Heading North on the DLR from Bow Church to Stratford, the line narrows to single-track, and on the left is a single track with overhead wires that joins the GA main line. Looking at the map it leaves the lines out of Fenchurch Street just after Limehouse and before the curve to Bromley-by-Bow.
Stock move line, something else? Or disused?
Links the London Tilbury & Southend line at Gas Factory Junction with the GE Main Line at Bow Junction.
As the Wikipedia entry says it was originally double track but singled when the DLR Stratford branch was built. No scheduled services but used for ECS workings and I've been over it during engineering work diversions when trains from Fenchurch St were diverted between Gas Factory Junction and Barking via Bow, Stratford, Forest Gate Junction and Woodgrange Park.
The line was electrified originally at 1500V DC as part of the 1949 post-war Shenfield electrification as a diversionary route between Stratford and Fenchurch St in case Liverpool St was closed. As the article says there were plans to run an EMU shuttle service between Stratford and Fenchurch St but they were never implemented.
Last time I went over the line was on a 'Buffer Puffer' enthusiast special about 10 years ago.
In addition to the above reference, an old schoolfriend of mine has published this rather grainy Super 8 video of a diversion from Stratford to Gas Factory Junction filmed in the 1970s
The film shows the train (unrefurbished class 302 EMU) leaving Stratford and then diverging from the GEML at Bow Junction. It passes another 302 on the double track at the disused Bow Road station and then joins the LT&S at Gas Factory Junction (with the original Gas Factory in process of demolition!). Quality isn't good but it shows you what the line was like.
