DLR original stations

[A60stock]

Of the original DLR stations which opened in the late 80s:

1. How many retain the original half-cylindrical glazed blue canopies with red railings and when was the latest examples of these shelters being removed?
2. Were these canopies ever extended? Looking at pictures from the 80s, there were very short, but looking at recent pictures where they are still in place, they seem to have been extended?
3. Have these canopies been repainted recently? Looking at some pictures around 10 years ago, they look very tired and faded, whereas a few pictures from 2019 look like theyve been repainted as the blue colour looks "fresh" e.g. All Saints
4. Why is the DLR the only significant TFL service to still not use roundels for station names on platforms (like the ones the crossrail stations are starting to receive in platforms), considering the overground and Crossrail have them?

 

[DanNCL]

1. How many retain the original half-cylindrical glazed blue canopies with red railings and when was the latest examples of these shelters being removed?

Still in situ at All Saints, Devons Road and Bow Church, I think they're the only stations that still have them now.

4. Why is the DLR the only significant TFL service to still not use roundels, considering the overground and Crossrail have them?

The DLR does use roundels now. Most (if not all) DLR stations have had roundels for a few years now, and roundels are present on all trains that aren't in advertising liveries.

 

[stuu]

2. Were these canopies ever extended? Looking at pictures from the 80s, there were very short, but looking at recent pictures where they are still in place, they seem to have been extended?

They must have been extended at least once as the platforms originally were only ~30m long

 

[A60stock]

Still in situ at All Saints, Devons Road and Bow Church, I think they're the only stations that still have them now.


The DLR does use roundels now. Most (if not all) DLR stations have had roundels for a few years now, and roundels are present on all trains that aren't in advertising liveries.

Apologies I have edited the question as I was not specific enough. I meant the STATION name roundels as seen on underground, overground, and now slowly appearing on crossrail stations. The DLR does not use these

 

[bramling]

They must have been extended at least once as the platforms originally were only ~30m long

I seem to remember when the canopies were replaced on the south and west routes, the removed canopies were moved to the north route to extend the original short ones.

One of the few elements of the original DLR to survive.

 

[A60stock]

I seem to remember when the canopies were replaced on the south and west routes, the removed canopies were moved to the north route to extend the original short ones.

One of the few elements of the original DLR to survive.

I was wondering how they became so long, that makes sense and it must have been done over a period of time as each station was rebuilt/refurbished. A shame they did not keep them for the other areas of the line

 

[DerekC]

A bit OT, but I was responsible for the project for integrating the then new Seltrac system into the existing railway in 1993-96. One of the problems was that we couldn't get the stopping window tight enough to prove that the trains would stop on-platform the requisite 99.999% of the time. (Seltrac didn't have a secondary system for proving that the train was stopped in the right place before opening doors, it all depended on the on-board positioning). Answer - add a short extension to the platform. Doubtless these have long ago been overtaken by the 3-car extensions.

 

[Taunton]

A bit OT, but I was responsible for the project for integrating the then new Seltrac system into the existing railway in 1993-96. One of the problems was that we couldn't get the stopping window tight enough to prove that the trains would stop on-platform the requisite 99.999% of the time. (Seltrac didn't have a secondary system for proving that the train was stopped in the right place before opening doors, it all depended on the on-board positioning). Answer - add a short extension to the platform. Doubtless these have long ago been overtaken by the 3-car extensions.

I never particularly noticed any short extensions, I guess it was just subsumed into the 2-car, then 3-car extensions. These are generally quite apparent at those stations which have not had complete rebuilding. The 3-car ones must have cost substantially more than the intermediate 2-car ones, as these earlier ones extended in the easiest direction for each site; when it had to be done again it was much more challenging, but also the spec seemed notably increased. One disappointment of the early 2000s 3-car extensions was I lost the traditional place to buy our Christmas tree, which had been from a garden centre in the old Victorian arches under Limehouse westbound platform, while the trains rumbled overhead, all swept away in the rebuilding.

Interesting comment about Seltrac not being as accurate as what went before. Another old feature that disappeared was the closeness with which trains would approach one another - a particular place for this seemed to be Limehouse eastbound, where if a train was delayed departing the next one would be stopped about one vehicle length behind, almost like buses. I had seen this before on the Vancouver Skytrain, which used the same initial auto signalling system.

The initial "£77m" system was an absolute bargain for what got delivered for the money, and it was a shame that approach was not followed for the various extensions. The later gargantuan footbridge at Poplar, commonly deserted, is like something for a TGV station; I have wondered whether it cost £77m just for itself!