While out and about on the DLR today, I couldn't help but notice the
unusual service routings chosen by the operating staff as a result of
the Bank/Tower Gateway - Canary Wharf closure.

The primary routings were Lewisham - Stratford, Lewisham - King George
V, and Canning Town - Beckton. The strange thing though is that the KGV
trains were running between 1/4 and 1/3 full, while the Beckton trains
were absolutely rammed. Seeing a bunch of people in costumes made me
think that something was going on at ExCeL. If so, then why were the
Beckton trains reversing at Canning Town?

Surely it would have been more sensible to run Lewisham - Beckton and
Canning Town - KGV, so that the crowds at Custom House don't have to
pile on to the Jubilee Line or wait for the KGV services to run in.

Also, for the track bashers, the Beckton trains are switching from the
up line to the down line via the centre reversing siding at Canning
Town, while the trains from Lewisham to KGV are running into the inner
up platforms at West India Quay and Poplar and then using the facing
crossover from the inner down line to the outer down line beyond the up
island at Poplar to switch to the flyover. Trains from KGV are using
another facing crossover to switch from the outer up line to the inner
up line to call at the inner up platform at Poplar. Are the Poplar
crossovers considered 'rare' like the Canning Town siding?