Dockland’s celebrations

Universally known as the DLR, London’s Docklands Light Railway has now celebrated 25 years.  Opened by the Queen in August 1967, just before London City Airport, these were the two vital links required to make the “city in the east”, really take off.  Just as the airport was built on the remains of an old wharf much of the railway was constructed over disused railway viaducts many dating from Victorian steam train times.

When the DLR opened it operated 11 trains serving 15 stations and in its first year of operation it carried 6.7m people.  Today the railway – which is entirely step-free – has 45 stations, just under 30 miles of track, 149 carriages, and moves 86m passengers annually.  During the London 2012 Olympic Games it carried 7.2m passengers, twice the normal level.

David Stretch, the Managing Director of Serco Docklands Ltd, which has operated the railway on behalf of Transport for London (TfL) and DLR since 1997, said: “We are proud to have worked in partnership with DLR for 15 years, where we have improved reliability and delivered an excellent service, to help make London’s regeneration railway such a success”. www.tfl.g ov.uk/dlr

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