Doclands light railway. Part-Two.

The East-London DLR.

With the first phase of the DLR completed, it was decided to extend it to the city of London. This was done by digging a tunnel from just before the Tower Gateway station to the Bank, so the first tunnel was constructed on the system.

A second line was then proposed from island gardens to Mudchute Lane, eventually connecting with Stratford. Initially this would cause problems for the Popular depot, but as the building proceeded it improved. The rolling stock was tram like, it was both clean and efficient and a breath of fresh air to London.

Today the system has a loop line at Popular connecting Stratford to Bank and has been extended under the River Thames first to Greenwich and then on to Lewisham in south-London. Another branch takes the line further east to the Beckton loop and another new depot. This line gives a connection to London City airport.

The line now extends through a second Thames tunnel to Woolwich, deep into SE-London. The system also has introduced new stock, were you can walk the whole length of any train. It is not known if there will be any further extension in the future, but there is enough there for it to grow, if needs be.

Docklands Light Railway. Part-One.

DLR.

The development of the East-London (UK) Docklands light railway was to open up the old docks for new building regeneration and expansion. Light rail was chosen as a easier means than say an Underground extension or a tram way. The DLR was to be an automated train, no driver. but the guard could over ride the system in an emergency. 

Initially the train ran from a new station at Tower Gateway, near to the Tower of London castle to Island Gardens on the southern end of the Isle of Dogs. Not really an island, but becoming one because several of the older docks cut up the area.

Town Planning. Part-Two.

In the planning of new towns or multiple population centres, most are laid out for the automobile and buses. The problems with cars is that you also need to plan for parking and you do not want the centres to be conjested.

Towns are usually built or expanded near to an existing freeway/motorway and or railroad/metro. But which of these is the best and what modern additions or re-introductions could be added? 

The tram, sometimes now known as a metro link is a viable asset combing the bus and the rail feature. Big cities go for underground/subway extension's or complete new lines.

Really what you need to do is move loads of people from A to B in a fast, clean, efficient and safe way.