Stephen Osborn wrote:
Robin May wrote:

Stephen worheedatworheeddotf9dotcodotuk wrote the following in:
newspslyf6xh3wn44ge@stephen

On this subject I've read that all the
stations on the Lewisham extension were built so they could
either handle or be easily extended to handle 3 car trains. I
can't see how at Cutty Sark. It's only big enough for 2 car
trains and as is it's a deep level tunnel it is going to be quite
difficult to extend isn't it?



Are you sure it's not big enough? Last time I was there I think I had
a look and I seem to remember thinking that it probably was big enough
for three car trains.


Whilst waiting for a DLR at Lewisham several months ago, I read a poster
that said that they planned to extend the service on that section to
three cars. It said that some stations would have to be extended to
cope with this but that one of the stations (South Quay IIRC) could not
be extended in situ and so would have to be relocated, albeit only
100-200 yds.

The thing that immediately struck me as odd was that, for a two car
service, some of the stations had been built unable to cope with
anything longer.

What struck me as even more odd was that, this lack of forethought
having already (5years) caused a problem, the new South Quay was only
going to be long enough to cater for three car trains.

Cutty Sark isn't long enough for three cars. Selective door opening will
be used to get around the problem at that particular station.
Lengthening platforms here would be very expensive (£30m), requiring
closure of the railway during construction and potentially needs some
buildings to be demolished at the surface, in a conservation area - so
it's a no-no.

It's relatively easy to extend all the other platforms on the Lewisham
extension.

Four-car trains were considered as part of the planning process but were
rejected at this stage as the infrastructure works would be
prohibitively disruptive. A light railway just isn't designed for the
sort of passenger numbers the DLR is now expected to deal with, and I
think these 3-car works are designed to plug the gap; the Woolwich
extension will make things worse, but hopefully the Jubilee signalling
upgrade and car addition will mitigate matters. Crossrail is needed.

--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London