East London line 92599 225484027 2008-07-13T22:54:06Z Jordan Girardin 7296613 {{Infobox TfL line| Line=East London| ColourName=Orange| TextColour=Black| YearOpened=1869| DeepOrSurface=Sub-Surface| RollingStock=[[London Underground A62 Stock|A Stock]]| StationsServed=8| LengthKm= 7.4| LengthMiles=4.6| AnnualPassengers=10,702,000<ref name="linefacts"/>| Depots=New Cross<br />Neasden| }} The '''East London Line''' was a line of the [[London Underground]], coloured orange on the [[Tube map]]. It ran north to south through the [[East End of London|East End]] and [[London Docklands|Docklands]] areas of [[London]], entirely in [[Travelcard Zone 2]]. It closed on [[22 December]] [[2007]]<ref>{{cite web | title = East London Line alternative transport strategy update | publisher = [[London Underground]] | date = [[2006-11-27]] | url = http://www.gold.ac.uk/east-london.pdf | format = pdf | accessdate = 2006-12-24 }}</ref> for construction work, replaced by bus services. It is being extended and converted for use as the '''East London Railway''' and from 2010 will be part of the [[London Overground]] network of [[Transport for London]] (TfL). The line will change from a minor stub to a key transport artery, an orbital railway linking London's suburbs. Opened in 1869 as the '''East London Railway''', it runs under the [[Thames]] through the [[Thames Tunnel]], which was the oldest part of the Underground's infrastructure. The line was originally operated jointly by six different railway companies (later reduced to two) and became part of the London Underground in 1933. Of the eight stations, four are below ground. == History == ===Establishment of the East London Railway=== The East London Railway was created by the East London Railway Company, a consortium of six railway companies: the [[Great Eastern Railway]] (GER); [[London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]] (LB&SCR); [[London, Chatham and Dover Railway]] (LCDR); [[South Eastern Railway (UK)|South Eastern Railway]] (SER); [[Metropolitan Railway]]; and the [[Metropolitan District Railway]], the last two of which operated what are now the [[Metropolitan line]], [[Circle line (London Underground)|Circle line]], [[District line]] and [[Hammersmith & City line]] of the London Underground. [[Image:Inside a A60 Stock Train, Whitechapel 2007.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Interior of an East London line A60 class train. The rolling stock was shared with the Metropolitan line, hence the trains displayed both Metropolitan and East London line route maps.]] The companies sought to re-use the [[Thames Tunnel]], built by [[Marc Brunel|Marc]] and [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] between 1825 and 1843. The tunnel was built for horse-drawn carriages and so had generous headroom, with two separate carriageways separated by arches, though it was only used for pedestrian traffic. It connected [[Wapping]] on the north bank of the Thames with [[Rotherhithe]] on the south bank. Although it was a triumph of civil engineering, it was a commercial failure and by the 1860s it had become an unpleasant and disreputable place. The tunnel was the most easterly land connection between the north and south banks of the Thames. It was close to London's docks on both banks of the river and was not far from main line railways at either end. Converting the tunnel to a railway thus offered an ideal means of providing a cross-Thames rail link without having to go to the great expense of boring a new tunnel. On [[25 September]] [[1865]], the East London Railway Company took ownership of the Thames Tunnel at a cost of £800,000.<ref>"Railway And Other Companies. East London", The Times, Thursday, [[September 2]], [[1869]]; p. 5</ref> Over the next four years the company constructed a railway line running through the tunnel to connect with existing railway lines. [[Image:East london railway 1915.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Map of the East London Railway in 1915]] The line's development progressed in several stages as money became available: * [[7 December]] [[1869]]: Initial line from [[New Cross Gate tube station|New Cross Gate]] (then known as New Cross) to [[Wapping tube station|Wapping]] opened, operated by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). * [[13 March]] [[1871]]: A spur was opened from just south of what is now [[Surrey Quays tube station]] to the [[South London Line]]'s [[Old Kent Road railway station]]. Services were withdrawn in 1911 and the track was subsequently removed. * [[19 April]] [[1876]]: Wapping to [[Shoreditch tube station|Shoreditch]] opened, running through a cut-and-cover tunnel constructed in part along the bottom of a now-infilled dock. At Shoreditch a connection was made with the Great Eastern Railway to [[Liverpool Street railway station|Liverpool St]]. * [[1 April]] [[1880]]: A spur to [[New Cross station|New Cross]] (South Eastern Railway) opened. * [[3 March]] [[1884]]: A spur linking the Metropolitan Railway to the East London Railway opened south of [[Whitechapel tube station|Whitechapel]]. This enabled [[Metropolitan line|Metropolitan Railway]] and [[District line|Metropolitan District Railway]] (District) trains to run south of the river. Although no passenger trains now use it, the spur is used to transfer empty trains between the East London line and the rest of the sub-surface network. * [[3 October]] [[1884]]: stations opened at [[Shadwell station|Shadwell]], [[Wapping tube station|Wapping]], [[Rotherhithe tube station|Rotherhithe]], [[Surrey Quays tube station|Deptford Road]] (now Surrey Quays), [[New Cross Gate station|New Cross Gate]] (originally New Cross) and [[New Cross station|New Cross]]. * [[31 March]] [[1913]]: stations opened at [[Whitechapel tube station|Whitechapel]] (under the Metropolitan and District Railways station) and [[Shoreditch tube station|Shoreditch]]. ===Early utilisation=== The East London Railway Company owned the infrastructure but it was operated by its controlling railways. Steam trains were initially operated by the GER, LB&SCR and the SER. The LB&SCR used their [[LB&SCR A1 Class|LBSCR A1 Class]] Terrier locomotives, which [[William Stroudley]] designed partly with this line in mind. It carried both passenger and goods trains; the LB&SCR operated between Liverpool Street and [[Croydon]], the SER introducing a service between [[Addiscombe railway station|Addiscombe]] and Liverpool Street from April 1880. Until October 1884 there were no intermediate stations along the line: in that year several stations opened, and two more in 1913. Before the development of the [[Kent coalfield]]s in the early part of the twentieth century, house coal from the north for distribution in south London and as far afield as [[Maidstone]] and [[Brighton]] was an important source of revenue. Access at the north end of the line was difficult: trains were limited to 26 wagons and had to be shunted into the [[Great Eastern Railway|Great Eastern]]'s [[Liverpool Street Station]] and then drawn forward onto the East London line. From October 1900 additional capacity was offered by a wagon lift, carrying two ten-ton wagons, from the Great Eastern coal depot at Spitalfields to a siding on the ELR near Whitechapel station. The surface junction was taken up in 1966 and the lift closed in 1967, after a fire at the Spitalfields depot.<ref>{{cite book | last =Gordon | first =W.J. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =Our Home Railways (volume one) | publisher =Frederick Warne and Co | date =1910 | location =London | pages = p 153 | url = | doi = | id = }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last =Klapper | first =Charles | authorlink = | coauthors = | title =London’s Lost Railways | publisher =Routledge and Kegan Paul | date =1976 | location =London | pages =pp 94-98 | url = | doi = | id = ISBN 0-7100-8378-5 }}</ref> When the Metropolitan and District Railways were electrified in 1905-1906 they ceased using the ELR; it was electrified on [[31 March]] [[1913]], with the controlling railways funding the upgrade and the Metropolitan Railway providing the rolling stock. After the [[Railways Act 1921|1923 Grouping]] the goods service was operated by [[London and North Eastern Railway]], with the Metropolitan Railway continuing to provide passenger services. Passenger trains originally ran from the two southern termini to Shoreditch and [[South Kensington tube station|South Kensington]] via [[Edgware Road tube station|Edgware Road]] and [[High Street Kensington tube station|High Street Kensington]]. The Metropolitan Railway also briefly provided a passenger service to Liverpool Street but abandoned this in 1906. In 1914 the service to South Kensington was diverted to [[Hammersmith tube station|Hammersmith]]. ===The London Underground era=== {{East London Line original}} [[Image:Wapping tube station 1.jpg|left|thumb|[[Wapping tube station]] on the East London line, built into the original northern entrance shaft of the Thames Tunnel. The station was rebuilt in the early 1980s.]][[Image:Shoreditch to Liverpool St.jpg|thumb|left|The link to Liverpool Street, 1991]] In 1933 the East London Railway came under the control of the [[London Passenger Transport Board]]. Although the infrastructure was still privately owned, passenger services along the line were operated under the auspices of the "East London Branch" of the [[Metropolitan Line]]. In 1948 the railways were nationalised and became part of the newly-created [[British Transport Commission]] along with the Underground. Goods services continued to use the line until 1962, occasional passenger trains from Liverpool Street until 1966. The short length of track connecting Shoreditch to Liverpool St was removed in in 1966. The service to Shoreditch was also reduced, with Whitechapel becoming the northern terminus for much of the time; by the time Shoreditch station closed in 2006, it was open at peak times on weekdays, most of Sundays (for [[Brick Lane Market]]) and closed on Saturdays. Westbound services were steadily curtailed during the early part of the Underground era. The service to Hammersmith was reduced to peak hours only in 1936 and was withdrawn altogether in 1941, leaving the East London branch as an isolated appendage on the edge of the Underground network. Its only passenger interchange to the Underground was at Whitechapel, with interchanges to [[British Rail|main line]] trains at the two New Cross stations. In the 1980s and 1990s the line gained two important new connections: [[Shadwell station|Shadwell]] became an interchange with the [[Docklands Light Railway]] in 1987, and a new station was added at [[Canada Water tube station|Canada Water]] in 1999 for interchange with the [[Jubilee line]]. The identity of the East London line changed considerably during the London Underground era. On [[Tube map]]s between 1933 and 1968 the it was depicted in the same colour as the Metropolitan line. In 1970 it was renamed the "Metropolitan Line - East London Section", in Metropolitan line purple with a white stripe down the middle. In the 1980s it was renamed as a line in its own right (though it was still grouped operationally with the Metropolitan line) and from 1990 the colour changed to the present orange. The maintenance of the line passed to the [[Metronet]] consortium in 2003 under a [[Public-Private Partnership]], although the operation of trains continued to be the responsibility of TfL. According to TfL, the line carried 10.702 million passengers per year before its temporary closure in 2007. <ref name="linefacts">[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/modesoftransport/tube/linefacts/?line=eastlondon East London line facts], Transport for London</ref> <!-- ''Note: Although it is not [[Capitalization|grammatically]] correct, TfL nowadays seem to use mixed upper/lower case when referring to the line names on all literature, maps, signs and even labels on some trains. For example, the [[East London line]] is listed as East London '''line''', not East London '''Line'''. However this does not extend to [[National Rail]] services, e.g. the [[North London Line]]. Whether this will also apply to the East London line once [[London Overground]] services commence remains to be seen.'' --> ==Physical characteristics== [[Image:London Underground Zone 2.png|right|thumb|250px|A geographically accurate map of zones 1 and 2 of the Underground, showing the East London line (towards the right-hand side of the map).]] The East London line was the only Underground line not to enter [[Travelcard Zone 1]]. It was the second-shortest line (after the [[Waterloo & City line]]), with an end-to-end journey time of 14 minutes. Its length was 9 km (5 miles), with nine stations. At the time of its closure in 2007 it ran in a continuous tunnel from Whitechapel to Surrey Quays, with the remainder on the surface or in cutting. Much of the line is constructed in the [[cut-and-cover]] fashion that is typical of London's sub-surface railways. The deepest point is at Wapping station, constructed in the Thames Tunnel's original entrance shaft 18.29 m (60 ft) below the surface.<ref name="linefacts" /> At time of closure, the line connected with [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] mainline services at New Cross and [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]] at New Cross Gate. Underground connections were at Canada Water ([[Jubilee Line]]) and Whitechapel ([[District Line]]). A non-contiguous connection with the [[Docklands Light Railway]] was at [[Shadwell station|Shadwell]], with a separate DLR station some 50 m (150 ft) away. Although the interchange was via the street, through ticketing was permitted at time of closure in 2007. A link with the Metropolitan and District lines still exists just south of Whitechapel via the [[St Mary's Curve]]. This has been out of passenger use since 1941 but was still used to transfer rolling stock to and from the Metropolitan line's main depot at Neasden. The curve can easily be seen on the northbound and eastbound approaches to Whitechapel station, although a temporary wall was built across the line in January 2008, close to the junction with the District line{{Fact|date=February 2008}}. Most of the line is double track, with Shoreditch station and the final sections into the southern termini single track, the latter because of lack of space. This required southbound trains to alternate between the two termini. == Rolling stock== [[Image:LondonUnderground-AStock.jpg|left|200px|thumb|A train of A stock stands at Surrey Quays]] The East London line used [[Metropolitan line]] [[London Underground A60 Stock|A60 and A62 sub-surface rolling stock]] manufactured by Cravens of Sheffield in two batches between 1960 and 1962. It was upgraded in 1994 with improved suspension, lighting, heating and ventilation. The rolling stock was regularly interchanged with that used on the main [[Metropolitan line]] and usually carried both East London and Metropolitan line maps. Five four-car trains operated the line, some of the shortest trains on the network, necessitated by short platforms. The small number of trains made the line particularly sensitive to disruption caused by vandalism or train faults, as the withdrawal of a single train amounted to a 20% cut in capacity - the Metropolitan line would have to lose nine trains to suffer the same percentage cut. Trains were operated by just a driver: the decision to withdraw the guards prompted an unsuccessful strike by the [[National Union of Railwaymen]] in May 1985.<ref>"Illegal subway strike called off in London", ''Globe and Mail'', [[21 May]] [[1985]]</ref> Light maintenance and stabling took place at a small depot near New Cross, with heavier work at the main Metropolitan line depot at [[Neasden]]. Between 1985 and 1987 D78 stock operated the line before being replaced by A60 and A62 stock again. === New rolling stock === As part of the upgrade of the East London line new rolling stock will replace the A Stock, which will be 50 years old by the time Phase 1 is complete in 2010. It was announced on [[31 August]] [[2006]] that [[Bombardier]] has been selected to provide 20 four-car units for the East London line and 24 dual-voltage three-car units for the [[North London Line]]. The contract is worth £223m.<ref>[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/downloads/pdf/about-tfl/board-meetings/Agenda-25-10-06.pdf TfL Board Meeting [[25 October]] [[2006]] Agenda Item 4, Page 5</ref> On [[4 July]] [[2007]] it was announced that the order had been increased by adding an extra car to the dual-voltage units and an extra three trains for the East London line at a cost of £36m.<ref>[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/5432.aspx £36m contract to bring extra rail carriages for London Overground]</ref> The [[British Rail Class 378|trains]] are based on the [[Electrostar]] design and are outwardly similar to the [[British Rail Class 376|Class 376]] stock in operation in southeast England. ==Rail Replacement Bus Services== On [[10 June]] [[2006]] the following rail replacement bus service was introduced: * '''[[London Buses route ELS|ELS]]''' Whitechapel - Shoreditch (Monday-Friday 0700-1030 & 1530-2030, Sunday 0700-1530) On Sunday [[23 December]] [[2007]] three further services were introduced: * '''[[London Buses route ELC|ELC]]''' New Cross Gate - New Cross - Surrey Quays - Canada Water (Monday-Friday every 5-10 minutes, weekends every 15 minutes). * '''[[London Buses route ELP|ELP]]''' Canada Water - Rotherhithe (every 15 minutes). Withdrawn on [[24 February]] [[2008]] due to lack of use: tickets are valid between Bermondsey and Canada Water on standard [[London Buses route 381|route 381]]. * '''[[London Buses route ELW|ELW]]''' Whitechapel - Shadwell - Wapping (every 10 minutes, evenings & weekends 15 minutes). :<small><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/information.asp?time=now&mode=tube&line=eastlondon&incident=67070_TfL |title= Live travel news |accessdate= 2008-02-23 |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> There is no cross-river replacement bus service.</small> == Stations == [[Image:East London Line.svg|250px|Geographically accurate map of the East London line]] ''In order from north to south'' [[Image:Shoreditch stn closed.JPG|thumb|right|A dilapidated, [[graffiti]]-strewn [[Shoreditch tube station]] in December 2007. It closed on [[9 June]] [[2006]], after 93 years of Underground service.]] * ''[[Shoreditch tube station|Shoreditch]]'' - opened [[31 March]] [[1913]], closed [[9 June]] [[2006]]. * [[Whitechapel tube station|Whitechapel]] - ELL platforms opened [[31 March]] [[1913]]. Interchange with [[District line]] [[Hammersmith & City Line]]. * [[Shadwell station|Shadwell]] - opened [[1 October]] [[1884]]. Interchange with [[Docklands Light Railway]]. * [[Wapping tube station|Wapping]] - opened [[1 October]] [[1884]]. * [[Rotherhithe tube station|Rotherhithe]] - opened [[1 October]] [[1884]]. * [[Canada Water tube station|Canada Water]] {{Access icon}} - opened [[17 September]] [[1999]]. Interchange with [[Jubilee line]]. * [[Surrey Quays tube station|Surrey Quays]] - opened as Deptford Road [[1 October]] [[1884]], renamed Surrey Docks in 1911. * ''line splits'' ** [[New Cross Gate station|New Cross Gate]] - opened as New Cross [[1 October]] [[1884]]. Interchange with [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]] mainline services. ** [[New Cross station|New Cross]] {{Access icon}} - opened [[1 October]] [[1884]]. Interchange with [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] mainline services. ==Extensions==<!-- This section is linked from [[London Underground]] --> {{future uk public transportation}} {{East London Line}} The East London line is currently being extended in two phases. In Phase 1, due to be completed by June 2010, is northwards from Whitechapel to [[Highbury & Islington station|Highbury & Islington]], and south to [[Crystal Palace railway station|Crystal Palace]] and [[West Croydon station|West Croydon]]. Phase 2, approved but not yet funded, is west to [[Clapham Junction railway station|Clapham Junction]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/TransportStreets/PublicTransportTaxis/EastLondonLineExtension.htm|title=London Borough of Lambeth: East London Line extension|last=Richards|first=Claire|date=2007-07-09|publisher=London Borough of Lambeth|accessdate=2008-05-23}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5Y1psGXdX Archived] [[2008-05-23]].</ref> According to ''Transport Briefings'', London Mayor [[Boris Johnson]] "has said he will lobby for projects including the East London Line Phase 2 extension".<ref>{{cite news|title=Mayoral coup puts Boris in charge of London transport|date=2008-05-05|publisher=Transport Briefing}}</ref> In 2007 MP [[Martin Linton]] claimed that with funding Phase 2 could be completed by 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.1515779.0.clapham_junction_could_be_on_tube_by_2012.php|title=Clapham Junction could be on Tube by 2012|last=Silverman|first=Rosa|date=Tuesday 3rd July 2007|publisher=Local Guardian|accessdate=2008-05-23}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5Y1qLTM4v Archived [[2008-05-23]].</ref> ===Proposals and problems=== Extensions of the East London line have been discussed for many years. During the 1980s London Transport considered converting it into a light railway similar to the Docklands Light Railway, or restoring the connection to Liverpool Street.<ref>"A working party set up by London Regional Transport and British Rail to examine potential sites for light railway networks in London has revealed its findings." ''Financial Times'', [[5 February]] [[1987]]</ref><ref>"Booming Tube lines may be extended", ''The Times'', [[10 April]] [[1987]]</ref> By 1989 a proposal had emerged to extend it north to Dalston and south to [[Dulwich]] and [[Peckham Rye]], sharing track and stations with the mainline network, as on parts of the [[Bakerloo Line]], [[District line]] and [[Metropolitan line]]). The plan was costed at £100-£120 million and the extended line was envisaged to open in 1994.<ref>"Dalston-Dulwich Tube likely to go ahead", ''Financial Times'', [[22 December]] [[1989]]</ref> The extension project was proposed several times during the 1990s but repeatedly fell through due to a lack of government support and insufficient financing. In November 1990 Transport Secretary [[Cecil Parkinson]] rejected a proposed parliamentary Bill that would have authorised the project<ref>"Way open for private rail link to City of London." ''The Guardian'', [[21 November]] [[1990]]</ref> and two years later the extension plans were postponed indefinitely due to cutbacks in Tube funding.<ref>"The cuts run deep for London Underground." ''Financial Times'', [[14 November]] [[1992]]</ref> Another proposal was made in 1993<ref>"East London Line - London Underground to seek consent." ''Estates Gazette'', [[4 December]] [[1993]]</ref> and received the support of a public inquiry in 1994. The project was finally approved by the Government in 1996<ref>"Final approval given for powers to construct East London Line northern extension." Department of Transport, [[16 January]] [[1997]]</ref> but a lack of financing again forced the project to be put on hold in 1997.<ref>"Where Tube axe falls." ''The Times'', [[21 February]] [[1997]]</ref> A solution to the funding issue was found in 1999 when London Transport announced that it was seeking private funds to realise the extension plans.<ref>"Underground to be extended with private funds - London Transport." The Times, [[8 February]] [[1999]]</ref> Control of the project was given to the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] rather than to London Underground, in view of the impact that it would have on mainline services. It was also proposed that the East London line and other sub-surface Underground lines would be transferred to [[Railtrack]], the privatised company responsible for maintaining the mainline network. This would have seen the line being integrated with the London suburban commuter network.<ref>"Railtrack lines up the prospect of non-stop travel across London." ''Financial Times'', [[16 June]] [[1999]]</ref> However, it was soon decided that this was impractical and the Railtrack proposal was abandoned.<ref>"1999 Railtrack and the Underground." UK Government press release, [[1 December]] [[1999]]</ref> ===Commencement of project=== After the Government gave the go-ahead on [[9 October]] [[2001]] on the basis of the line being funded through the [[Private Finance Initiative]], the construction of the northern extension was due to begin in December 2001. However, it was held up when it came to light that the [[Listed building|Grade II listed]] 19th century Braithwaite arches in the former [[Bishopsgate Goods Yard]] were to be demolished as part of the project. Campaigners launched legal action against London Underground in an effort to prevent the demolition, but the project finally received legal clearance in the [[Court of Appeal of England and Wales|Court of Appeal]] on [[7 July]] [[2003]]. It is now anticipated that the northerly extension to [[Dalston]] should open in 2010 (in February 2008 the work was due for completion on [[19 October]] [[2009]]<ref>{{cite web | title =Board meeting papers | publisher =[[Transport for London]] | date = 2008-02-06 | url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Agenda-08-02-06.pdf | format = pdf | accessdate = 2008-02-13}}</ref>, which is ahead of schedule), in time for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] being held in London, a time-scale confirmed by the project team in January 2006. As part of the work for the extension, the line will be closed for up to 30 months from December 2007, opening by June 2010.<ref>{{cite web | title =East London line | work =5 Year Investment Programme | publisher =[[Transport for London]] | date = | url = http://ellp.tfl.gov.uk/UserFiles/File/Documents/ELLP%20brochure%20Spring%2007%20(Final)(1).pdf | format = pdf | accessdate = 2006-12-24 }}</ref> This triple extension project is the first London Underground project to be funded through a Private Finance Initiative scheme, though the recent [[Jubilee Line Extension]] project was funded through a similar [[Public-Private Partnership]] scheme. The project will cost some £600 million and is projected to yield £10 billion in economic regeneration. It is still not entirely certain whether it will be completed, as the [[HM Treasury|Treasury]] has not yet confirmed the full funding. Because of an inability to extend the platforms at the existing [[Wapping tube station|Wapping]] and [[Rotherhithe tube station|Rotherhithe]] stations and make them fully compliant with current rail safety regulations, it was thought that they would close, but on [[18 August]] [[2004]] [[Ken Livingstone]], [[Mayor of London]], announced that both stations will remain open, at least when Phase 1 of the project opens by June 2010. On [[12 October]] [[2004]] the Mayor formally confirmed that phase one of the East London Line Project would be delivered as part of the Capital Investment programme. On [[16 November]] [[2004]] he announced that control of the project had passed from the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] to TfL, so that the project could be initiated and funded from TfL's five-year investment programme. The planned service was initially described as a "metro-style (National Rail) train service".<ref>{{cite web | title =East London Railway | work = | publisher =[[Transport for London]] | date = | url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/rail/initiatives/ell-project-status.shtml | format = | accessdate = 2006-12-24 }}</ref> On [[5 September]] [[2006]] it was announced that the line would form part of the [[London Overground]], branded with a version of the familiar Underground roundel, replacing the red roundel with orange (the colour that the East London line currently appears on tube maps).<ref>[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prID=886 TfL] - Introducing 'London Overground'</ref> It is expected that the extension will greatly increase the usage of the line. The current figure of 10.4m passengers per year is expected to increase to 35.4m when the first phase of the extension project is completed, and 50m when both phases are finished.<ref>"[http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4547 London takes over responsibility for building East London line extension]", Mayor of London, [[16 November]] [[2004]]</ref> On [[23 October]] [[2006]], it was announced that a consortium comprising [[Balfour Beatty]] and [[Carillion]] had been selected to carry out the northern and southern extensions between West Croydon, Crystal Palace and Dalston Junction in a contract worth £363 million ($617 million).<ref>"[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prID=922 TfL awards £363m contract to build new East London Railway]", Transport for London, [[23 October]] [[2006]]</ref> Apart from the Braithwaite arches, the route of the northern extension was uncontroversial, as it reused the disused viaduct to the former [[Broad Street railway station (London)|Broad Street station]]. In contrast, the southerly route across south London's existing network of suburban railways underwent many changes. The initial 1999 proposal listed four options, all starting south of Surrey Quays: {{wikinews|Union criticizes East London Line 'privatisation'}} * through Forest Hill to West Croydon, with a spur from Sydenham to Crystal Palace, the selected route; * through East Dulwich and Tooting to Wimbledon; * through Denmark Hill to Clapham Junction; * through Forest Hill and Norwood Junction to West Croydon. ====Northern extension==== [[Image:East London line all change.JPG|thumb]] In phase 1, the line is being extended northwards from Whitechapel, with new stations at [[Shoreditch High Street station|Shoreditch High Street]], [[Hoxton station|Hoxton]], [[Haggerston station|Haggerston]] and [[Dalston Junction railway station|Dalston Junction]]. A further extension along the [[North London Line]], through [[Canonbury railway station|Canonbury]] to [[Highbury & Islington station|Highbury & Islington]] for interchange with the [[Victoria line]], [[North London line]] and [[Northern City Line]] will open soon afterwards. The northern extension will require only 3.6 km of new trackbed, linking Whitechapel to the Broad Street viaduct, using existing disused trackbeds for most of the distance. [[Shoreditch tube station|Shoreditch]] closed permanently in June 2006. The new line will diverge before the closed Shoreditch station, traverse the former site of the Bishopsgate Goods Yard and bridging Shoreditch High Street, before running north along the Broad Street viaduct. A [[Shoreditch High Street station|new Shoreditch station]] will be in Bethnal Green Road very near Shoreditch High Street. Statutory planning powers for the extension were granted in January 1997. In mid-April 2008 the main structure of the bridge over Shoreditch High Street was complete. The ground on the approaches to the bridge had been largely cleared and significant sections of the approach viaducts had been built. The building of the station was at a very early stage. Early in the project's life mention was made of the possibility of further extending the line from [[Highbury & Islington station|Highbury & Islington]] to [[Finsbury Park station|Finsbury Park]] to the north, and [[Willesden Junction station|Willesden Junction]] to the west, through [[Camden Road railway station|Camden Road]], [[Primrose Hill railway station|Primrose Hill]] and [[Queen's Park station|Queen's Park]], along the above-ground [[Network Rail]] (now [[London Overground]]) [[North London Line]]. This was known as the Mayor's [[Orbirail]] project. These ideas are not in the present project. The project's web site states that Finsbury Park is omitted because of operational complexity and that the Willesden Junction branch could be considered as a separate project in the future. The present track plans[http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s18-NLR_appendix12.pdf] show the ELL and NLL separated, without the possibility of through running. ====Southern extension==== [[Image:EastLondonLineRouteMap.png|thumb|250px|East London Line Extension plans. The extension to Highbury & Islington will now be delivered before phase 2.]] In phase 1, the line will also be extended with a northbound flyover north of [[New Cross Gate station|New Cross Gate]] to the [[London Bridge station|London Bridge]] arm of the [[Brighton Main Line]], through [[Brockley railway station|Brockley]], [[Honor Oak Park railway station|Honor Oak Park]], [[Forest Hill railway station|Forest Hill]], [[Sydenham railway station (London)|Sydenham]], [[Penge West railway station|Penge West]], [[Crystal Palace railway station|Crystal Palace]] (by way of a branch), [[Anerley railway station|Anerley]], [[Norwood Junction railway station|Norwood Junction]] to [[West Croydon station|West Croydon]]. Beyond the construction of a train servicing facility and flyover at New Cross Gate, little work will be needed to achieve this. Both of these plans were approved in October 2001. There were some campaigning for this extension to go further, to [[Sutton railway station (London)|Sutton]], but estimates indicated that passenger usage would be so great that the line would be unable to take much traffic north of [[West Croydon station|West Croydon]] and this option was not adopted. The stations from New Cross Gate south are currently managed by [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]], and some may be transferred to TfL control as part of the extension project.<ref>{{cite web | title = South Central Franchise Consultation | publisher = [[Department for Transport]] | url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/southcentralfranchise/southcentralfranchisecons.pdf | format = pdf | accessdate = 2008-05-22 }}</ref> ====Western extension==== In phase 2 of the extension project, a 2.5 km (1.5&nbsp;mi) link is planned from south of [[Surrey Quays tube station|Surrey Quays]] to the Network Rail [[South London Line]] to [[Clapham Junction station|Clapham Junction]], by way of [[Queens Road Peckham railway station|Queens Road Peckham]], [[Peckham Rye railway station|Peckham Rye]], [[Denmark Hill railway station|Denmark Hill]], [[Clapham High Street railway station|Clapham High Street]] and [[Wandsworth Road railway station|Wandsworth Road]]. This would be on a disused alignment which until 1911 was used by trains from Rotherhithe to Peckham via the now-defunct Old Kent Road station. A new station at [[Surrey Canal Road station|Surrey Canal Road ]] would be built. There are campaigns for new stations at Brixton and North Battersea.<ref>[http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ewsgcdum5wbcnjvasla2vr3vxfzb7tpwfhg5xvovalquruiugreblrcqjawmq3jrijgyhs2fncirddya7h3wl46tckd/ConnectingSouthLondon.pdf East London Line Extensions Phase 2<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>http://www.epolitix.com/EN/MPWebsites/Martin+Linton/CA661767-65AB-4468-A56A-CE641D68CA1F.htm</ref> Initially it was planned to run this line via East Dulwich to Wimbledon, but this part of the plan has been shelved, probably permanently. In July 2006, the Government warned that this £250m phase was unlikely to be approved before 2012; it is currently unfunded.<ref>"No early start for 2nd phase in east London." ''Construction News'', [[27 July]] [[2006]]</ref> ==== Transfer to London Overground ==== When the extended line reopens, it will be part of [[London Overground]] rather than [[London Underground]], having been rebuilt to [[Network Rail]] standards. The existing track and the Northern extension will remain under TfL ownership and the stations from Dalston Junction to Surrey Quays will be part of the [[London Overground]] network.<ref>[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/media/designstandards/assets/downloads/overground/OvergroundSignsStandardIssue01.pdf London Overground signs standard]</ref> ==Controversy== {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} The radical changes to the line have sparked fierce debate. In September 2006, union activists protested against the [[Mayor of London]]. They said that this was a renewal of plans of effectively privatising the London Underground, although the Mayor dismissed these claims.<ref>BBC News (2006) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5336940.stm Livingstone shrugs off scab jibe], 11 September 2006. Retrieved [[23 November]] [[2006]]</ref> ==External links== * [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/modesoftransport/tube/linefacts/?line=east-london East London line] - London Underground website * [http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/eastlondon.html Clive's Underground Line Guides: East London line] * [http://www.londonrailways.net/thames.html Thames foot tunnels] * [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/2105.aspx East London line Project] (official home page) * [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/eastlondonrailway/2107.aspx East London line extensions map] * [http://www.transportbriefing.com/ Transport Briefing] Updates on East and North London Line developments * [http://www.trainsimcentral.co.uk/ell.htm East London Line addon] for the [[train simulator]] [[BVE]] *[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/eastlondonrailway/5323.aspx Official suspension notice] *[http://www.brunel-museum.org.uk The Brunel Museum] - the museum is in the building in Rotherhithe that contained the pumps to keep the Thames Tunnel dry. *[http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/2008/01/east-london-line-route-through.html ELL route through Shoreditch] ==References== {{reflist|3}} {{refbegin}} Various sources have been used in the creation of this article, including the external links above, [[:Image: EastLondonLineRouteMap.png|email conversations with the ELL Project Team]] and [[Talk:East London Line|emails from the ELL Project Team update newsletter]]. {{refend}} {{ThamesCrossings | west=[[Tower Bridge]] | east=[[Rotherhithe Tunnel]] }} {{future UK railway projects}} [[Category:London Underground lines]] [[Category:London Overground]] [[Category:London Rail]] [[Category:Croydon 2020]] [[Category:Transport in Croydon]] [[Category:Transport in Tower Hamlets]] [[Category:Transport in Southwark]] [[Category:Transport in Lewisham]] [[Category:Transport in Lambeth]] [[Category:Transport in Wandsworth]] [[Category:Transport in Hackney]] [[Category:Transport in Bromley]] [[Category:Transport in Islington]] [[Category:Future transport projects in London]] [[de:East London Line]] [[es:East London Line]] [[fr:East London line]] [[hi:ईस्ट लंदन लाइन]] [[nl:East London Line]] [[ja:イーストロンドン線]] [[no:East London-linjen]] [[pl:East London Line]] [[sk:East London Line]] [[fi:East London Line]] [[th:สายอีสต์ลอนดอน]] [[zh:東倫敦線]]