Routes

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London City Airport

London City Airport route

The DLR's latest extension, to King George V in North Woolwich, via London City Airport, opened on 2^nd December 2005. Construction has also started on a further extension under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal.

For a gallery of pictures taken the day after the line opened, click here.

[click on a station for pictures]

Canning Town–Pontoon Dock

The City Airport extension branches off the Beckton line at a junction a short way south of Canning Town and runs parallel to Silvertown Way, which crosses the Beckton line and the North London Line as it curves away to the east. The new line climbs, first onto an embankment then onto a viaduct, which then runs alongside Silvertown Way. The railway is elevated from this point as far as the Airport.

The first stop is West Silvertown, which serves the residential and industrial areas on the south side of Royal Victoria Dock. The elevated railway continues along the southern side of what is now North Woolwich Road to Pontoon Dock station, next to Thames Barrier Gardens.

Pontoon Dock–King George V

From Pontoon Dock the railway continues to run next to North Woolwich Road, as far as the roundabout junction with Connaught Crossing approach road, where it turns north west to the airport perimeter. From here the viaduct turns east again to follow Hartmann as far as London City Airport station, which is next to the airport terminal.

This is where the viaduct ends, with the railway ramping down to street level. As it runs between Hartmann Road (which at this point is the access road to the airport car parks) and Newland Street (a residential road) it runs behind concrete barriers. The terminus is at King George V, next to the dock of the same name. A further extension is now under construction, tunnelling under the Thames from here to Woolwich Arsenal, which is due to open in 2009.

Replacing other public transport services

The DLR's City Airport and Woolwich extensions supplement or replace a variety of transport modes in this area. In particular the Airport extension will mean the end of the shuttle bus services between the airport and Canning Town/Liverpool Street.

The Airport route, in conjunction with the planned DLR Stratford International extension, will also see the replacement of the North London Line between Stratford and Canning Town with DLR trains and the abandonment of the North London Line between Canning Town and North Woolwich, with the closure of the mainline stations at Custom House (also served by the DLR), Silvertown and London City Airport (replaced by the DLR station which is nearer to the airport) and North Woolwich (replaced by King George V DLR station). Passengers travelling to Woolwich will face a longer walk to the ferry terminal from King George V than they do at present from North Woolwich, but when the Woolwich Arsenal extension opens they can instead complete their journey by through train.

More information

• City Airport extension: on the TfL/DLR website
• City Airport extension: on the Old DLR website
• Woolwich Arsenal extension: on the TfL/DLR website