NORTH WOOLWICH LINE

 

 

Opened in 1846 between Stratford and Canning Town, the line was extended to North Woolwich the following year. Services were extended north to Palace Gates in 1887 although that line (northwards from Seven Sisters) was closed to passengers in 1963.

1979 saw the North Woolwich branch incorporated into the North London Line, pre-empting the closure of the Broad Street line (Broad Street station had hitherto provided the eastern terminus for the North London Line).

All North London line services were withdrawn from the section south of Stratford in 2006. The DLR extension to Stratford International has taken over the line as far south as Canning Town. The Custom House to North Woolwich section will be used by Crossrail.

 

 

 

Connaught Road tunnel (aka Albert Dock tunnel / Silvertown tunnel)

 


When the Victoria Dock was built, a swing bridge was put in at its entrance. However it was thought that the opening and closing of the bridge would interfere with the train services so a new route was built to the north of the dock. The route of the line was interruped again when the adjacent Albert Dock was opened; a new cut & cover tunnel was built underneath its entrance.

 

 

Dusk view.

(photo: 2009)

 

 

 

Looking toward Silvertown. The DLR flyover can be seen at the top of the photo.

(photo: 2009)

 

 

 

Looking back toward the Custom House direction. The tunnel was used in the Guy Ritchie 2008 film RocknRolla.

(photo: 2009)

 

 

 

Looking back toward the Custom House direction but at the beginning of the buttressed section.

(photo: 2009)

As above but five years later. Note the drop in the floor level, which can be measured by the lower of the concrete levels, especially when compared with the alcove on the left hand side of the photos.

(photo: Sep 2014)

 

 

 


Heading up the incline toward Silvertown station shortly before the closure of the branch.

(photo: 2006)

 

 

 


Further up the incline.

(photo: 2006)

 

 

 

Silvertown station was just further along, around the bend.

(photo: 2009)

Five years later. Not quite taken from the same position as the photo above (this one was taken from slightly further back) but it gives a good idea of the changes that have taken place.

(photo: Sep 2014)

 

 

 

Photo showing the descent into Connaught Tunnel from the south side (Silvertown). To the left of the tracks are some barely visible sleepers: these are the remains of the tracks that continued along the surface to the swing bridge over the dock.
Also just about visible are the old semaphore signals, further along the track bed.

(photo: Kevin Lane, from his Flickr site, reproduced with permission.)

 

 

 

Reference: London Railways by Edwin Course. B T Batsford Ltd, London, 1962.

 

 

North Woolwich Line: Silvertown