On Thu, 29 Jan 2009, Mr Thant wrote:

On 29 Jan, 14:01, "Andrew Heenan" wrote:
I was actually amazed that they didn't ever even propose to extend the
poplar line through to International;

How would you do this? You can either make a loop to the south and go
through the NLL underpass, but that requires also converting Stratford-
Canning Town to DLR otherwise you won't get permission to close the NLL
in the first place. And if you build that, the connection from the
Poplar line becomes inessential.

Also involves demolishing a swathe through west Stratford. Unless DLR
track is light enough to lay on top of the northern outfall sewer ...

Alternatively you can build a new flyover across the Great Eastern
Main Line if you get out the really big chequebook.

I think that could be managed with the same-sized chequebook as was used
to build the Canning Town branch, or the Woolwich extension. Perhaps even
a smaller one. Certainly a much smaller one than was used to build
Stratford International itself.

Although then you have the question how to get from the flyover to SI
cheaply without spoiling the development land by crossing it at grade.

If you were willing to swap International for Regional, you could take
over or build alongside the spur that links the GEML to the NLL - that
soon connects to the route that is currently planned to take the Canning
Town branch into International. If you wanted both, you have two options:
platforms at the western end of Regional (as now), and then a very tight
(but doable for the DLR) curve into the alignment coming out of the NLL
underpass, or else carry on through Regional and go up the Lea Valley Line
alignment to platforms at the eastern end of International.

But as John says, this is the kind of distance where a travelator makes
more sense than a railway. Or even just a good walking route - it's no
further than the longest interchange at KXSP.

tom

--
Mr. Cadbury's Parrot impressions go down surprisingly well during
lovemaking! -- D