The Docklands Light Railway

The Docklands Light Railway is the unsung hero of London transit, and I shall prove it.

Today, it is a sleek, driverless marvel handling over 100 million passenger journeys a year. But back in the 1980s it was a low-budget experiment that critics confidently predicted would be an absolute disaster.

Here is the story of how London’s futuristic "toy train" grew up to save the East End.

1987: The "Toy Railway" Opens for Business

By the early 1980s, London’s historic Docklands were in a sorry state. The shipping industry had moved downstream, leaving behind miles of derelict, silent quays. The government wanted to transform the Isle of Dogs into a shiny new financial district, what we now know as Canary Wharf, but there was a massive problem: nobody could get there.

Building a standard Underground line was deemed way too expensive. The solution? A cheap, cheerful, "light" railway utilising abandoned railway viaducts.

When Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the DLR in August 1987, it was... modest.

• It had just 11 trains and 15 stations.
• The trains were tiny single-car units that were compared to 'Lego' blocks.
• The original stations were so basic they didn't even have roofs to protect passengers from the classic British rain.

The media immediately dubbed it the "Toy Railway," and sceptics laughed at the idea that bankers would ever swap their black cabs for a glorified rollercoaster.

West India Docks

The next time you’re visiting Canary Wharf, take a moment to look beyond the towering glass and steel. You are standing in a place with a history that is as rich, complex, and sometimes brutal, as any in London: Welcome to the West India Docks.

Once the beating heart of a global trading empire, these docks tell a fascinating story of ambition, immense wealth, human cost, and ultimate transformation.

Before the West India Docks, the River Thames was a chaotic mess of ships, theft, and congestion. Enter the powerful West India merchants, who successfully lobbied for dedicated, secure docks. The result was the West India Dock Act of 1799, paving the way for a revolutionary development on the Isle of Dogs.

Walking with Keilyn: Greenwich Peninsula to Woolwich Foot Tunnel... and beyond

Our starting point for the day.

Friday June 3, 2022.

Having been to London, as a family, the previous day, Keilyn decided that she hadn't seen enough and wanted another walk. So, following an early start we made our way to North Greenwich, from where our walk eastward was to begin.

We made our way from the station to The Tide, a raised walkway that allows for great views over Peninsula Square and leads you to Olympian Way beside the River Thames.

The Mermaid by Damien Hirst.

The first sculpture we saw was 'The Mermaid' by Damien Hirst, quickly followed by Anthony Gormley's 'Quantum Cloud'.

The riverside has changed a lot, since I last walked along it. With its landscaped gardens, seating and barbeque areas it has become a nice place to relax on a summer's evening.

Thames Pathway.

Keilyn takes a rest.

We followed Olympian Way towards the Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park, spotting the 'Hydra & kira' sculpture enroute.

Hydra and Kali by Damien Hirst.

After we passed the Greenwich Yacht Club the area became more industrial and unkept, harking back to this areas commercial and manufacturing past.

Tarmac Charlton Concrete Plant.

Moving on to Riverside the sun had begun to beat down on us and the breeze, which had kept us cool earlier, had now disappeared.