North London Line
Encyclopedia
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London
, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London
. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail
. Although much of it originated as part of the North London Railway
, the current route is the result of a series of amalgamations, closures and re-openings; and has a mixed third-rail and overhead electrical power supply
. It is an important freight route and is used by the to service of the London Overground
, as part of the National Rail
network. Also between Richmond and Gunnersbury, London Underground's
District line
shares tracks with London Overground
services, although this part is also owned and maintained by Network Rail.
The line closed in February 2010 between and for installing a new signalling system and for extending 30 platforms, ultimately to allow four-car trains to run on the London Overground network. The line reopened on 1 June 2010 with a reduced service and none on Sundays, and with the upgrade work completed the full seven-day service resumed with effect from 22 May 2011.
In 1944 passenger service on the NLR Poplar branch ceased. Freight traffic probably continued on the branch until the docks on the Isle of Dogs
closed during the 1960s and 1980s. The trackbed of the southern part of the branch, from Poplar to Bow, was used for the Docklands Light Railway
(DLR) branch to Stratford.
In 1979 the North Woolwich to Stratford service was extended to as the CrossTown LinkLine service using the same Cravens-built diesel multiple unit trains. There were no intermediate stations until in 1980 Hackney Wick, near the site of the former Victoria Park station, opened and Hackney Central re-opened, Homerton re-opened in 1985 (both those stations had closed in 1944). New platforms were built at West Ham for interchange with the adjacent Underground station.
on the third-rail system and Broad Street services were diverted to North Woolwich using former Southern Region 2-EPB types built in the 1950s. The two-car trains soon proved too small and were replaced by three-car Class 313 electric multiple units. The new service was branded by British Rail
as the North London Link, and some signs using this name still exist.
In December 2006, as with the Poplar branch (see above), the line between Stratford and North Woolwich was permanently closed to make a way for a future DLR extension from to Stratford International
(opening February 2011). The section south of Canning Town was not used by the DLR as it is largely duplicated by the DLR King George V
branch. Instead, the section will become part of Crossrail
's branch to (opening 2018). The section south of Stratford had always been the Cinderella end of the line, when there were operating problems it was common for trains to be turned short at Stratford.
report described the current service as "shabby, unreliable, unsafe and overcrowded", proposing the transfer of the service to Transport for London
(TfL) as a solution to improve the quality of the service due to upgrade plans which coincide with the extension of the East London line
.
A report on the line can be found on the London Assembly website.
, Gospel Oak to Barking Line
and the Watford DC Line
, was transferred to Transport for London
(TfL) in 2007 to form its new London Overground
service. TfL began to remodel stations, integrate lines and following the transfer and extension of the East London Line
, aims to create an orbital rail service. TfL also brought in new trains
and the line, which previously appeared on tube maps following a public campaign, gained its own colour. TfL extensively refurbished and upgraded the line.
. Most of these were routed via the line between and , calling at , although some travelled via and switched to the Watford line at . By the time that Broad Street closed in 1986 the Watford services operated only in the rush hours, and they were diverted to Liverpool Street by way of a new link in Hackney
, known as the Graham Road Curve. However, with trains frequently cancelled, and some timed to arrive at station after the start of the working day (plus the evening workings also being timed to not be suitable for office workers), patronage was very low and after a few years they were withdrawn.
In 2000, Anglia Railways
started a service between and , utilising parts of the North London Line. The service was called London Crosslink
and ran up to five times a day at roughly two-hourly intervals. The service called only at principal stations such as , and . On the North London Line, the trains called only at , , (some services), and . The service was withdrawn in 2002.
The AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London Line uses the previously unelectrified northern pair of tracks, which were also partially singled at the same time. Between and there is a line which links to the East Coast Main Line
at station. This used to carry passenger trains to / from various North London stations (such as Edgware
, Alexandra Palace
, High Barnet, and others) over part of the North London Line to Broad Street Station; however, since the opening of the Great Northern Electrics suburban electrification which in the 1970s saw trains being diverted into and stations, this link has only been used for freight trains. It too was singled concurrent with the AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London Line.
. The river crossing is made by Kew Railway Bridge on tracks which are shared with the London Underground District Line. The location of the eastern extremity has varied over the years. Between 1944 and 1986 it was at Broad Street station, then it switched to . It was cut back to . A tunnel, the Hampstead Heath tunnel, runs under Hampstead
between and . The line is double track throughout with a mix of triple and quadruple track between and . The former North Woolwich branch included a section of single track between Custom House and North Woolwich stations, and the Broad Street branch was at one time formed of quadruple track.
During the February–May 2010 closure, stations at , and were extensively rebuilt. The through route was moved to the north side of the cutting, to allow the extended East London Line to serve Highbury & Islington and Canonbury on a pair of completely segregated tracks occupying the former route on the south side of the cutting. West of Highbury and Islington, the passenger line switches to the inner pair of tracks, while the outer pair are for freight train use, all tracks under overhead wires. Once the extension is complete, there will therefore be four tracks between Dalston (Western) Junction and shortly east of Camden Road.
using the third rail
system from Richmond to . Overhead lines
are used from Acton Central to Stratford. The line to Broad Street used third rail supply and when the through service to North Woolwich started in 1985 trains used the third rail throughout. When the trains were replaced a few years later by dual-system Class 313
trains it became possible to use the overhead electrification system which had been added to parts of the line for the benefit of freight trains. There had been some unexpected difficulties with earth currents from the third rail system which this overcame. This usage was steadily extended and trains had to make a number of changes between electrification systems during their short journey. These were at Dalston Kingsland, Camden Road and Acton Central. With the final upgrade of the line between Camden Road and Stratford, the need to change electification systems on this stretch was eliminated, and now the only changeover takes place at Acton Central.
four-car dual-voltage electric trains, compatible with both 750V DC third-rail and 25kV AC overhead power sources, The Class 378 Capitalstars replaced the Class 313
trains, which were withdrawn from the route by February 2010.
service, making up a total of 8 trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford. During off-peak times, there are 4 trains per hour between Richmond and Stratford, and 4 trains per hour on the West London line between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, with two of these per hour continuing to Stratford, making up a total of 6 trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford. The introduction of the new four-car, air-conditioned trains, combined with improved signalling and passenger information has dramatically overhauled the service, making it a very effective alternative to travelling through central London for many orbital journeys.
connects to the NLL with ELL services joining the line west of , running to .,
proposed that part of the North London Line be used as a branch of Crossrail
to . This would see Crossrail services stopping at and . However it was not included in the initial Crossrail bill, but could potentially form part of a later extension.
line from London Euston to Birmingham
; a new station called would be built by 2025 serving the North London Line, West London Line
, High Speed 2 and Crossrail
. The new government does support this after opposing it at first.
. As this may require the central line station being moved to the east, it is merely an aspiration.
Closed stations apart from those on the closed sections of the line are:
The extension closed on 30 June 1986, but although the track was lifted the viaduct remained in place. In 2010, the route was re-opened as part of the extended East London Line
, which, like the North London Line, is operated by London Overground
.
line between Stratford and North Woolwich was closed to allow building between and of a Docklands Light Railway
line to Stratford International
. Part of the south end of closed section is to be used for Crossrail
.
NLL stations closed were:
DLR
and Jubilee Line
services are not affected at the first three of those stations.
The DLR line to Stratford International will use the former NLL low level platforms at Stratford. NLL trains now terminate at new platforms on the north side of the high level station.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
. Although much of it originated as part of the North London Railway
North London Railway
The North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
, the current route is the result of a series of amalgamations, closures and re-openings; and has a mixed third-rail and overhead electrical power supply
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
. It is an important freight route and is used by the to service of the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
, as part of the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network. Also between Richmond and Gunnersbury, London Underground's
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
District line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
shares tracks with London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
services, although this part is also owned and maintained by Network Rail.
The line closed in February 2010 between and for installing a new signalling system and for extending 30 platforms, ultimately to allow four-car trains to run on the London Overground network. The line reopened on 1 June 2010 with a reduced service and none on Sundays, and with the upgrade work completed the full seven-day service resumed with effect from 22 May 2011.
Formation
The North London Line between Richmond and North Woolwich derives from five connecting sections which were opened over 25 years from 1846:- The easternmost section opened as the Eastern Counties and Thames Junction RailwayEastern Counties and Thames Junction RailwayThe Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway in east London connected the Royal Docks with the Eastern Counties Railway . Authorised in 1844, it opened in 1846, and was absorbed by the ECR in 1847...
in 1846/7 between Stratford and North Woolwich. The later construction of the Royal Victoria Dock necessitated a swing-bridge on the original route south of Canning Town which was rerouted in 1850 via Custom House and the Connaught Tunnel. The original route was retained as the Silvertown Tramway, a local freight line connected at both ends to the new main line.
- The main central section opened from 1850 to 1852 as the East & West India Docks & Birmingham Junction Railway (renamed the North London RailwayNorth London RailwayThe North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
(NLR) in 1853). This gave a link from the Euston main line near Primrose Hill to the docks at Poplar via Bow.
- In the west, the North & South Western Junction Railway was opened in 1853 from station to a junction with the Hounslow Loop LineHounslow Loop LineThe Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between and...
near .
- The last link in the east was opened between the NLR near Victoria Park and Stratford in 1854.
- To obviate NLR trains running on the busy Euston main line, the Hampstead Junction Railway was opened from the NLR at to Willesden via in 1860.
- To give the NLR direct access to the City of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
the City ExtensionNorth London Line City BranchThe City Branch was a short spur of the North London Line allowing direct access from the east-west main route of the North London Railway to the terminus at Broad Street in the City of London.-History:...
to Broad Street was opened from in 1865.
- The final part of the route was the opening of a link from to Richmond by the London & South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1869.
Developments
The line between Broad Street and both Kew Bridge and Richmond was electrified by the LNWR in 1916 on the 4th rail DC system.In 1944 passenger service on the NLR Poplar branch ceased. Freight traffic probably continued on the branch until the docks on the Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
closed during the 1960s and 1980s. The trackbed of the southern part of the branch, from Poplar to Bow, was used for the Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
(DLR) branch to Stratford.
In 1979 the North Woolwich to Stratford service was extended to as the CrossTown LinkLine service using the same Cravens-built diesel multiple unit trains. There were no intermediate stations until in 1980 Hackney Wick, near the site of the former Victoria Park station, opened and Hackney Central re-opened, Homerton re-opened in 1985 (both those stations had closed in 1944). New platforms were built at West Ham for interchange with the adjacent Underground station.
Closures
In the 1980s Broad Street station closed and the Tottenham Hale–Stratford link and the station at Lea Bridge ceased to be used by regular passenger trains. The line between Dalston and North Woolwich was electrifiedRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
on the third-rail system and Broad Street services were diverted to North Woolwich using former Southern Region 2-EPB types built in the 1950s. The two-car trains soon proved too small and were replaced by three-car Class 313 electric multiple units. The new service was branded by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
as the North London Link, and some signs using this name still exist.
In December 2006, as with the Poplar branch (see above), the line between Stratford and North Woolwich was permanently closed to make a way for a future DLR extension from to Stratford International
Stratford International station
Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom...
(opening February 2011). The section south of Canning Town was not used by the DLR as it is largely duplicated by the DLR King George V
King George V DLR station
King George V DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway which opened on 2 December 2005 and named after King George V Dock, nearby. The station is in the London Borough of Newham and is located in Travelcard Zone 3. Station and on-train announcements refer to the station as 'King...
branch. Instead, the section will become part of Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
's branch to (opening 2018). The section south of Stratford had always been the Cinderella end of the line, when there were operating problems it was common for trains to be turned short at Stratford.
Poor performance before the TFL take over
Despite published performance figures the North London Line used to be regarded by frequent travellers as offering a poor service, with extremely congested trains and an unreliable service with trains often cancelled shortly before they are due to arrive. A 2006 London AssemblyLondon Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
report described the current service as "shabby, unreliable, unsafe and overcrowded", proposing the transfer of the service to Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
(TfL) as a solution to improve the quality of the service due to upgrade plans which coincide with the extension of the East London line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
.
A report on the line can be found on the London Assembly website.
TfL
The North London Line, as part of Silverlink Metro, along with the West London LineWest London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
, Gospel Oak to Barking Line
Gospel Oak to Barking line
The Gospel Oak – Barking Line is a railway line in north and east London which connects Gospel Oak in North London and Barking in East London as part of the London Overground network. It is sometimes known as the Goblin , although this is a nickname rather than an official title...
and the Watford DC Line
Watford DC Line
The Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
, was transferred to Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
(TfL) in 2007 to form its new London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
service. TfL began to remodel stations, integrate lines and following the transfer and extension of the East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
, aims to create an orbital rail service. TfL also brought in new trains
British Rail Class 378
The Class 378 Capitalstar is a type of electric multiple-unit train, part of Bombardier Transportation's Electrostar family. These trains are operating on the new London Overground network...
and the line, which previously appeared on tube maps following a public campaign, gained its own colour. TfL extensively refurbished and upgraded the line.
Former services
In addition to the primary Broad Street - service there were services that linked Broad Street with and on the West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. Most of these were routed via the line between and , calling at , although some travelled via and switched to the Watford line at . By the time that Broad Street closed in 1986 the Watford services operated only in the rush hours, and they were diverted to Liverpool Street by way of a new link in Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, known as the Graham Road Curve. However, with trains frequently cancelled, and some timed to arrive at station after the start of the working day (plus the evening workings also being timed to not be suitable for office workers), patronage was very low and after a few years they were withdrawn.
In 2000, Anglia Railways
Anglia Railways
Anglia Railways was a British train operating company, owned by GB Railways, which between 5 January 1997 and 31 March 2004 operated mainline trains out of London Liverpool Street station and a number of local rail services in East Anglia....
started a service between and , utilising parts of the North London Line. The service was called London Crosslink
London Crosslink
London Crosslink was a train service operated by Anglia Railways, which ran between Norwich and Basingstoke, using the North London Line to by-pass central London. Class 170 "Turbostar" diesel multiple units were used. The service ran from 30 May 2000 to 11 September 2002...
and ran up to five times a day at roughly two-hourly intervals. The service called only at principal stations such as , and . On the North London Line, the trains called only at , , (some services), and . The service was withdrawn in 2002.
The AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London Line uses the previously unelectrified northern pair of tracks, which were also partially singled at the same time. Between and there is a line which links to the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
at station. This used to carry passenger trains to / from various North London stations (such as Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
, High Barnet, and others) over part of the North London Line to Broad Street Station; however, since the opening of the Great Northern Electrics suburban electrification which in the 1970s saw trains being diverted into and stations, this link has only been used for freight trains. It too was singled concurrent with the AC electrification of the eastern part of the North London Line.
Route
Track
Most of the line runs in a curve across north London. Only and stations at the western end are south of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. The river crossing is made by Kew Railway Bridge on tracks which are shared with the London Underground District Line. The location of the eastern extremity has varied over the years. Between 1944 and 1986 it was at Broad Street station, then it switched to . It was cut back to . A tunnel, the Hampstead Heath tunnel, runs under Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
between and . The line is double track throughout with a mix of triple and quadruple track between and . The former North Woolwich branch included a section of single track between Custom House and North Woolwich stations, and the Broad Street branch was at one time formed of quadruple track.
During the February–May 2010 closure, stations at , and were extensively rebuilt. The through route was moved to the north side of the cutting, to allow the extended East London Line to serve Highbury & Islington and Canonbury on a pair of completely segregated tracks occupying the former route on the south side of the cutting. West of Highbury and Islington, the passenger line switches to the inner pair of tracks, while the outer pair are for freight train use, all tracks under overhead wires. Once the extension is complete, there will therefore be four tracks between Dalston (Western) Junction and shortly east of Camden Road.
Electric supply
The line is electrifiedRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
using the third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
system from Richmond to . Overhead lines
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
are used from Acton Central to Stratford. The line to Broad Street used third rail supply and when the through service to North Woolwich started in 1985 trains used the third rail throughout. When the trains were replaced a few years later by dual-system Class 313
British Rail Class 313
British Rail Class 313 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works between February 1976 and April 1977 and were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail...
trains it became possible to use the overhead electrification system which had been added to parts of the line for the benefit of freight trains. There had been some unexpected difficulties with earth currents from the third rail system which this overcame. This usage was steadily extended and trains had to make a number of changes between electrification systems during their short journey. These were at Dalston Kingsland, Camden Road and Acton Central. With the final upgrade of the line between Camden Road and Stratford, the need to change electification systems on this stretch was eliminated, and now the only changeover takes place at Acton Central.
Connections
The line crosses or comes into contact with a very large number of railway lines, especially lines radiating from central London. This does provide opportunities to move between separate sectors of suburban London without having to enter the central zone.Interchanges shown on the tube map
- at , to and from South West TrainsSouth West TrainsSouth West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
services including the Kingston loop line. - at , connecting NLL services north of the station to District LineDistrict LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
services east of the station. - at , with the Bakerloo LineBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
, Watford DC LineWatford DC LineThe Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
and West London LineWest London LineThe West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
. - at , with the Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
and First Capital ConnectFirst Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
(ThameslinkThameslinkThameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
) stations, each situated a short walk either side of the NLL station. - at , to and from the Gospel Oak to Barking LineGospel Oak to Barking lineThe Gospel Oak – Barking Line is a railway line in north and east London which connects Gospel Oak in North London and Barking in East London as part of the London Overground network. It is sometimes known as the Goblin , although this is a nickname rather than an official title...
of London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
. - at , to and from the Victoria LineVictoria LineThe Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
and the East London LineEast London LineThe East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
. On weekdays, there are also trains operated by First Capital ConnectFirst Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
to Moorgate, Finsbury Park and connecting to the Great Northern Line. - at , with the East London LineEast London LineThe East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
. - at , to and from the Central LineCentral LineThe Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
, Great Eastern Main line National Express East Anglia services between East Anglia and , the Jubilee line, and Docklands Light RailwayDocklands Light RailwayThe Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
.
Other interchanges
- at , to and from station on the Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
. - at , to and from station on the Metropolitan LineMetropolitan LineThe Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
and Jubilee Line, a walk of about 400m. - at , which is about 400m from on the Northern LineNorthern LineThe Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
. - at , which is about 1/2 km from on the Piccadilly LinePiccadilly LineThe Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
. - at which is about 500m from station for National Express East Anglia services.
- at , to and from station on the Piccadilly Line and District LineDistrict LineThe District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
. This is a walk of a little over 1 km. - at , where interchanges can be made 200m away with the East London LineEast London LineThe East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
at from May 2010
Former interchanges
- at North Woolwich passengers could cross the Thames via the Woolwich foot tunnel or the free ferry to Woolwich Arsenal station for connections on the North Kent lineNorth Kent LineThe North Kent Line is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway.-Construction:The North Kent Line was the means by which the South Eastern Railway were able to connect its system to London at London Bridge...
to Medway Towns, Gravesend, Dartford, Sidcup, Abbey Wood, Blackheath, Lewisham, Greenwich and Central London
Rolling stock
London Overground uses Class 378 CapitalstarBritish Rail Class 378
The Class 378 Capitalstar is a type of electric multiple-unit train, part of Bombardier Transportation's Electrostar family. These trains are operating on the new London Overground network...
four-car dual-voltage electric trains, compatible with both 750V DC third-rail and 25kV AC overhead power sources, The Class 378 Capitalstars replaced the Class 313
British Rail Class 313
British Rail Class 313 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works between February 1976 and April 1977 and were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail...
trains, which were withdrawn from the route by February 2010.
Service levels
Trains run seven days a week day from approximately 6am (9am Sundays) until 11.30pm. During peak times, there are 4 trains per hour between Richmond and Stratford; and 4 trains per hour operate between Clapham Junction and Stratford on the West London LineWest London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
service, making up a total of 8 trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford. During off-peak times, there are 4 trains per hour between Richmond and Stratford, and 4 trains per hour on the West London line between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, with two of these per hour continuing to Stratford, making up a total of 6 trains per hour between Willesden Junction and Stratford. The introduction of the new four-car, air-conditioned trains, combined with improved signalling and passenger information has dramatically overhauled the service, making it a very effective alternative to travelling through central London for many orbital journeys.
East London Line extension
From March 2011, the extended East London LineEast London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
connects to the NLL with ELL services joining the line west of , running to .,
Maiden Lane
station may be reopened by Camden Council however the Office of Rail Regulation has not included this in the current plans.Crossrail to Hounslow
Hounslow councilLondon Borough of Hounslow
-Political composition:Since the borough was formed it has been controlled by the Labour Party on all but two occasions. In 1968 the Conservatives formed a majority for the first and last time to date until they lost control to Labour in 1971. Labour subsequently lost control of the council in the...
proposed that part of the North London Line be used as a branch of Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
to . This would see Crossrail services stopping at and . However it was not included in the initial Crossrail bill, but could potentially form part of a later extension.
Old Oak Common
Under the former government's plans for High Speed 2High Speed 2
High Speed 2 is a proposed high-speed railway between London and the Midlands, the North of England, and potentially at a later stage the central belt of Scotland. The project is being developed by High Speed Two Ltd, a company established by the British government...
line from London Euston to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
; a new station called would be built by 2025 serving the North London Line, West London Line
West London Line
The West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
, High Speed 2 and Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
. The new government does support this after opposing it at first.
North Acton
Another new station at is proposed for interchange with the Central LineCentral Line
The Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
. As this may require the central line station being moved to the east, it is merely an aspiration.
High Speed 2
The planned link between the proposed High Speed 2 line and the existing High Speed 1 line would use the North London Line alignment around Camden Road station which may reduce the existing or future capacity of the line. Due to its heavy investment in the line and the passenger growth on it, Transport for London is against the alignment's use as a link between the two High Speed lines.Closed stations
- Victoria Park station
City Extension
On 1 November 1865 the NLR opened its City Extension mostly on a viaduct from a triangular junction at Dalston to Broad Street in the City with these stations:- Broad Street
The extension closed on 30 June 1986, but although the track was lifted the viaduct remained in place. In 2010, the route was re-opened as part of the extended East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
, which, like the North London Line, is operated by London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
.
North Woolwich section
On 10 December 2006, the former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction RailwayEastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway
The Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway in east London connected the Royal Docks with the Eastern Counties Railway . Authorised in 1844, it opened in 1846, and was absorbed by the ECR in 1847...
line between Stratford and North Woolwich was closed to allow building between and of a Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
line to Stratford International
Stratford International station
Stratford International station is a main line railway and Docklands Light Railway station located in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham in northeast London, United Kingdom...
. Part of the south end of closed section is to be used for Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
.
NLL stations closed were:
- Stratford low level
- Custom House
DLR
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
and Jubilee Line
Jubilee Line
The Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
services are not affected at the first three of those stations.
The DLR line to Stratford International will use the former NLL low level platforms at Stratford. NLL trains now terminate at new platforms on the north side of the high level station.