DLR and Overground Extensions to Thamesmead

[telstarbox]

I'd be a bit wary there. Sure, Beckton isn't too far to walk to Cyprus. However, people who use Beckton presumably do so because that's the most convenient station overall - so they would be inconvenienced to at least some extent by closing the station.

Getting the DLR at Beckton instead of Cyprus does imply some journey time penalty as the trains travel around the loop. From that we could surmise that most people who live South of Beckton station and so are less than 9 minutes walk from Cyprus would probably already be more inclined to use Cyprus to get the shorter journeys. That would suggest that most people who use Beckton probably live North of the station, and so are not within reasonable walking distance of Cyprus.

There will also be people arriving by bus and swapping to the DLR. I'm less sure how those would be affected, but having a quick look at the TfL bus maps, it looks like most buses that serve Beckton do also serve either Cyprus or Gallions Reach. But obviously over 2 million people nontheless prefer to use Beckton. East Ham seems a bit far away to be a realistic alternative.

Can I refer 4-SUB to the PTAL map produced by TfL. There are residential areas to the north and east of Beckton station which already have poor accessibility. Remove the service at Beckton and you'll make things worse for these areas. Note that rail services score higher for PTAL than bus services due to their inherent reliability and perception among passengers.

 

[Clip]

The reality is 54 double deckers per day, where we assume that say 27 double deckers are purely between 0600 and 0900, is not a lot

It isnt but it is 27 buses off the roads and if you asked people to walk to cyprus then most would probably change back onto the buses or drive - never a good idea environmentally

 

[Ethano92]

Might have been better to use the gas works railway alignment which diverged off the line actually used near Prince Regent and arrived at Beckton facing east? Although that would have served (but disrupted) existing housing rather than new development opportunities at the dockside.

They might even get away with diverging after royal albert and rather than lowering down into Beckton park, it remains on a viaduct until it's along the old gas works alignment.

Those for Beckton park, which is the least used DLR stop I believe, wouldn't be too inconvenienced because the line wouldn't be all too far from the current station and actually be nearer to more houses. Of course the area South of the current Beckton park station is being developed which may cause more opposition.

Additionally, south of Cyprus station you have the University of East London which may again cause opposition.

Beckton would be served the same and perhaps even easier interchange with the bus station would be able to be achieved by the station being on the nearer side of the main road (Woolwich manor way).

A new Gallions reach station could be built nearer to the depot just before the new line would branch off the current line which may even be more convenient/nearer houses however again, new development is right by the current station.

This would allow the line to take the alignment of the route that calls at Thamesmead West. Surely a minute or two would also be cut off journey times to Beckton which isn't significant but may allow the extension to go that one station further before journey times would be more than say 45-50minutes and probably discourage people from not just going to Abbey wood for crossrail but the line should interchange there anyway

 

[ijmad]

In Crayonista world:

(1) Divert the existing line after Gallions Reach north along whatever alignment is required to Barking. These trains no-longer serve Beckton.

(2) Take a new branch at Prince Regent along the old Beckton Gas Works route. Put it on a viaduct to avoid cutting the park in half, to keep roads open and to lessen the noise for people living alongside. A new Beckton station gets built in roughly the same location but on the viaduct. This is line goes to Thamesmead - it's already on a viaduct so good to go over a river bridge.

(3) Where this line crosses the new route to Barking just north of Gallions Reach, create a new two level interchange station between the two lines.

No stations are closed, only minor inconvenience for those travelling from, say, Cyprus to Beckton (which might be easier to walk anyway), and fewer stops on the line going to Thamesmead means a faster trip to Customs House for those who begin their journeys there.

Of course this will never happen.

 

[Clip]

A new Gallions reach station could be built nearer to the depot just before the new line would branch off the current line which may even be more convenient/nearer houses however again, new development is right by the current station.

Its about 100 yards to the entrance to the depot from Galleons reach so how much closer would you want it and for what reward in spending so much in doing so

 

[Ethano92]

Its about 100 yards to the entrance to the depot from Galleons reach so how much closer would you want it and for what reward in spending so much in doing so

If you have read my full comment, how haven't you realised the new line I'm talking about (along the old Beckton gas works freight line, now a footpath) wouldn't go to the current Gallions reach station, nor to Cyprus nor beckton park as it wouldn't follow that route. therefore a new Gallions reach would need to be built, and a new Cyprus, and a new Beckton park. I wasn't saying the station should be nearer for convince, it's because trains would no longer serve the current station.

Of course I do t expect any of this proposal to happen, it was simply 'creative' thinking which is the mature of this part of the forum.

 

[BritishGuy54]

Here’s my fantasy about the Eastern DLR:

1) Beckton branch of DLR splits into 3 new branches:

Beckton Branch
Thamesmead Branch
Dagenham Dock Branch

2) All branches split at Gallions Reach, which receives a new upgrade in new platforms.

3) New Dagenham Branch will look like:

Gallions Reach
Beckton Riverside
Creekmouth
Barking Riverside
Goresbrook
Dagenham Dock

Beckton Riverside - Goresbrook will be completely underground in new tunnels passing under the River Roding and The Gores

Dagenham Dock DLR will be north of the c2c & HS1.

The branch will remain open to future extensions to Dagenham Heathway, Romford or Rainham if needed.

4) Thamesmead branch will look like:

Gallions Reach
Beckton Riverside
Thamesmead West
Thamesmead
Abbey Wood
West Heath
Bexleyheath

Tunnels between Thamesmead West and Bexleyheath

5) Current off-peak:

Canning Town - Beckton 6tph
Tower Gateway - Beckton 6tph

New Off-Peak Trains per hour (tph) look like:

Stratford International - Dagenham Dock 2tph
Stratford International - Thamesmead 2tph
Stratford International - Woolwich Arsenal 6tph
Canning Town - Dagenham Dock 4tph
Tower Gateway - Beckton 3tph
Tower Gateway - Thamesmead 3tph
Canning Town - Beckton 2tph