79-603: Thames Wharf is a planned Docklands Light Railway station in the Royal Docks , East London . The station name was previously proposed for another station in the area. In 1994, the proposed location was between Canning Town and Royal Victoria , adjacent to the Limmo Peninsula . Given construction of flying junctions for access to the Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal branches of
158-571: A lock to a main dock with three side branches named East, Central and West Branch docks. Between the tidal basin and Main Dock were two dry docks . The original docks of London, all built close to the City , were opened in stages by what was to become the East and West India Docks Company (E&WIDC) at the beginning of the 19th century. With the coming of the railways and increasing ship size, proximity to
237-691: 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 ), 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
316-523: 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
395-457: 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
474-576: 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
553-527: 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
632-583: A low-level connection with the District line that would have allowed DLR trains to run on London Underground tracks to 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
711-407: A low-level interchange to be constructed alongside 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
790-596: A new life. At the end of the second world war Displaced People (DP's) from the Baltic Countries who were in camps in Germany began to arrive. The first of these came to Tilbury in 1946. These were over 1000 Baltic women who were recruited under a British government scheme named 'Balt Cygnets' .These women would work in hospitals and TB sanatoria. The ship on which they travelled-the Empire Halladale
869-524: A new £30 million container port which opened in 1967. Labour issues prevented full service from starting until April 1970, although United States Lines reached an agreement with the union to begin service in 1968. Near the Dockmaster's office, on New Lock, is a memorial to Captain Peter de Neumann, GM , who was killed there in an accident on 16 September 1972. In 1978, a deep water riverside berth
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#1732790953376948-659: A number of exclusively light rail options, using trams or tram like vehicles. The cost of extending 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
1027-599: 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
1106-454: 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
1185-459: 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
1264-552: A while the East & West India Company continued construction with their own workers until the firm of Lucas and Aird was engaged to complete the work. The first vessel entered the docks on 17 April 1886. This was the Glenfruin carrying the official party for the opening ceremony. The opening of the dock took place at the beginning of the steamship era, and its location soon proved to be advantageous. In 1909 Tilbury, along with
1343-475: 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 the train from platforms and lifts at all stations. The DLR
1422-411: 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 the 18th and 19th century, new docks were built east of
1501-468: 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 the London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which
1580-507: 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 is currently being proposed. Normal operations are automated, so there
1659-473: 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
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#17327909533761738-563: 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,
1817-505: The Royal Docks . Funding for the station was put on hold in June 2021. This London railway station–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway ( DLR ) is an automated light metro system primarily serving the redeveloped Docklands area of London and providing a direct connection between London's two major financial districts, Canary Wharf and
1896-588: The Thatcher Government came to power, the plans to extend the Jubilee line were halted and 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
1975-425: 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
2054-509: The 1960s, at the time when the upstream docks were closing, the PLA further extended the Tilbury dock facilities. Between 1963 and 1966 a huge fourth branch dock, running north from Main Dock for nearly 1 mile (1.6 km), was constructed. The tidal basin was closed and eventually filled in. In 1969 a £6 million riverside grain terminal on Northfleet Hope was brought into use. The PLA funded
2133-502: The 67% ownership of Tilbury Container Services Ltd ("TCS") not already owned by Forth Ports in a cash transaction. Forth Ports had been a one third shareholder in TCS since 1998 along with partners DP World and AB Ports. TCS is located within the Port of Tilbury, which is wholly owned by Forth Ports. In October 2019, 39 people were found dead in a truck at nearby Grays . The truck was moved to
2212-453: 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
2291-471: The DLR, construction of this station is no longer possible. As part of the construction of the London City Airport extension in the mid 2000s, a gap in the viaduct due west of the western end of Royal Victoria Dock , between Canning Town and West Silvertown stations - was passively safeguarded for a future station. Development is restricted by safeguarding for a future river crossing, and
2370-542: 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 a "minitram" people-mover system capable of carrying up to 20 people in each unit should be constructed to connect
2449-570: 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 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
Thames Wharf DLR station - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-583: The Mile End Road to turn south before using an old railway alignment to reach Poplar. A final report – prepared by 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
2607-522: 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
2686-575: The Parliamentary process, 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
2765-521: The Port of Tilbury the next day, so that more investigations could be undertaken. After that, the bodies were moved to Broomfield Hospital . Port of Tilbury recently announced a joint development with Tarmac , a partnership which will see the UK's largest construction materials aggregates terminal (CMAT) built on a 152-acre site. The joint development of the CMAT is expected to see most operations established by
2844-763: The Sea , which provides practical and pastoral support to seafarers, has a port chaplain based at the port. The Docks were used as the setting of John Wayne 's smuggler-busting operation in Brannigan (1975). The Docks stood in for Venetian waterways during the boat-chase scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). A scene from the Jude Law film Alfie (2004) was filmed there; as were scenes from Batman Begins (2005). In Paddington (2014),
2923-525: The area is surrounded by brownfield and industrial sites. In the 2010s, a new Thames river crossing was announced - the Silvertown Tunnel . Following the completion of the tunnel in 2025, around 5,000 homes will be built on the site, and a new DLR station would be constructed. As part of the 2018 budget , the Chancellor announced funding for the DLR to support this and other development in
3002-649: The centre of London became less important than access to deep water, unrestricted sites and reduction in time spent travelling up the winding Thames. The company had long been in competition with its rival, the London and St Katherine Dock Company (L&StKDC). The opening of the Royal Albert Dock by the L&;StKDC, with its deepwater quayage, in 1880 had given access to the Thames at Gallions Reach, 11 miles (18 km) by river below London Bridge and downstream of
3081-592: The end of 2020. One of the shipping lines using the docks was the P&;O . Tilbury became the only port in the PLA to serve ocean liners, when, in 1916, it opened berths specifically for the P&;O within the dock complex. With the need for expanded facilities, a large new passenger landing stage was constructed in the Thames jointly by the PLA and the London Midland and Scottish Railway , with rail connections. It
3160-465: 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
3239-410: The importation of cars. It forms part of the wider Port of London . The Port of Tilbury lies on the north shore of the River Thames , 25 miles (40 km) downstream of London Bridge, at a point where the river makes a loop southwards, and where its width narrows to 800 yards (730 m). The loop is part of the Thames lower reaches: within the meander was a huge area of marshland . Gravesend on
Thames Wharf DLR station - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-453: 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
3397-580: 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
3476-529: 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
3555-453: 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
3634-488: 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
3713-402: 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
3792-599: 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
3871-577: 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
3950-417: 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
4029-477: The opposite shore had long been a port of entry for shipping, all of which had used the river itself for loading and unloading of cargo and passengers. There was also a naval dockyard at Northfleet at the mouth of the Ebbsfleet River . The new deepwater docks were an extension of all that maritime activity. The original docks consisted of a tidal basin on Gravesend Reach opposite Northfleet , connected by
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#17327909533764108-498: 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
4187-409: 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
4266-572: The platform whenever there is a significant exhibition at the ExCeL exhibition centre. Port of Tilbury The Port of Tilbury is a port located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex , England . It serves as the principal port for London , as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for containers , grain , and other bulk cargoes. There are also facilities for
4345-567: The publishing of the report, the Departments of 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
4424-520: The subsequent years and is now called the "London International Cruise Terminal". The old station building (no longer served by a railway connection) has been refurbished to house a new luggage retrieval hall. The Port of Tilbury Police , among the oldest of such forces in the UK, are responsible for the security of the Port. The port is also a base of operations of Thurrock Sea Cadets , who operate out of TS Iveston (a Coniston class former minesweeper ). Seafarers welfare charity, Apostleship of
4503-548: 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
4582-402: The then principal London docks. The E&WIDC were forced to retaliate. In July 1882, an Act of Parliament allowed the latter to construct the docks at Tilbury. The construction encountered difficulties when the contractors, Kirk & Randell unexpectedly encountered blue clay and claimed extra costs. The company had them ejected from the site in 1884, triggering expensive legal action. For
4661-475: 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
4740-419: 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
4819-583: 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
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#17327909533764898-458: 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
4977-468: The upstream docks, became part of the newly established Port of London Authority (PLA). In 1921, and again in 1929, the PLA carried out major improvements. These included a new lock 1,000 feet (300 m) long and 110 ft (34 m) wide, linking the docks directly to the Thames to the west at Northfleet Hope, and a third dry dock, 752 feet (229 m) long and 110 feet (34 m) wide. These works were carried out by Sir Robert McAlpine . During
5056-547: The west side of Millwall Dock , with two possible routes to reach them. A "western" route would have run from 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
5135-528: 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
5214-442: Was at the time an area of derelict warehouses. Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though 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
5293-537: 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
5372-504: 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 the Greater London Council (GLC) put forward various plans to redevelop
5451-472: 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
5530-434: 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
5609-529: 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
5688-655: Was opened for large container ships on reclaimed land at Northfleet Hope. In 1992 the port was privatised and became part of the Forth Ports organisation, the PLA retaining the role of managing the tidal Thames. Rolf Harris visited the Docks in 2004 during a TV episode of Rolf on Art , when he recreated J. M. W. Turner 's famous painting The Fighting Temeraire . On 25 January 2012 Otter Ports Holdings Ltd, owner of Forth Ports, acquired from DP World Limited (" DP World ") and Associated British Ports Ltd ("AB Ports")
5767-582: Was opened in May 1930 by Ramsay MacDonald . Tilbury operated as London's passenger liner passenger terminal until the 1960s. For many people Tilbury was their point of emigration to Australia under an assisted passage scheme established and operated by the Australian Government. The ' Ten Pound Poms ' as they were known in Australia, embarked on to ships such as RMS Mooltan and set off for
5846-415: 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
5925-412: 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
6004-408: 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
6083-465: 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
6162-700: Was used to transport British Military families from Tilbury in 1946 under Operation Union to Germany. They would join serving soldiers of the British Army of the Rhine. Tilbury was also a port of entry for many immigrants; among them being a large group of West Indians on HMT Empire Windrush in 1948. The passenger landing stage was reopened by the Port of Tilbury group, as the London Cruise Terminal in 1995. The historic passenger terminal building has been rebuilt and refurbished over
6241-402: 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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