New entrance to Limehouse DLR station

[waysider]

A few snaps of works taking place at Limehouse...

20180506_163823 by james tuite, on Flickr
The existing platforms as seen from Branch Road (the new works are to the left of the tree on the left)

20180506_163836 by james tuite, on Flickr
New stairwell as seen from the junction of Bekesbourne Street and Branch Road

20180506_163911_001 by james tuite, on Flickr
New entrance as seen from the western end of Bekesbourne Street ....something quite 'overground-ish' about the LIMEHOUSE lettering - a new look on the DLR

[rsdworker]

Looks nice - so new lifts as well?

[waysider]

I don't really know the details of whats being built ...was hoping somebody on here might?

[Chris M]

From an undated page Improving the DLR on the TfL website:

New escalators at Limehouse

We are installing escalators at the main entrance to the westbound DLR platform at Limehouse station. The new escalators, alongside the current staircase, will reduce the time it takes to interchange between the westbound DLR and c2c platforms. The escalators will also help reduce congestion at the station during peak times.

We will also be installing a new ramp. The work is due to be complete in April 2018.

In February 2017 ianvisits reported the starting of enabling works, noting:

Both escalators will be located next to and south of the existing stairs on Platform 4, which will also be retained to support future increased capacity. The project completion date is March 2018.

[waysider]

Went past Limehouse station again today and took a few more snaps...
20180522_124817 by james tuite, on Flickr

Unit 115 about to leave towards Tower Gateway...
20180522_124842 by james tuite, on Flickr

The new escalators nearing completion...
20180522_124751 by james tuite, on Flickr

20180522_124729 by james tuite, on Flickr

[Deleted]

April 2018? Hmm...

[Deleted]

Anyone who passes Limehouse will know that the view has not materially changed since those photos were taken in May, and the escalators remain resolutely barried off.
I've been in touch with DLR by twitter. It took them quite a few days to reply (the reply had to be cleared with management apparently). Their reply is that the escalators will come into service on Monday 17 December.

[giovannibcy75]

Can’t believe they put an apostrophe in the word “its” on that poster!

[rincew1nd]

Dec 17, 2018 21:42:18 GMT giovannibcy75 said:

Can’t believe they put an apostrophe in the word “its” on that poster!

I love pedants'.

[snoggle]

Dec 3, 2018 16:21:29 GMT @iskanddweller said:

Anyone who passes Limehouse will know that the view has not materially changed since those photos were taken in May, and the escalators remain resolutely barried off.
I've been in touch with DLR by twitter. It took them quite a few days to reply (the reply had to be cleared with management apparently). Their reply is that the escalators will come into service on Monday 17 December.

According to a tweet and photos from Ianvisits the new entrnance actually opened for service today (20/12).

[spsmiler]

Dec 17, 2018 21:42:18 GMT giovannibcy75 said:

Can’t believe they put an apostrophe in the word “its” on that poster!

Well it is something that spell chequers would knot flag as a miss take.

I wonder how much this project cost? Obviously though whatever the cost it was felt to be justifiable - and of course as it improves the travelling experience (for passengers who use this platform) it is 'much needed'. Hopefully similar projects elsewhere are still affordable.

I suppose that since the escalators go down to street level even interchange passengers must continue to touch out and then in when walking between the DLR and C2C platforms?

I vaguely recall that 2 and 3 (C2C westbound - towards London and DLR eastbound) have a direct connection so that passengers can interchange without going down to street level, although they have to pass through ticket gates

Does anyone know about the other platforms (1,2 3) - still just steps?

Simon

[davidp]

I'm sure you are right spsmiler, it does improve the travelling experience. I think that it's now expected to provide (at least 'up') escalators where there is a reasonably long climb. I'm just surprised that this hasn't been done (yet) at Westferry which is advertised as an interchange for trains to or from Lewisham with trains to or from Beckton or Woolwich Arsenal but that interchange involves a long set of steps down followed by a long set of steps up. When I've had to do that, I've always been tempted to stay on until Shadwell where I can do a cross-platform change.

[Chris M]

There are two lifts to each platform at Westferry, although the mid-platform ones particularly are typical of 1st generation DLR lifts - tiny, slow and often, err, aromatic.

When changing between Lewisham and Beckton/Woolwich services I almost always change cross-platform at Canary Wharf and again at Poplar. I did this in both directions today for example and I wasn't the only person doing so.

[spsmiler]

Westferry has the advantage of the rollercoaster ride direct to Canary Wharf (non-stopping West India Quay). Unfortunately the ride is somewhat sedate, but fortunately I was able to tweak the software to create a 27 second higher speed version, complete with appropriate shrieks of joy from a rollercoaster in Blackpool.

Whilst Shadwell is an alternative its two stations away in the wrong direction plus the platform is not that wide and it gets quite busy...

Simon

[waysider]

And finally complete (thought I'd get a night time shot ...plus a train on the westbound platform too)

2019-02-25_11-26-15 by james tuite, on Flickr

[silenthunter]

Why do you need escalators here when there is a perfectly decent set of stairs?

[Chris M]

Capacity.

[silenthunter]

Then you have bigger stairs, not an escalator.

[Chris M]

We have installed new escalators at the main entrance to the westbound DLR platform at Limehouse station making it easier to get around. The new escalators will help to ease congestion at peak times, improve the accessibility of the station and reduce the time it takes to change between the westbound DLR and c2c platforms.

tfl.gov.uk/modes/dlr/improving-the-dlr

An escalator has a higher throughput than a staircase as it's quicker.
As you can see above TfL also highlight that it improves accessibility as not everybody can manage a flight of stairs - I certainly couldn't after my accident a few months back, and while I am improving and now can manage most of the time, I'm still much slower than I once was.

[silenthunter]

I've used that station at peak times, the escalators are hardly used at all.

[londoner]

Mar 6, 2019 12:46:18 GMT silenthunter said:

I've used that station at peak times, the escalators are hardly used at all.

In any case, it will help people who are less able to climb a set of stairs.