B92 Stock 69

Location: Poonton Dock, London, England
Operator of Vehicle: Transport for London
Date of Photo: May 20, 2008

Given the significance of the London Underground in transportation history, it is understandable that other rapid transit systems in Greater London do not have nearly as much attention paid to them.  However, they should not be overlooked entirely.  Yesterday, the Docklands Light Railway marked its 32nd anniversary.  It initially opened on August 31, 1987 with 8 miles of track, and has rapidly expanded to its current size of 24 miles of track with several additional extensions being proposed as well.  Passenger traffic on the system has often exceeded expectations.  When the system was designed, the Docklands area of London were largely undeveloped and hard to get to.  While DLR was meant to address the latter issue, development boomed as the area around Canary Wharf became a financial center; the population of the Docklands area has doubled in the past 30 years.  

Much of the DLR runs at grade or on elevated structures, as seen in this photo of a train approaching Poonton Dock station, with views of the Docklands developments and the City of London from many locations.  Trains are automated but have a staff attendant on board to check fares and take over operations in emergencies.  There has often not been enough rolling stock to cope with demand.  The B92 stock seen here was delivered in the mid-1990s and is expected to be retired upon the delivery of new cars built by CAF starting in 2023.

For more photos of the Docklands Light Railway, please click here.