Sssshhh: East London Line Launches

[admin]

A little dicky bird tells me that TfL will start a 'Sunday' service on the section north from New Cross Gate sometime between tomorrow (14th) and the 18th. Boris and friends are due to show up on Thursday for a photocall.

Later it will be extended southward to Sydenham and beyond. This is in advance of the formal launch of the full service on May 23rd to coincide with the new NationalRail timetables.

Keep your eyes skinned at NCG for open doors! First sighting of an London Overground shipping paying customers will earn you a special place in the STF pantheon ...

Admin

[Likelife]

I hear it would start on Thursday and then the rest in May, but TfL aren't saying a word on the website.

[biscuitman1978]

I hear it would start on Thursday and then the rest in May, but TfL aren't saying a word on the website.

That's what londonist is reporting too: http://londonist.com/2010/01/east_london_line_re-opening_set_for.php (see update at bottom of article).

[JRobinson]

I have it on reasonably good authority that trains will start running with paying customers on from Thursday, probably not first thing though, NCG to Dalston, filtering in further south from May 23rd with the new timetable.

so I may get the ELL home from work tomorrow. I'll be looking out for the uncovered oyster machines on furthest east platforms at NCG. They're there to log your journey so that you don't pay too much, as you're not entering zone 1 (Shoreditch is Zone1/Zone2 station, like Elephant and Castle)

[admin]

Sorry to disappoint but tomorrow's soft launch has been postponed. Looks like Monday at the earliest. Unlikely to be confirmed before Sunday.

Admin

[JRobinson]

I've just heard the same thing - looks like it'll be Monday now.

[Likelife]

Yes unfortunately it was said on London Tonight at 6.

[Likelife]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8621211.stm
East London Line reopening dubbed 'political stunt' by other parties, just thought you may be interested.

[Chazza]

The new ELL trains have been up and down extremely frequently today... bodes well for an early opening tomorrow!

[JRobinson]

I thought that they'd be open today, but the oyster readers are still covered at NCG. I've heard from my 'source' that there were problems with the CCTV inside the trains.
They are now not going to issue start dates, but just start once all the problems and snagging are sorted.
so it'll start when it starts.
maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day, soon, and for the rest of your life.

[raymondus]

Was on the 1834 today and saw an LO train with 2 or 3 people on it and its doors open - the destination board on the back of the train said "Dalston Junction" - whether the people on the train were just rail employees I do not know.

[MiniFox]

I saw one this morning sat on the northbound platform, with a driver but no passengers and closed doors. I was too chicken to get off the train and see as I have a tight window to get to work
The Jubilee line was hellish though this morning so it cant open soon enough. And 7.40 return in the meantime. DO be serious

[Search East]

I was catching a train just before 1pm today and one of the new trains pulled into Sydenham station 5 minutes before my train, with an announcement that this was a test service only and the train was not in passenger use.

Wish they'd said this before hand, as me and 3 other passengers made a dash from the main ticket barriers to platform 1 thinking it was in service!

[rbmartin]

According to a post on the London Reconnections transport blog, the ELL north of New Cross Gate is expected to launch on Weds 28th April.

[Likelife]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8620188.stm ELL starts today between NC Gate and Dalston Jun there are 8 trains an hour between 07:00 and 20:00 Mon-Fri.

[blue&whitewizard1991]

Traveled on the ELL today from Hoxton to New Cross in 19 mins significantly reducing my journey, but more than that, what a pleasant commute!

Wide, spacious and cool carriages and the overground section from Whitechapel north has a feel of riding the New York High Line railway. It gives you a whole new perspective on East London and some quite amazing urban landscapes.

Cannot wait until the 23rd when I wont have to change at all!

[Ronski]

sounds promising (still wish we had those direct chx trains)

[JRobinson]

I used this line yesterday over the four northern stops - Dalston, Haggerston, Hoxton, and Shoreditch High St, as part of my work, and it is amazing what you can see from the train line that high up.
I also used it this morning to commute from FH to Dalston, and my journey was reduced from over an hour and a quarter to just under 50 minutes! I too can't wait till 23rd when it opens up all the way past Sydenham.
Very quiet though (in terms of peopl) - I was sure that more people would get off at NCG to use the new line. maybe it'll be a slow burner.
several people did appear to be using it to get to Canada water, to change to the jubilee line (instead of going via LB) which makes sense, and at Whitechapel, and Shoreditch almost all of the other people had left.

My only criticism is that at least one of the stations (SHS I think) is classed as Zone 1 - I was under the impression that they would all either be zone 2+ or at the lowest a zone1/zone2 borderline station. What this means is that if you travel on the entire line, you have to go through zone 1, and so can't claim the reduced fair for avoiding zone 1 (ie a zone 2 and 3 only travel card!) I thought the idea of London Overground was that you could travel 'round' London, without going 'into' the centre.
I guess it's just another way of making us pay more money.
Grrrrr!

[Likelife]

SHS is only considered zone 1 if you are leaving the train there, if not its zone 2.

[Pstaveley]

Just to be clear Shoreditch High Street Station is in Zone 1 regardless as to whether you pass through or alight or board there.

I you undertake a journey, such as New Cross Gate to Dalston Junction then:

If you have PAYG Oyster you will be charged as if you travelled through Zone 1.

I you have a Travelcard that does not include Zone 1 then if caught travelling between Whitechapel and Haggerston you will be charged a penalty fare or prosecuted.

There are some local fares for north of Shoreditch but they are not relevant to this discussion.

Peter