Beckton Riverside (DLR) station location and service pattern

[Taunton]

Announced today, 20 November, by the Mayor that the DLR will be funded for extension to Thamesmead in next week's budget

MSN

Apart from somehow announcing the budget in advance, which was always regarded as an absolute political no-no, the statement includes that it will extend from Gallion's Reach, as previously proposed, and will include "a new station for Beckton". This is a bit difficult to understand given the existing Beckton station, pretty much in the centre of the area and at the recent bus interchange, would end up on a stub and is nowhere near the new line. I wonder where any new one will be.

Thamesmead is regularly described as a transport desert, but Abbey Wood is on its south side, and has of course done tremendously well with the Liz Line.

 

[TheManWho]

Announced today, 20 November, by the Mayor that the DLR will be funded for extension to Thamesmead in next week's budget

MSN

Apart from somehow announcing the budget in advance, which was always regarded as an absolute political no-no, the statement includes that it will extend from Gallion's Reach, as previously proposed, and will include "a new station for Beckton". This is a bit difficult to understand given the existing Beckton station, pretty much in the centre of the area and at the recent bus interchange, would end up on a stub and is nowhere near the new line. I wonder where any new one will be.

Thamesmead is regularly described as a transport desert, but Abbey Wood is on its south side, and has of course done tremendously well with the Liz Line.

The new station will be "Beckton Riverside" so not a replacement of the current Beckton station

 

[Taunton]

So actually an "additional" station for Beckton then. As there has been suggestion of the existing station out on a stub being dumped, probably worth the clarification.

 

[TheManWho]

So actually an "additional" station for Beckton then. As there has been suggestion of the existing station out on a stub being dumped, probably worth the clarification.

It's an additional station, there's no plans to close the current Beckton station

 

[ScotGG]

Beckton Riverside station plans have been around for many years now. The Dagenham Dock extension proposal included it as does the Thamesmead plan. The difference is where it would head east.

The current station for Beckton would retain 4 tph maybe? Depends if the big retail warehouse next door and car park are redeveloped.

Thamesmead hasn't been a transport desert for a long time now. Very easy to get to nearby stations.

 

[TheManWho]

Beckton Riverside station plans have been around for many years now. The Dagenham Dock extension proposal included it as does the Thamesmead plan. The difference is where it would head east.

The current station for Beckton would retain 4 tph maybe? Depends if the big retail warehouse next door and car park are redeveloped.

Thamesmead hasn't been a transport desert for a long time now. Very easy to get to nearby stations.

Beckton would still be 6 tph to Tower Gateway. Thamesmead trains would run to Stratford International

 

[ScotGG]

Thanks. That makes Thamesmead less appealing for many compared to the Elizabeth line from Abbey Wood if a change needed to reach central London (though Tower Gateway isn't the best of locations anyway)

 

[DGP]

I've said it before but if TfL were to make a triangular junction between Galleons Reach, Beckton and Beckton Riverside then, given the DLR's automation, it would be easy to have the option to run a service from Canning Town and points east or north to Beckton and then onto Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

 

[simple simon]

Thanks. That makes Thamesmead less appealing for many compared to the Elizabeth line from Abbey Wood if a change needed to reach central London (though Tower Gateway isn't the best of locations anyway)

Maybe it will be more attractive (and faster?) to take a DLR train from Thamesmead and change at Custom House (Elizabeth line) or Canning Town (Jubilee line) than take a bus to Abbey Wood - it all depends on where you are going and where you live.

Avoiding buses might also be cheaper for PAYG users - as the bus fare will be in addition to the train fare whereas a DLR + other train solution will charge a simple through fare.

However, changing trains at both Custom House and Canning Town will require somewhat circuitous walking routes - Custom House really should have had 'same direction' cross platform interchange. Instead things were done in ways that were convenient for the railway operators and inconvenient for the passengers - and which significantly increase footfall and hence overcrowding of passageways around the station.

 

[brad465]

Given the shape of the Beckton Branch, I'd have thought only those who live right next to or just to the north of Beckton station would use it. Cyprus and Beckton Park are probably more suitable than Beckton station for those living to the south and west of Beckton. For this reason, I'd have thought Beckton wouldn't need to retain many services.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Given the shape of the Beckton Branch, I'd have thought only those who live right next to or just to the north of Beckton station would use it. Cyprus and Beckton Park are probably more suitable than Beckton station for those living to the south and west of Beckton. For this reason, I'd have thought Beckton wouldn't need to retain many services.

My very sentiments.
For six years, I lived about 8 minutes' equidistant walk from King George V and Gallions Reach. The occasions I needed to travel to the local GP, I'd always alight at Cyprus or West Beckton stations then walk; Beckton station's "boomerang back" locaton saved no walking-time in real terms.

 

[edwin_m]

I think it's still part of the Thamesmead project to build a turnback west of Canning Town so extra services can operate and make connections there without getting tangled up with the junctions around Poplar.

Changing to Elizabeth Line at Custom House or Jubilee at Canning Town will be quicker from Beckton to most central London destinations than staying on DLR, even if Beckton had a through service to Bank.

 

[317 forever]

Beckton would still be 6 tph to Tower Gateway. Thamesmead trains would run to Stratford International

So that will mean more trains from Canning Town to Gallions Reach?

 

[Mattplans]

I find it interesting that Beckton is in Zone 3 while Woolwich Arsenal is in Zone 4. Anyone know how TfL decides on these fare zones? Looks to me it's applied inconsistently in the corners of London.
I wonder if Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead will be in zone 3 or 4.


I note an interesting petition to move Woolwich Arsenal to zone 3/4. https://www.change.org/p/sadiq-khan-rezone-woolwich-to-zone-3-4-from-zone-4

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Nov 2025 ==

So that will mean more trains from Canning Town to Gallions Reach?

Yes. More trains between Canning Town and Beckton Park

 

[Busman]

"Sadiq Khan said he’s confident that the rail route extension will be up and running by 2032"

Clown.

* Central refurbishment - years overdue

* New Piccadilly line trains - nearly two years late

* New DLR trains - two years late

* Crossrail - years late, countless delays and lies

* Gallows Corner - supposed to be completed in September - now SPRING 26.

Countless others that have been embarrassingly managed but hey ho, for as long as there is a YouTuber blowing smoke up TfL's backside, everything is okay.

The DLR extension will NOT be completed by 2032, you'll be lucky seeing it running by 2035.

Stop being sheep and start up waking up to this nonsense.

 

[Mattplans]

What we can see is that all rail projects in this country are delayed. Why only single out the ones controlled by the Mayor of London?

Symptom not the disease

 

[RUK]

Does the CAF order include enough rolling stock to cover this extension, or are there extra options already in the contract which could be taken up for it, or will there need to be more trains ordered in a new contract to cover it?

 

[Thirteen]

Does the CAF order include enough rolling stock to cover this extension, or are there extra options already in the contract which could be taken up for it, or will there need to be more trains ordered in a new contract to cover it?

It's already in the contract.

 

[The exile]

What we can see is that all rail projects in this country are delayed. Why only single out the ones controlled by the Mayor of London?

Symptom not the disease

To which you can add those built in most democratic countries where the government can’t just ride roughshod over its citizens (at least not immediately).
I think the final element of the “high priority” German Unity transport projects (that’s 3/10/1990 as datum point) opens in about 3 weeks.

 

[Busman]

What we can see is that all rail projects in this country are delayed. Why only single out the ones controlled by the Mayor of London?

Symptom not the disease

My message wasn't singling out rail projects, I'm talking about projects in general. Have you heard of the shambolic mess that was apparently 'unforeseen' at Gallows Corner? Really? Every major project undertakes due diligence and covers all aspects of any eventualities, this isn't a couple of weeks of snagging, this is a huge delay so spare me the 'unforeseen'.

The central line refurbishment isn't a new railway, it's another project that's been managed badly, let's keep rolling out the 'Covid' excuse on that one.

And yes, I will aim it at the mayor of London, ultimately, buck stops with him whoever it is.

So forgive me for being negative about a projected date for the DLR extension being set for 2032. The railway part may be built but it will take another 3 years to get it into passenger service.

Can't wait to see the moment when all the silly YouTubers sitting there watching a test train running up and down the line to be told "sorry guys, another 3 years".

 

[PGAT]

So that will mean more trains from Canning Town to Gallions Reach?

I believe it will be 12tph off-peak and 15 in the peaks split between Beckton and Thamesmead services

 

[DGP]

I believe it will be 12tph off-peak and 15 in the peaks split between Beckton and Thamesmead services

Which is just returning the frequencies to the levels they were earlier this year before they started cutting back the service due to the non-entry into service of the B23 trains and the need to reduce the mileage accumulated by the B92 stock.

But what the effect of this development (https://bdcmagazine.com/2025/11/arada-to-acquire-majority-stake-in-2-5bn-thameside-west-development/) will have on demand along the other Royal Docks branch and what capacity issues that will cause at Canning Town and what affect that would have on frequencies from there to Beckton or Thamesmead ...

 

[daveid]

"Sadiq Khan said he’s confident that the rail route extension will be up and running by 2032"

Clown.

* Central refurbishment - years overdue

* New Piccadilly line trains - nearly two years late

* New DLR trains - two years late

* Crossrail - years late, countless delays and lies

* Gallows Corner - supposed to be completed in September - now SPRING 26.

Countless others that have been embarrassingly managed but hey ho, for as long as there is a YouTuber blowing smoke up TfL's backside, everything is okay.

The DLR extension will NOT be completed by 2032, you'll be lucky seeing it running by 2035.

Stop being sheep and start up waking up to this nonsense.

Every rail project in the country is always late and it's usually worse outside of London. Look at the ongoing delays to rail and light rail projects in Brum, Cardiff, Sheffield, Manchester.

 

[Brooke]

There was a brief, if complex, mention of this project deep in the Budget document today.

Essentially confirming what we knew: that it is going ahead via London-level borrowing and developer funding:

“the Government welcomes confirmation that London will deliver…”

Budget 2025

This is the full Budget 2025 with supporting and related documents.

www.gov.uk

 

[jon81uk]

I find it interesting that Beckton is in Zone 3 while Woolwich Arsenal is in Zone 4. Anyone know how TfL decides on these fare zones? Looks to me it's applied inconsistently in the corners of London.
I wonder if Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead will be in zone 3 or 4.

Woolwich Arsenal was already zone 4 before the DLR was extended there.

 

[Russel]

What we can see is that all rail projects in this country are delayed. Why only single out the ones controlled by the Mayor of London?

Symptom not the disease

Maybe a simple solution would be to not announce clearly unachievable timescales as soon as a project is unveiled?

 

[Taunton]

"Sadiq Khan said he’s confident that the rail route extension will be up and running by 2032"

Clown.

One wonders which will be ready first - the line ready for opening or the B23 trains finally ready for service.

 

[Mr. SW]

Just to keep you up to date...

Smithfield and Billingsgate markets could move to Royal Docks

The current Smithfield meat and Billingsgate fish markets are to close due to redevelopment.

www.bbc.co.uk

Posted yesterday.

The historic Smithfield and Billingsgate markets could both move to new site at the Royal Docks in east London, under new plans.

The City of London Corporation - which currently operates the centuries-old meat and fish markets - said it was working with the Greater London Authority and Newham Council on the "exciting " proposals to relocate the markets.

They need a new home because Smithfield Market's current site in the City of London is to be turned into cultural space, while Billingsgate Market at Poplar, east London, is to be used for new homes.

Securing the future of the markets would, the corporation said, protect food security for the region and protect jobs in ports across the UK.

The site they've chosen is Albert Island, a pocket of land between Gallions Reach and North Woolwich.

I'm popping this here as it may put pressure on the east end of the DLR, both existing and proposed.

 

[JCO1406]

Looking at the map, it looks like Gallions Reach is slightly closer, and probably easier to get to the site. Could this potentially mean that more tph would be needed on the Beckton line or would 12tph be sufficient once it’s been restored?

 

[edwin_m]

These markets open very early morning and I think close before lunchtime. So it probably needs buses to get people there before DLR starts operating and it's likely there would be capacity to get people home during the off-peak.