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An attractive station concourse. Where is it? Bonus question: Which year was the photo taken?
Please send your answers to raildate.co.uk@gmail.com
Somewhere on the DLR. Where is it?
Answer: Island Gardens, prior to the Lewisham Extension. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: Phil Deaves, John Czyrko, Dave Goodyear, Brian Billing, Richard Maund, Colin Penfold, Simon Wass, Richard Whitbread, Bill King, Blair Robinson, Neil Spencer, David Winter, Howard Harrison, R A Shier, Chris Gibbard, Neil Kearns, Paul Hopper, Andrew Treves, Dave Mant, Ian Bull, Paul Tambini, Leslie Braithwaite, Dave Sharp, Jim Allwood, Ian Lowe, Adam Carpenter.
A railway (the "Millwall Extension") was built to the foot of the Isle of Dogs in the 1860s, carried on many viaducts across the boggy ground (see 1 in picture) and terminating at North Greenwich station (4). A foot tunnel under the Thames to Greenwich (between 5 and 6) opened in 1903, replacing the former ferry, but this useful connection was not enough to bring prosperity to the railway. The line closed in 1929.
When the time came to build the new Docklands Light Railway southwards from Canary Wharf, the intact viaducts proved useful. The new line (opened 31st Aug 1987) terminated at Island Gardens station (see 2), which was just a short walk to the tunnel and exchanged easily with buses following the perimeter road. There were initially no end doors on the trains for emergencies because there were no tunnel sections.
This turned out to be a very short-lived station because the line was extended to Lewisham in 1999, which caused Island Gardens to be relocated underground (see 3) and the viaducts returned to nature. There was also a two-month closure in 1996 following the IRA bombing of South Quay station on 9th February that year.
There's an excellent history with pictures here: Millwall Extension History
Here's an interesting view approaching the terminus, soon after opening. Image credit: Dave Mant.
Before retirement, I was working in Canary Wharf. A pleasant lunchtime walk followed the 0° meridian alongside Millwall Docks, through the parks and tunnel, past the Cutty Sark (see 7) to Greenwich Park, then DLR back.
Oops! An unsuccessful test run five months before opening - 10th March 1987.
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© Matthew Shaw 2024