West India Quay is a junction on the Docklands Light Railway between
Canary Wharf (which is just two hundred metres away)
and
Westferry or
Poplar (depending on the branch).
The station overlooks the former West India docks and warehouse. The platforms extend over part of the North dock.
|
Two DLR trains at West India Quay |
Information |
Type: |
Transport for London (Docklands Light Railway) |
Station code: |
ZIQ |
Opened: |
1987 |
Platforms: |
3 |
West India Quay was one of the original Docklands Light Railway stations and opened in 1987 [1]. It is where the line from
Lewisham splits into the two branches to
Stratford and
Tower Gateway.
The station was closed in 1991 until 1993 due to construction work taking place in the area. The station will be the closest DLR station to
Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line station when that opens at a later date.
West India Quay, North Dock
The West India Docks are three docks on the Isle of Dogs in East London, nowadays part of the Canary Wharf financial district. Once however they were part of a very different kind of trade being an integral part of the thriving London Docklands.
However the docks, as with other traditional docks around the UK, went into decline post World War Two. Much seaborne trade switched to container ships which required purpose built new facilities. By the end of the 1970s most sea trade has ceased in this part of London and the area was in heavy decline. The area was regenerated in the 1980s to become the shiny commercial and retail hub it is now. Although some parts of the docks were lost due to rebuilding (one of the docks was partially lost to become Canary Wharf tube station) most were retained as part of the redevelopment as skyscrapers rose and the old warehouses became apartments and restaurants.
North Dock was once the Import Dock and could contain up to six hundred vessels. There are somewhat less there now but a rather lovely collection of preserved ships all the same.
|
View down a nearly empty platform |
|
DLR train #33 arrives |
|
DLR train #77 prepares to depart |
|
Passengers disembank from #30 |
|
View of the station from across the dock |
[1] Stephen Jolly & Bob Bayman, Docklands Light Railway (Capital Transport, 1986) p. 50