Four car project

[Deleted]

If extra capacity were required on the DLR in the future, perhaps if the planned Dagenham Dock, Bank-westwards and Lewisham-Catford extensions are built, how practical would it be to lengthen trains to four cars?
Many stations have enough straight track and space to extend the platforms, but I suppose the main obstacle would be those which already need selective door opening for three cars, especially if they are underground.
Are the new stations on the Stratford International extension being built long enough for just three cars or with space for longer trains?

[ianvisits]

I doubt the Canary Wharf-Bank link would need upgrading as you would have Crossrail/Jubilee Line to cater to the extra demand.

For the rest of the line, I think you would be better off with extra lines than with longer trains to spread the capacity over a wider area.

[pib]

I believe at the very start of 3-car planning the possibility of going straight to 4 car capability was looked into. Although not impossible it would have been many times more expensive than 3-car, requiring huge rebuilds (eg Cutty Sark) and extended shutdowns. AFAIK 3-Car is as big as it will get.

[ianvisits]

Incidentally, it wouldn't be impossibly difficult to switch to double-deck height trains for some of the routes if a significant capacity increase was really needed.

[franknapo]

Jul 24, 2010 14:49:20 GMT ianvisits said:

Incidentally, it wouldn't be impossibly difficult to switch to double-deck height trains for some of the routes if a significant capacity increase was really needed.

That what be near on impossible. Apart from the obvious. at bank Island gardens and woolwich. You have the short cuttings between beckton and Cyprus. and between All saints and Bow church. the overhead line gantry's between Tower Gateway- Limehouse Bow- Stratford. Its gonna stop at 3 car and nothing else.

[norbitonflyer]

Jul 24, 2010 15:57:17 GMT @franknapo said:

Jul 24, 2010 14:49:20 GMT ianvisits said:

double-deck height trains .

That what be near on impossible. Apart from the obvious. at bank, Island gardens and woolwich, you have the short cuttings between beckton and Cyprus, and between All saints and Bow Church, and the overhead line gantries between Tower Gateway- Limehouse and Bow- Stratford.

That accounts for all branches except the Stratford International branch, and the underpasses below the mainline platforms at Stratford and at West Ham puts that out of the running as well.

Modify the gantries and you might be able to run Tower Gateway to Mudchute, but that's hardly the route likely to be the first to get overloaded.

.....or has Ianvisits thought of something we've overlooked?mething?

[Chris M]

I think a Crossharbour to King George V service might be runnable, and direct services between LCY and Canary Wharf would probably see some significant patronage.
However I can't remember which tracks do what at the new junction at Canning Town and I'm only guessing at the height of the ceiling at London City Airport. Even if both these wouldn't conflict with double-deck trains, you'd need to build a new depot for them as they wouldn't be able to get to Beckton and iirc Poplar is light maintenance only these days.