Canary Wharf Crossrail/Poplar DLR

[Taunton]

Now that Canary Wharf Crossrail station building is getting close to completion, it does seem that there is no provision for the large footbridge at Poplar DLR station to link into it.

If you don't know it, it's this bridge

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51....AsQGS1Oo4isylClLx38ULw&cbp=12,129.03,,0,-5.57

which is a huge structure across the main road which ends in puny little steps down, and points straight at the Crossrail station building which is the one with the triangular glass panels on the right of the image. I always thought the intention was to go straight into the new station (it's about 100 metres across waste ground and what's left of the dock), but now the shops are fitting out to open late spring it seems there is no connection.

It's far and away the closest DLR station to the new Crossrail one.

Can this really be so? Otherwise what was the point of such a huge footbridge in the first place?

 

[Stats]

There is no link across this space because the "waste ground", known as North Quay, has planning permission for a high rise office development. The Aspen Way footbridge will link into this development to provide a link to the Crossrail station.

 

[Jordy]

The Crossrail page about Canary Wharf seems to suggest it'll be happening, but maybe it'll be a later addition.

http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/stations/canary-wharf/

 

[Class377/5]

Now that Canary Wharf Crossrail station building is getting close to completion, it does seem that there is no provision for the large footbridge at Poplar DLR station to link into it.

If you don't know it, it's this bridge

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51....AsQGS1Oo4isylClLx38ULw&cbp=12,129.03,,0,-5.57

which is a huge structure across the main road which ends in puny little steps down, and points straight at the Crossrail station building which is the one with the triangular glass panels on the right of the image. I always thought the intention was to go straight into the new station (it's about 100 metres across waste ground and what's left of the dock), but now the shops are fitting out to open late spring it seems there is no connection.

It's far and away the closest DLR station to the new Crossrail one.

Can this really be so? Otherwise what was the point of such a huge footbridge in the first place?

West India Quay is the closest DLR station.

 

[swt_passenger]

West India Quay is the closest DLR station.

Nonetheless they will eventually link to Poplar DLR, as it says lower down on the page Jordy linked to above:

Access from Canary Wharf at ground level will be via bridge links developed as part of the station development. From North Quay ground level access will be completed with the construction of the North Quay development. This will enable a direct link to the existing Aspen Way footbridge and from there to the DLR station and Poplar High Street.

Perhaps they want to spread out the interchange passenger flows a bit?

 

[Class377/5]

Nonetheless they will eventually link to Poplar DLR, as it says lower down on the page Jordy linked to above:

I was correcting the original OP on is idea that Poplar was the closet station. Not sure why didn't get that.

 

[TheNewNo2]

West India Quay is closest, but Canary Wharf, Poplar and even Blackwall are within a couple of hundred yards.

The DLR is set up that way, four stations inside half a mile, I assume to spread passenger loadings between multiple stations. Of course Crossrail won't actually have sensible interchange with any of them, nor with the tube, that would be way too considerate.

 

[CyrusWuff]

West India Quay is closest, but Canary Wharf, Poplar and even Blackwall are within a couple of hundred yards.

The DLR is set up that way, four stations inside half a mile, I assume to spread passenger loadings between multiple stations. Of course Crossrail won't actually have sensible interchange with any of them, nor with the tube, that would be way too considerate.

Surely passengers wishing to change between the Jubilee Line and Crossrail would do so at Bond Street (or Stratford at a push), where it's part of the same station?

 

[swt_passenger]

I was correcting the original OP on is idea that Poplar was the closet station. Not sure why didn't get that.

I think it's because you quoted the whole of the original post, therefore your reply reads as though you are explaining that the reason they are not connecting to Poplar is because West India Quay is closest.

If you had edited down the quote to just the bit about the nearest station, I would probably not have replied.

 

[Clip]

West India Quay is closest, but Canary Wharf, Poplar and even Blackwall are within a couple of hundred yards.

The DLR is set up that way, four stations inside half a mile, I assume to spread passenger loadings between multiple stations. Of course Crossrail won't actually have sensible interchange with any of them, nor with the tube, that would be way too considerate.

You're forgetting Herons Quay, which Ironically is closer to the Jubilee than Canary Wharf DLR.

Im not sure with Crossrail they could've made it all join up with the Jubilee station given the labyrinth of shops underneath

 

[Class377/5]

I think it's because you quoted the whole of the original post, therefore your reply reads as though you are explaining that the reason they are not connecting to Poplar is because West India Quay is closest.

If you had edited down the quote to just the bit about the nearest station, I would probably not have replied.

My point is still valid but let's not detail the thread with a misunderstanding.

 

[TheNewNo2]

You're forgetting Herons Quay, which Ironically is closer to the Jubilee than Canary Wharf DLR.

No, Heron Quays is further away from Crossrail than the others.

 

[Taunton]

West India Quay is the closest DLR station.

Although West India Quay may be (just) the physically closest to the extreme west end of the Crossrail building, it is also separated by water with no access between the two - in fact, the only foot access to this station goes the other way. West India is also a quiet and not particularly useful station, only really serving the Stratford DLR branch now that trains from Bank no longer stop there and the Stratford trains themselves now always terminate just 200 metres south at Canary Wharf.

Poplar in contrast is a major interchange station on the DLR, and has trains to City Airport. The way that Crossrail has avoided any connection with DLR trains to City Airport, despite physically tunnelling underneath the aircraft apron at the terminal there, is extraordinary.

When the Victoria Line was built, great play was made of the way the design had been carefully interleaved with other lines to give maximum connection opportunities, often cross-platform, which was a great feature. Since then the opposite policy seems to have applied, to make connections as inconvenient and longwinded as possible. At many of the Jubilee Line Extension stations the line has been sited as far away from existing lines as possible, with huge walks at Waterloo, Canary Wharf to the DLR (especially), Stratford, etc. It's a shame that Crossrail has gone the same way. Even Custom House, supposedly a DLR interchange station, has been squeezed in with the two lines side-by-side quite separated by multiple stairs, which the Victoria Line designers would surely have done with two islands, Crossrail in the middle and DLR on the outside. But you wait for the Architectural Awards for the designer of the station for being wonderful.

 

[Clip]

No, Heron Quays is further away from Crossrail than the others.

Which is why I was passing comment on it being closer to the Jubilee than the Canary Wharf DLR station.

Although West India Quay may be (just) the physically closest to the extreme west end of the Crossrail building, it is also separated by water with no access between the two - in fact, the only foot access to this station goes the other way. West India is also a quiet and not particularly useful station,
.

Its very useful if you are drinking at West India quay though - lots of bars on that side of the water. And the Wetherspoons at the end is large.

At many of the Jubilee Line Extension stations the line has been sited as far away from existing lines as possible, with huge walks at Waterloo, Canary Wharf to the DLR (especially), Stratford, etc.l.

Lets be brutally honest here - the walk from the Jubilee to any of the DLR platforms is a very short walk indeed at Stratford

It's a shame that Crossrail has gone the same way. Even Custom House, supposedly a DLR interchange station, has been squeezed in with the two lines side-by-side quite separated by multiple stairs, which the Victoria Line designers would surely have done with two islands, Crossrail in the middle and DLR on the outside.

You simply could not justify shutting the DLR for that long to enable this to happen though could you? And that would also mean no access to their main Maintenance facility either and with trains having to be outstable across the network for weeks on end. It just wasn't feasible to do what you are saying.

 

[Taunton]

Lets be brutally honest here - the walk from the Jubilee to any of the DLR platforms is a very short walk indeed at Stratford

Well that's the one connection not often made at Stratford, because all three of the Jubilee and the two DLR lines come in from the south and have served the same points, so transfer between them is unlikely. Transfers are to/from the Central or National Rail, which are by no means a short walk, especially as the Jubilee trains stop well short of the stop blocks and the departure indicator is incapable of showing meaningfully which platform has the next to go.

You simply could not justify shutting the DLR for that long to enable this to happen though could you? And that would also mean no access to their main Maintenance facility either and with trains having to be outstable across the network for weeks on end. It just wasn't feasible to do what you are saying.

Let's not be so defeatist, such rebuildings are perfectly possible without such disruption (at least, outside Britain). If the Crossrail team could not work out how to do it, in detail, I would have been very happy to come along and show them how.

 

[theorangeone]

At many of the Jubilee Line Extension stations the line has been sited as far away from existing lines as possible, with huge walks at Waterloo, Canary Wharf to the DLR (especially), Stratford, etc.

Well, Canada Water is really close! Plus if you stand in the correct place on the Jubilee Line platforms, you can get phone signal. Ordinary 2G phone signal. Agree with you about Canary Wharf, Waterloo and West Ham. Stratford, though, that's not far unless you're at the wrong end of the train when you come in, which would be unequivocally your fault and yours alone. London Bridge is also not that far.

I tell you what is a wasted opportunity for cross platform interchange, the cable car, that's what. Extend those wires underground to connect westbound cable car gondolas with the westbound Jubilee, loop under the tracks and back up to connect the eastbound Jubilee with eastbound gondolas. And in 2018, move the northern terminal east to cross platform with Crossrail at Custom House.

That last bit was a joke, I'm not Boris in disguise.

 

[hassaanhc]

Well, Canada Water is really close! Plus if you stand in the correct place on the Jubilee Line platforms, you can get phone signal. Ordinary 2G phone signal. Agree with you about Canary Wharf, Waterloo and West Ham. Stratford, though, that's not far unless you're at the wrong end of the train when you come in, which would be unequivocally your fault and yours alone. London Bridge is also not that far.

I've been in the 5th car on an Eastbound train when a text message that I'd written on the basis of having reached Canning Town (when it surfaces and connects to network) was sent . This was on Three and definitely 3G signal, as they only use the 2G network for emergency calls, my phone doesn't support 4G, and I have 2G switched off from my phone settings so it doesn't give false hope of signal :P

At West Ham, that high level bit by the Jubilee Line and DLR platforms was needed because of a road in the way, but I agree it would have been better to have the station concourse all high level (unless they hit issues with planning permission or something?). Also should have made the c2c area in the same style as the rest of the station as they look like they weren't touched at all during the work.

Waterloo is very far if interchanging from Jubilee to Bakerloo or Northern Lines, but the station probably tends to cope well during busy periods?

The less said about Canary Wharf the better, very poorly signposted, how dare people use our posh shopping centre to change lines!

Nothing wrong with Stratford, unless you wanted more tunnelling instead of a surface section, and distance has only become somewhat of an issue since the arrival of Westfield, the new ticket hall, and Stratford City Bus Station.

London Bridge is fine.

 

[Abpj17]

Poplar DLR is the closest station if you measure entrance to entrance.

West India Quay is geographically the closest DLR station but entrance to the Crossrail station is in the middle, making it closer to Popular (if there were a directish bridge), but I suspect the advertised interchange will be Canary Wharf DLR. Don’t forget that trains to and from Bank to Lewisham don’t stop at West India Quay in peak hours. And as Taunton says, water gets in the way. Neither CW/WIQ or Poplar are entirely better than the other as not all routes call at each station. If you come from Bank, you’d probably change at Canary Wharf DLR. If you came from Tower Gateway, Stratford etc. you’d change at Poplar.

Heron Quays is closer to Canary Wharf Jubilee than Canary Wharf DLR is. It’s possibly not clear on a map. But the walk to HQ is flat and not too busy. The walk to CW is a bit more of a faff through a shopping centre, switching levels and navigating lots of people. It can also depend what end of the train you want Taunton - as Canary Wharf is a private estate, I suspect the walk is intentional to get people to walk past the shops…I may be overly cynical. The estate is really designed for regular visitors not tourists etc.

I *think* you’ll be able to get from Jubilee to Crossrail without going outside (or at minimum an uncovered area), but it will involve some of the lesser know passageways around the shopping centre.

I have spent far too many hours of my life getting on trains at these stations!