On Sep 3, 9:54*am, Robin9 wrote:
;122558 Wrote:











So finally after however many years it is and hundreds of millions spent
-
TA DA! We now have a light railway running on exactly the same route
as
a heavy railway ran on. Well that was money well spent.

Not exactly. You're forgetting the Stratford International
bit.[/i][/color]

I doubt it would have been beyond the wit of man to realign or branch
off
the original straford line to serve there. Even when the NLL served
these
stations they were allegedly poorly used. Who the hell is going to use
them
now when the service stops at stratford int? People going into london
will
just change at canning town or go all the way to Bank.

B2003

I share your scepticism about the viability of this project and your
alarm at the inordinate cost but I'm more optimistic than you.

The service between Stratford and North Woolwich was very lightly
patronised in the old days but demographics and transport possibilites
have changed in recent years. I think some people will travel to
Stratford for the new shopping centre or to change to either the Central
Line or London Overground. Whether enough do so to justify the cost is
another matter.

--
Robin9[/i][/color]

When I travelled on this some days ago it seemed to duplicate the
route of the Jubillee Line - so I'm not sure why everyone is lauding
the extra benefits. Both lines run parallel from Stratford to Canning
Town and serve the same communities.

At Canning Town the interchange between all is confusing and its seems
that the new DLR line has been added on as an after-thought - as
indeed it has. When the Olympic crowds start using it Canning Town is
going to be a mass of humanity all trying to negotiate conflicting
paths because everyone will need to change there. I mean Beckton or
Woolwich would have very limited attractions for Olympic tourists!!.

The real strength of the new DLR line is that it goes to Stratford
International - maybe. But then the line does not serve the City being
a mere shuttle between Woolwich or Beckton. Both places hardly of
interest to tourists compared to the centre of London which the
Jubille Line eventually gets to (if it hasn't been disrupted - an
everyday occurrence it seems).

Whatever - all passengers from Stratford International will need to
change at Canning Town to get to/from anywhere meaningful.

Then there is the new DLR station at Stratford International. There
are no 'touch out' machines there (that I could find). There are no
gates. No staff appear to be on duty. Its in the middle of a building
site, with heaps of rubble everywhere blowing dust, there's nothing
there, no shops - except for the concrete monstrosity of Stratford
International train station. But that's a misnomer with Eurostar
refusing to stop there.

All in all my impression of the new DLR line is that it may serve a
few extra localities ignored by the Jubillee Line but it is a service
in dire search of a market.

But I expect the contractors made a fortune in building it though.So
that's all right.

CJB.