office complex grew, Canary Wharf DLR station
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#17328022153401092-516: A variety of central London destinations. However, it quickly became apparent that there was no capacity on the existing network for integrating the DLR into the Underground. Two southern terminus options were put forward, at Cubitt Town (today's Island Gardens station ) and Tiller Road, on the west side of Millwall Dock , with two possible routes to reach them. A "western" route would have run from
1183-486: Is currently being proposed. Normal operations are automated, so there is minimal staffing on the 149 trains (which have no driving cabs) and at major interchange stations; the four below-ground stations are staffed, to comply with health and safety regulations for underground stations. The DLR was the first major railway infrastructure project in Britain where access for disabled people was considered, with level access into
1274-572: Is held at ExCeL London on an annual basis, with the cycling and running legs taking place within and around the venue and the swim taking place in Royal Victoria Dock , adjacent to ExCeL. ExCeL will host the inaugural Ultimate Tennis Showdown grand final in December 2023, a series of exhibition matches held during the professional tennis off-season . The Formula E London ePrix was held with two back to back races at ExCel, in July 2021 with part of
1365-589: Is marked in early 20th century maps as the eastern half of Canning Town. The first Custom House in London was built in 1275 next to Old Billingsgate Market in the City of London several miles to the west. Royal Victoria Dock which was the economic hub of the settlement is today in recreational use but it dominated the industry and commerce of the area from its 1855 opening until the 1940s and closed in 1980 due to containerisation of freight. The Custom House Hotel (on
1456-612: Is served by two Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations, which span the full 600-metre length of the venue. The western entrance is directly linked to Custom House for ExCeL station, which serves the Platinum Suite and the event halls and is located next to the glass pyramid. Since 24 May 2022, the western entrance of ExCeL has been served by the Elizabeth line (known as the Crossrail project during construction), connecting
1547-639: Is the Church of England place of worship on Baxter Road since 1891. On Prince Regent Lane next to the public library is the Custom House Baptist Church. At different times in recent years, Royal Docks Academy has been used as a place of worship by various evangelical churches. Bus services are the 241 , 325 and 678 (school journeys only) running along Freemasons Road, and the 147 , 300 and 473 using Prince Regent Lane. Buses route 304 Buses route 474 The district's roads feed into
1638-566: The 241 , 325 and 678 (school journeys only). The Custom House Surgery is also located on this road. The Royal Docks Community School and the Shipman Youth Centre are both on Prince Regent Lane, in addition to local stores which serve the residents. Bus routes passing through Prince Regent Lane are the 147 , 300 and 473 . Custom House has one secondary school with academy status, and a number of primary schools: Secondary Schools Primary Schools Custom House has one of
1729-685: The British Empire and the royal docks were built, connecting to the River Thames in this district. Custom House took its name from the Custom House of the Royal Victoria Dock, opened in 1855. The demand for trade brought rapid population expansion, chiefly the families of dockworkers, warehousemen, carters (distributors), packaging and semi-skilled manufacturing hands, building and utilities workmen and workers in London's street and general distribution markets. About 1740
1820-571: The DSEI fair. In 2017 a number of arrests were made for obstructing the highway. Custom House, Newham Custom House is an area in the London Borough of Newham , in East London , England. The area is named after the custom house of Royal Victoria Dock . Today the dock is used for recreation but, in the past, it dominated the industry and commerce of the area from 1855 until
1911-854: The Emirates Air Line cable car now links ExCeL to The O 2 on the Greenwich Peninsula . ExCeL London is also located near London City Airport station, which is linked by the DLR and a number of dual-carriageway roads which also provide onward access to the office and commercial district of Canary Wharf . ExCeL London participates in the UN Global Compact Scheme, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative which invites companies to align with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. As part of this scheme, ExCeL hosts annual events to communicate on progress addressing
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#17328022153402002-473: The ExCeL exhibition centre , although this is not supported by any additional turnback infrastructure. Trains serve every station on the route, but trains from Bank to Lewisham do not call at West India Quay because they are routed along the diveunder track to avoid junction conflicts. When required, such as during engineering works or for special events, other routes may be operated, such as Beckton to Lewisham if
2093-626: The Greater London Council (GLC) put forward various plans to redevelop the Docklands area. The area was thought to have great potential for redevelopment, located close to the City of London with historic warehouses and large areas of water. In 1972, the London Docklands Study team commissioned Travis Morgan & Partners to propose redevelopment of the area. In 1973, they proposed, among other recommendations, that
2184-701: The Isle of Dogs , North Greenwich and Custom House to Woolwich Arsenal . This was intended to be the second stage of the Fleet line – which had been renamed the Jubilee line , the first stage of which opened in 1979 from Stanmore to Charing Cross . This would have cost around £325 million. However, when the Thatcher Government came to power, the plans to extend the Jubilee line were halted and
2275-526: The King George's Fields in memorial to King George V . The Canning Town recreational ground is located on Freemasons Road. Custom House was home to a football league club, Thames A.F.C , from 1930 to 1932, when the club was dissolved. Although there are no longer any football teams playing within Custom House, various teams in recent years with names containing 'Custom House' have played within close proximity. Custom House United (Est 2018) played at
2366-572: The London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which was closed in 1966 for lack of traffic. From the mid-1960s, the docks gradually closed down - leading to major job losses and economic deprivation. In the 1970s, the opening of new deep water Tilbury container docks located further east in Essex exacerbated the issue, with the Royal Docks closing in 1981. Throughout the 1970s, the government and
2457-506: The North London Line from Canning Town to Stratford, links the Docklands area with domestic high-speed services on High Speed 1 . It was an important part of transport improvements for the 2012 Olympic Games , much of which were held on a site adjoining Stratford International. The first contract for construction work was awarded on 10 January 2007 and construction started in mid-2007. Originally scheduled to open in mid-2010,
2548-652: The Olympics and Paralympics , and has since erected a "legacy wall" featuring the handprints of athletes who won Gold at the venue and the former Mayor of London Boris Johnson . In 2014 ExCeL hosted the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, chaired by American actress and UN Special Envoy Angelina Jolie and attended by 79 ministers from 123 country delegations. From 1 to 8 July 2019, 150 events took place as part of London Climate Action Week 2019. It
2639-533: The Westferry station alongside West Ferry Road via Cuba Street, then either terminating at Tiller Road or continuing over Millwall Docks Cut to a terminus at Cubitt Town. The "central" option required the West India Docks to be infilled or bridged and would run down the middle of the peninsula, through what was at the time an area of derelict warehouses. Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though
2730-795: The Will Thorne Pavilion on Stansfeld Road in Beckton . Custom House Community FC (Est 2013) played at the Terence McMillan Stadium in neighbouring Plaistow , just over the A13 from Custom House. Custom House FC (founded in 2011) play at their home ground of Lyle Park in Silvertown . Custom House was home to the West Ham Hammers speedway team at the 120,000 capacity West Ham Stadium . Many roads built on
2821-730: The World Travel Market , The Clothes Show London, Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEi) , The Dive Show, the Global Peace and Unity Event, the 2009 G-20 London Summit , IP Expo Europe and Summer in the City. In 2011 ExCeL London was awarded the Business Super brand, and welcomed its 20 million visitor on 18 June 2014. ExCeL has also been awarded 'Venue of the Year' on several occasions at various industry ceremonies. In 2012, ExCeL hosted several events for
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2912-425: The same name , and between Fenchurch Street and the DLR's western termini of Tower Gateway and Bank. Between Limehouse and Tower Gateway, the DLR runs parallel to the London, Tilbury and Southend line . [REDACTED] The following services are operated in normal off-peak service from 26 September 2022: At peak times, these same services run, but with the frequency increased by 25 per cent. Additionally, in
3003-478: The 18th and 19th century, new docks were built east of the City of London to cater for the rapidly growing city. The last of these docks opened in 1921 in the Royal Docks . From the early 1960s, the docks began to decline as cargo was containerised and mechanised. The older docks did not have space to expand, and could not handle larger vessels. The docks had been connected to the national railway network via
3094-575: The 1940s before closing in 1980. The main economic building of the area is the ExCeL London Exhibition Centre and the district is connected to the City of London by the Docklands Light Railway and the Elizabeth line . Offices, factories and storage premises close to the DLR route provide most of the area's employment land. Schools, a college, a care home, council offices and a parade of shops also support
3185-526: The 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The northern terminus was proposed at Mile End , with options including street running down Burdett Road towards Limehouse or along the Mile End Road to turn south before using an old railway alignment to reach Poplar. A final report – prepared by
3276-453: The Bank and Tower Gateway branch is closed. The new rolling stock to be introduced from 2024 onwards will support service improvements. Most stations are elevated , with others at street level, in cutting or underground. Access to the platforms is mostly by staircase and lift, with escalators at some stations. From the outset the system has been fully accessible to wheelchairs; much attention
3367-548: The Environment and Transport agreed to provide £77 million towards construction of the extension, with a deadline of 1987. The funding agreement also included conditions to maximise the use of modern technology, and that no ongoing subsidy would be available from government. Initially, the system was planned to be manually operated and having some stretches of street running. During the Parliamentary process,
3458-623: The ExCeL was announced as a temporary NHS hospital, containing 5000 beds and named NHS Nightingale , to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic . This alternate care site was planned to shut down in early May 2020, but was also used as a mass vaccination centre as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme from 11 January 2021. ExCeL London has hosted the following events: In 2017 and 2019 there were demonstrations outside ExCel to protest against
3549-612: The GLC, LDDC, government departments and London Transport – was published in June 1982, proposing a north–south route from Mile End to the Isle of Dogs, and an east–west route linking the Isle of Dogs to the City of London. Even during the development of the line, proposals for future extensions were being envisaged and investigated. Following the publishing of the report, the Departments of
3640-501: The Jubilee line to the area was now estimated to be around £450 million. The core of the route ran alongside the Great Eastern line out of London and south along the former London & Blackwall Railway line through the Isle of Dogs. Three terminus options were proposed at the west end, at Tower Hill, Minories and Aldgate East . The Tower Hill option would have required a low-level interchange to be constructed alongside
3731-577: The London radial route the A11 to the north. In the east of the district a single carriageway, the A112 , links Stratford via West Ham to the north to the Excel Exhibition Centre by Custom House railway station where it terminates in the south. The Cockney Rejects Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway ( DLR ) is an automated light metro system primarily serving
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3822-466: The North Kent main line, close to the stop on the Elizabeth line to Abbey Wood via West India and Royal Docks, met by Private Finance Initiative funding. Construction began in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised, and the tunnels were completed on 23 July 2007, and formally opened by Boris Johnson , Mayor of London on 12 January 2009. Following completion, the project
3913-627: The UN Global Compact report and on their website. Currently ExCeL invests in the local community of Newham by supporting select charities, chiefly Newham All Star Sports Academy (NASSA) and Community Food Enterprise (CFE). ExCeL also provides space free of charge to local schools and sports teams, in addition to hosting an annual event called 'ExCeL in the Arts' for local children to attend. In 2016, ExCeL welcomed London celebrity chef, musician and entrepreneur Levi Roots , who in collaboration with
4004-427: The area. A light railway system was envisaged, terminating either at Tower Hill tube station or at nearby Fenchurch Street, but both options were seen as too expensive. Nonetheless, in 1976 another report proposed a conventional tube railway for the area and London Transport obtained Parliamentary powers to build a line from Charing Cross station to Fenchurch Street, Surrey Docks (now Surrey Quays railway station ),
4095-418: The boundaries of the ancient parish being in limited height of homes then affordable to most people. Unlike in the various wealthy streets of other London districts almost the whole population of this part of what was Canning Town consisted of low-paid workers who lived in cheap, unadorned brick and mortar low rise terraces . There was a chronic shortage of open land which only became available once again when
4186-423: The circuit running around the arena and part of the circuit in the exhibition hall itself. It was also due to be held in 2020, however the event was cancelled after the ExCeL was repurposed as a temporary NHS hospital named NHS Nightingale , to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic . It held the final 2 rounds of the 2022-23 Formula E World Championship , after holding the penultimate round in 2022. On 24 March 2020,
4277-533: The corner of Freemasons Road), was opened in 2001 to service visitors to the ExCeL centre in the district. With a large park , Newham City Farm, a King George V Park , vegetable allotments and arguably the north side of Royal Albert Dock , approximately half of Custom House's land use is for housing. The two main roads which serve Custom House are Freemasons Road near the Custom House DLR station and Prince Regent Lane. Buses serving Freemasons Road are
4368-565: The cost of sound mid-rise and high-rise buildings became lower. High rise was first adopted in the country as social housing , attaching a stigma to tower blocks , many of which have since been demolished, including the few in this district of what was West Ham or Canning Town. A slight population decline to 1931 paled into insignificance by the devastation wrought on this area in World War II , when bombing destroyed in many cases entire streets and forced large-scale evacuation. The area
4459-470: The eastern part of Canning Town , also a part of West Ham; however this link has tended to be downplayed since the Victorian period due to Canning Town’s poor, industrial character. Historically, the area was in the extreme west of Essex and, along with Canning Town and Silvertown , formed the south of the parish of West Ham , a largely rural parish until the early 19th century. Trade expanded in
4550-534: The existing Underground station, but this would have been a very costly venture. The Minories option, a high-level station virtually on the site of the old Minories railway station , was selected and became the current Tower Gateway DLR terminus. Aldgate East would have been perhaps the most ambitious of all of the options, as it originally envisaged a low-level connection with the District line that would have allowed DLR trains to run on London Underground tracks to
4641-465: The former location as nearby curves precluded lengthening. Mudchute now has a third platform. For this upgrade DLR purchased an additional 31 cars compatible with existing rolling stock. The works were originally planned as three phases: Bank-Lewisham, Poplar-Stratford, and the Beckton branch. The original £200 million contract was awarded on 3 May 2007. Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham
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#17328022153404732-513: The issues of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption. Since joining the scheme in August 2007, ExCeL has undertaken a series of initiatives to reduce energy usage, increase recycling efforts and increase transparency across the business, such as the introduction of a whistleblowing hotline in May 2015. ExCeL publishes details of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts publicly in
4823-453: The line opened on 31 August 2011. On 11 November 2015 the Mayor of London announced that all stations on this line would be rezoned from zone 3 to zone 2/3. New stations were Canning Town , Star Lane , West Ham , Abbey Road , Stratford High Street and Stratford International . Of these, Canning Town, West Ham and Stratford are former North London Line stations, and Stratford High Street
4914-580: The line to be built were passed in 1984 and 1985. Construction of the system began shortly after in 1985, with the joint venture careful to minimise costs in light of the £77 million budget. Two thirds of the route was built on underused or disused railway infrastructure, and station architecture used a kit-of-parts approach to save money. The railway was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 July 1987, and passenger services began on 31 August. The initial system comprised two routes, from Tower Gateway and Stratford to Island Gardens , with
5005-559: The local economy, which has parks to north and south-east. It was originally part of the ancient parish and County Borough of West Ham , in the hundred of Becontree , a part of the historic county of Essex . Since 1965 , Custom House has been part of the London Borough of Newham, a local government district of Greater London. It forms part of the London E16 postcode district. Custom House has often been regarded as
5096-529: The longer trains when required. In addition to the three-car station extensions, partly funded from the 2012 Olympics budget, a line was opened from Canning Town to Stratford and Stratford International railway station along the former North London Line of the national railway system, with additional stations. It parallels the London Underground Jubilee line for much of its length. The extension to Stratford International , taking over
5187-453: The main-line platforms at Lewisham railway station, with buses stopping outside the station. The extension quickly proved profitable. An extension to London City Airport from the existing Beckton branch was explored in the mid-90s, at first via travelator from Royal Albert , and then in 1998 via a proposed lift-bridge over the dock with an intermediate station at West Silvertown. The government initially supported this proposal, and in 1999
5278-488: The morning peak, alternate Stratford – Canary Wharf services extend to Lewisham. At terminal stations, trains reverse direction in the platforms, except at Bank where there is a reversing headshunt in the tunnel beyond the station. During service disruption or planned engineering work, trains can also turn back at Crossharbour and Mudchute . There is also capability for an additional shuttle from Canning Town to Prince Regent when exhibitions are in progress at
5369-402: The nearby Tower Hill tube station or Fenchurch Street railway station . The criticism arose partly because the system usage was higher than expected. Plans were developed, before the system opened, to extend it to Bank in the west and Beckton in the east. Stations and trains were extended to two-unit length, and the system was expanded into the heart of the City of London to Bank through
5460-528: The new government insisted that a lower-cost option should be pursued. In July 1981, the government established the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) to coordinate the redevelopment of the Docklands. The need to provide a cheap public transport solution led to it commissioning London Transport to evaluate a number of exclusively light rail options, using trams or tram like vehicles. The cost of extending
5551-539: The north side of the Royal Docks complex was chosen, and opened in March 1994 at a cost of £280 million. Initially it was thought the line was likely to be underutilised, due to the sparse development in the area and for this reason two additional stations at Thames Wharf (not to be confused with the later Thames Wharf proposal on the Woolwich branch) and Connaught were omitted. As part of this extension, one side of
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#17328022153405642-514: The north, Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal in the east, and Central London in the west, splitting to Bank and Tower Gateway . The northern, southern and south-eastern branches terminate at the National Rail stations at Stratford, Stratford International, Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal. Other interchanges with National Rail are at Limehouse , Greenwich and West Ham , while out-of-station interchanges for Oyster card holders are available between Shadwell DLR station and Windrush line 's station of
5733-417: The northern end of the station. The old platforms (formerly 1 and 2) adjacent to the Jubilee line were rebuilt for the DLR, renumbered 16 (towards Stratford International) and 17 (towards Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal). Interchange between the Stratford International branch and DLR trains via Poplar is possible although the platforms are widely separated and at different levels. There is no physical connection between
5824-434: The northern terminus of the line was changed to Stratford , as part of efforts to segregate the line from road and other railway traffic, as the LDDC were pushing for the line to use a "high tech automated system". In 1984, the contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture, which proposed fully automated operation using light rail vehicles . The two Acts of Parliament that authorised
5915-424: The number of householders was estimated at 570. In the first national census of 1801 the population of West Ham was 6,485. It rose steadily to 12,738 in 1841 and then began a growth, which was especially rapid between 1871 and 1901, when over 204,000 were added. By 1911, with 289,030 inhabitants, West Ham was seventh in size among English county boroughs , a status newly acquired. The new population were crowded within
6006-441: The original flat triangular junction was replaced by a grade-separated junction west of Poplar. Poplar was rebuilt to give cross-platform interchange between the Stratford and Beckton lines, with a new grade-separated junction built east of the station at the divergence of the Stratford and Beckton lines. As part of the extension, a new, larger, depot was built at Beckton . Early on, Lewisham London Borough Council commissioned
6097-409: The original, distinctive rounded roof design. Stations are unstaffed, except the underground stations at Bank , Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal for safety reasons, a few of the busier interchange stations, Canning Town , West Ham , and City Airport, which has a ticket office for passengers unfamiliar with the system. Canning Town, Custom House and Prince Regent are normally staffed on
6188-495: The property with 85 accessible spaces. ExCeL London has hosted numerous consumer and trade, private and public events, including exhibitions, conferences, concerts, weddings and religious events. Among these have been WorldSkills London 2011 , the London Boat Show , the British International Motor Show , Grand Designs Live, the Carole Nash MCN Motorcycle Show, MCM London Comic Con , the London International Music Show, Star Wars Celebration Europe, London Marathon registration,
6279-528: The redeveloped Docklands area of London and providing a direct connection between London's two major financial districts, Canary Wharf and the City of London . First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, giving a total route length of 38 km (24 miles). Lines now reach north to Stratford , south to Lewisham , west to Tower Gateway and Bank in the City of London financial district, and east to Beckton , London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal . An extension to Thamesmead
6370-415: The second between Amir Khan and Daniel Thorpe . ExCeL also hosted the boxing match on 22 April 2008 between Amir Khan and Gairy St. Clair for the World Boxing Organization intercontinental lightweight title, and the boxing match on 29 November 2014 between Derek Chisora and Tyson Fury in a World Boxing Organization heavyweight championship eliminator. The Virgin Active London Triathlon
6461-458: The stadium site following its demolition are named after the stars of the team - including Aub Lawson , Jack Young and promoter Johnnie Hoskins . In Custom House there are three purpose built Christian churches representing the Anglican , Baptist and Catholic denominations. On Berwick Road is the church of St Anne, which today is part a two church Catholic parish known as the Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham (POLOW). The Ascension Church
6552-548: The system, between Bow Church and Stratford . The opportunity was taken to double the track in three stages, to improve capacity. There was originally no provision for works beyond the realigned section in the Crossrail Act . The DLR has 38 km (24 miles) of tracks, with 45 stations. The three lines shown on the TfL DLR map have six branches: to Lewisham in the south, Stratford and Stratford International in
6643-475: The three-car upgrade work and the 'diveunder' (sometimes referred to as a flyunder but DLR have coined the term in this instance 'diveunder'), and the improved timetable came into use on 24 August 2009. With the development of the eastern Docklands as part of the Thames Gateway initiative and London's staging of the 2012 Summer Olympics , several extensions and enhancements were undertaken. Capacity
6734-417: The train from platforms and lifts at all stations. The DLR is operated and maintained by franchisee KeolisAmey Docklands (a joint venture of transport company Keolis and infrastructure support provider Amey ) for Transport for London (TfL). Passenger numbers have increased as the network has expanded since its launch. In the financial year 2023/24, there were 98.9 million passenger journeys. In
6825-419: The train from platforms, catering for disabled people, people with small children and elderly people. The initial system had a relatively low capacity, but the Docklands area very quickly developed into a major financial centre and employment zone, increasing traffic. In particular Tower Gateway, at the edge of the City of London, attracted criticism for its poor connections, as it did not connect directly with
6916-508: The train, checking tickets, making announcements and controlling the doors. PSAs could take control of the train in circumstances including equipment failure and emergencies. A total of eleven units supplied by Linke-Hofmann-Busch comprised the first generation of the Docklands Light Railway rolling stock . The system was lightweight, with stations designed for trains of only a single articulated vehicle. The three branches totalled 13 km (8.1 miles), had 15 stations, and were connected by
7007-458: The two branches. One of the tunnel portals for Elizabeth line is on the original site of Pudding Mill Lane station . As a consequence, work was carried out to divert the DLR between City Mill River and the River Lea onto a new viaduct further south. This included a replacement station, which opened on 28 April 2014. The former station stood on the only significant section of single track on
7098-576: The venue to central London in 12 minutes. The eastern entrance is connected to Prince Regent station. The eastern entrance serves the International Convention Centre (ICC at ExCeL), which was opened in 2010 by then-Mayor Boris Johnson and is London's first and currently only ICC. During major shows with large visitor attendances, extra shuttle trains are run between the venue and Canning Town station , which connects with London Underground 's Jubilee line . Since June 2012,
7189-558: The western entrance of the venue overlooking Royal Victoria Dock. The Royal Victoria was closed to commercial traffic in 1981, but it is still accessible to shipping. The Centre's waterfront location allows visiting vessels to moor alongside the Centre. An example of this is HMS Sutherland visiting the 2005 London Boat Show . The design of the exhibition building consists of two column-free, rectangular, sub-divisible halls of approximately 479,493 sq. ft. (44,546 sq. m.), on either side of
7280-468: Was acquired by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company . Phase II of development, which included building London's first International Convention Centre (ICC) and creating an "eastern arrival experience", was completed on 1 May 2010. Phase 3 is expected to be completed in October 2024. In 2015, CentrEd at ExCeL was opened, which expanded the centre's facilities to incorporate training and meeting space near
7371-528: Was aided by a five-year programme of investment for public transport across London that was unveiled by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on 12 October 2004. On 2 December 2005, an eastward branch along the approximate route of the former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway on the southern side of the Royal Docks complex opened from Canning Town to King George V via London City Airport . A further extension from King George V to Woolwich Arsenal opened on 10 January 2009, providing interchange with
7462-489: Was announced on 24 March 2020 that the Centre was to be temporarily converted into the 4,000-bed NHS Nightingale Hospital as part of the response to the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic . Military engineers and contractors supported the erection of the facility, and army medics assisted the NHS nurses, doctors and other staff. The Nightingale was opened on 3 April 2020 by Charles, Prince of Wales via video link. ExCeL London
7553-537: Was built on the site of Stratford Market railway station. From Canning Town to Stratford the extension runs parallel to the Jubilee line of the London Underground . As well as providing interchange with the adjacent Jubilee line stations, there are additional DLR stations at Star Lane, Abbey Road and Stratford High Street. At Stratford new platforms were built for the North London Line at
7644-472: Was developed to the route known today with a further extension to King George V. At this time, the further route to Woolwich Arsenal was developed with an intermediate station at Woolwich Reach, but was viewed as a longer-term aspiration. The Woolwich Reach station (on the south bank of the Thames, at the site of the Marlborough Road ventilation and escape shaft), was descoped in 2000. The extension
7735-434: Was increased by upgrading for trains with three cars, each with four doors per side. The alternative of more frequent trains was rejected as the signalling changes needed would have cost no less than upgrading to longer trains and with fewer benefits. The railway had been built for single-car operation, and the upgrade required both strengthening viaducts to take heavier trains and lengthening many platforms. The extra capacity
7826-529: Was necessary at the Delta Junction north of West India Quay . It was decided to include this in a plan for further grade separation to eliminate the conflict between services to Stratford and from Bank. A new timetable was introduced, with improved frequencies at peak hours. The new grade-separated route from Bank to Canary Wharf is used throughout the day, bypassing West India Quay station until mid-evening. Work on this project proceeded concurrently with
7917-415: Was originally due to be completed in 2009. However, the work programme for the first two phases was merged and the infrastructure work was completed by the end of January 2010. The Lewisham-Bank route now runs three-car trains exclusively. They started running on the Beckton branch on 9 May 2011. Stratford to Lewisham and Bank to Woolwich Arsenal services sometimes operate as three-car trains; other routes run
8008-412: Was paid to quick and effective accessibility for all passengers. The station platforms match the floor height of the cars, giving level access for passengers with wheelchairs or pushchairs. Most stations are of a modular design dating back to the initial system, extended and improved with two side platforms, each with separate access from the street, and platform canopies, although few examples remain of
8099-408: Was redeveloped from a small wayside station to a large one with six platforms serving three tracks and a large overall roof, fully integrated into the malls below the office towers. The east of Docklands needed better transport connections to encourage development, and a fourth branch, towards Beckton , was planned, with several route options available. A route from Poplar via Canning Town and
8190-465: Was shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. The original Tower Gateway station was closed in mid-2008 for complete reconstruction. The two terminal tracks either side of a narrow island platform were replaced by a single track between two platforms, one for arriving passengers and the other for departing ( Spanish solution ). It reopened on 2 March 2009. As part of an upgrade to allow three-car trains, strengthening work
8281-402: Was useful for the 2012 Summer Olympics , which increased the use of London's transport network. The main contractor for the expansion and alteration works was Taylor Woodrow . Elverson Road, Royal Albert, Gallions Reach and Cutty Sark have not been extended for three-car trains; such extension may be impossible in some cases. Selective door operation is used, with emergency walkways in case
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