Lots happening on the DLR in mid December

We already know the delivery of first next generation DLR train was pencilled in for 14 December, but the other two imminent developments now look to be happening the same week.

This Rail Panel report gives a date of 10 December for both the opening of Langdon Park station and the long delayed use of both new platforms at Stratford, a date also mentioned in this news article (thanks to Abigail and Bob for sending in those links).

Complicating things, diamondgeezer sends in the above photo, which says the timetable will be changing on 8 December, which would presumably be to accommodate both developments.

Hopefully we'll get an official announcement soon of the exact date.

Shepherd's Bush station: opening date update

I've been in touch with TfL again over the opening date of Shepherd's Bush station. Their reply:

The responsibility for delivery of the new West London Line station at Shepherd's Bush rests with Westfield, the developers of the adjacent White City shopping centre. We understand that Westfield is expecting to have the station delivered to the appropriate standards and ready for service by the end of the year. Transport for London (TfL) will then take responsibility for operating the station as part of the new London Overground network.

"End of the year"? That's very nearly a concrete date.

[Latest: The wall will be moved, taking at least four months]

Crossrail parliamentary process

Today I received the least glamorous email the world has known, Crossrail Project Bulletin 11 ("This is the eleventh bulletin keeping you up-to-date on the progress of the Crossrail project"). It's not online yet that I can find, but there is one part worth quoting, about the hurdles the Crossrail Bill still has to face:

Remaining stages in the Commons
The Bill will now be considered by a Public Bill Committee, and then there will be a further debate (Report/Third Reading) in the Commons, before the Bill passes to the House of Lords.

House of Lords
When the Bill is introduced in the Lords a fresh petitioning period will be triggered, and those directly affected by the proposals will have the opportunity to petition against them just as they did in the Commons.

Not quite in the bag yet.

King's Cross temporary tunnel is truly temporary

A couple of weeks ago I reported on a new "temporary" tunnel at King's Cross St Pancras tube station. I've just got an email back from London Underground, and it turns out it really is temporary:

It will be filled in once redevelopment work is completed in approximately two years time, when escalators will be in place to link the two services.

Seems an awful lot of effort going to waste.

London Overground branding details confirmed

Design Week has confirmed some of the previously discussed details about how the London Overground brand will be rolled out. There are a few glaring errors, but a few interesting bits too:

The Overground identity - including an orange and blue version of the familiar roundel - will only be fully introduced as each of a total of 60 stations is refurbished or built, and new rolling stock introduced. At first, you will just notice the absence of Silverlink branding, and a single new roundel, plus - from 9 November - the orange tramlines on the map.

As for the principal brand colour - orange - this finds its way into everything. 'It is a happy colour for us to use, has high visibility and can be applied consistently across all applications,' says Ferguson.

To avoid confusion, the various branches of the Overground system will not have subsidiary colours and line names in the way of the Tube - the idea is to have a destination-based system, like the DLR.

The 2025 map referenced at the end of the article is this one.

(thanks to Jason for sending this in)

TfL Intelligent Transport Systems

Tfl did several presentations at this year's ITS World Congress, and have posted some of the documents. Of interest:

• Bus priority using GPS: "TfL plan to extend bus priority to most of the traffic signals in London."
• Locating London's 19,000 bus stops Surprisingly difficult.
• Bus lane enforcement "Bus mounted cameras are installed at the front of the bus in order to capture images of the rear number plates of vehicles either driving or stopped in the bus lane. There are 1,045 bus mounted cameras in operation in London today."