Canning Town station features stacked platforms, allowing DLR and Tube trains to operate efficiently in a compact space, but it can confuse passengers.
Canning Town: If you’re at Canning Town station, you’ll notice something pretty cool. The DLR trains are running above the Tube trains. It’s a neat little quirk of London’s transport system.
This setup is different from other stations like St Paul’s or Chancery Lane. Here, you can actually see the DLR platforms from the street, which is kind of unique.
The way it’s designed, the DLR platforms sit right over the Tube platforms. This clever arrangement saves space and cuts down on land costs for Transport for London. They’ve managed to fit two railways into one footprint.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Sometimes, DLR trains heading to Woolwich Arsenal or Beckton can leave from either the lower or upper platforms. It can get a bit confusing.
Canning Town wasn’t always this busy. It used to be a simple train station before the DLR and Jubilee line came along. Now, it’s a major interchange.
To switch between the platforms, passengers have to navigate a subway that goes down to a basement level and then back up again. This can lead to some chaos, especially if trains are redirected or full.
Since the 1990s, Canning Town has changed a lot. It’s gone from a quiet National Rail stop to a bustling hub with multiple lines.
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