My wife was train crew on the DLR during the 1990s, her job being largely checking tickets and giving advice to passengers. There are driver controls at the front of the train by the left-hand seat which are used for driving the train out of (or into) the depots and as emergency back-up for the automated system. Another part of the train crew duties is to collect lost property which included some 'unusual' objects. My wife once found a suitcase which contained a complete 'dominatrix' outfit with whips (no, she didn't try it on). On another occasion she found a braille book and, having had a boring day, decided to have a bit of fun. She sat next to the manual driving controls (de-activated at the time) opened the braille book, placed her left hand on the manual controls, put on her sun glasses and ran her right hand along the braille script as if 'reading'. Totally freaked out a group of American tourists who got on at the next stop, 'OMG we've got a blind driver!!' 🤣🤣
Don't know if anyone has mentioned it (too many comments to go through) but the 'blue rib things' are known as the sound barrier. The line goes past the flats there quite closely and they were originally put in to disperse noise from the trains. I work on the DLR and on the old technical maps of the system that is what they are referred as. Also we did have little inflatable steering wheels to promote the railway a long time ago, they came with a suction cup so kids could stick them on the control panels at the front.
When the old docks were being demolished (I'm showing my age here), and the A1020 (Royal Albert Way) was brand new, I was a still fit and healthy teenager (about 16 years old). For fun on a Sunday afternoon, I used to ride my bike down from Ilford through places like Cypress and North Woolwich and sometimes even took the Woolwich Ferry over to the south of the river just to have a look around. The A1020 was absolutely a wasteland of nothing at the time. No buildings or DLR out there. Also no traffic, which meant I could zoom along it at more than the speeds one can usually do on regular roads. Remember, I was on my old bike, so 25MPH between roundabouts was the most I could get up to. Going north from the Woolwich Ferry along Albert Road and BEFORE they all got torn down, it was fascinating to see all the old dark, dingy brick warehouses. Had to cross over several old railway tracks and bridges to get back up to the A13 and then through Barking to get back home. All that and the history it had is now all gone. Shame.
Just to show my age, I worked for Ravel shoes in Haunch of Venison Yard ( off New Bond street) and they had a hydraulic lift which covered 3 floors. It would lift a fully loaded 16 ton truck with ease. This would have been in 1967/8, in 1971 the family moved out to Essex, and I would NOT go back there for any money.
Those three tower blocks on the right hand side at the beginning are very popular/important broadcast points for very large London pirate radio station(s). Not exactly train stations but still a station. 😂👏🏻
@@jpaulc441 less and less so these days. Majority have switch to online radio which of course is legal, very little hassle. But those particular tower blocks, which are seen in the video, are located on the highway at Wapping - and played a vital part. The good old days as they say.
A rare glimpse of the elusive jago, even if its a blurry reflection lol. Great video, need more like this of just train views with wonderful, funny and informative commentary. Keep up the good work
@@trevorparker6803 Talking of mirrors, why are there mirrors on some of those early stations when the trains are driverless, or can they be overidden so you can drive them manually if needs be?
@@andyaccount Beats me. AFAIK the DLR trains do have the ability to be operated by a driver so maybe the mirrors are there for just such occasions, to enable a view of the platform, as per your guess.
I have to visit London just to drive the DLR. Because let's be honest, life wouldn't be complete without sitting up front and pretending you're driving the train. While I know you're only talking to us, it feels as though everyone else on that train can hear you and you are the DLR's unofficial tour guide.
It's probably a bit weird, but this video is very helpful for my anxiety. I'm going to be going to a major convention at the ExCel at Easter next year. This video helped immensely with my worries about travelling in costume (with reduced vision), as it allowed me to judge the distance between my stations and recognise them, so I won't be going in blind. Thank you!
You could use the Elizabeth Line to Custom House as well Edit: Serves me right for replying to comments while watching the video - of course Jago would mention that.
@@ianhills8980 Other 'Star' franchise! 😆 It's a full set of Mandalorian armour, and I was worried about reduced visibility and steep ramps (stairs are okay, but judging gradients is difficult).
thanks for taking us along :) As we've learned in the Copenhagen (driverless) Metro, the front seat is contested territory; if you sit there it's very likely you'll get overrun by kids who want the premium view - but then our trains have panoramic windows in the ends, which does give a rather grand view of the journey. In our trains they put a big sticker on the windowsill with "controls" for kids who want to "drive" the train.
You need to try the automated metro lines in Paris - 1 and 14. They have a fake driver layout on the two ends so that kids (like me!) can play at being the driver :-)
The alignment of the Gas Light and Coke company's railway line remains as a footpath running from just across the road from Beckton DLR to just across the road from Price Regent DLR. The Chairman of the company was a Mr Beck, and Beckton is named after him.
The "ton" must be the one from the old English. I was going to ask if there's a niff in their air anywhere you alight around Beckton,with all the treatment works around there. Must be super for the local residents.
@@rjjcms1 History doesn't record how familiar Beck was with the fine details of old English place-name suffixes, but yes, it would have come from that. The smell depends on wind direction.
3:39 "Train!" 6:35 "Train!" An awesome video. I need to do more DLR, although my focus for the next 4 months in terms of train riding will be focused on the last 68 underground stops (21 central line, 12 jubilee line, 15 metropolitan line (one of which doubles as jubilee), and 21 piccadilly line), 28 overground stops (14 south of the thames including Battersea Park, 14 on the Watford DC line), and 9 tram stops (new addington branch, plus the 2 on the south side of the loop), plus the last 5 Crossrail stations (3 Heathrow, Maidenhead, and Bond St (obvs not possible yet)), as well as possibly the cablecar. The DLR can wait until next year. Also, I'm only spotting DLR vehicles if I ride them. So not counting passing vehicles, like I would for trains and trams. Simply because there aren't that many of them, and they'll quickly fill my spreadsheet.
Cab view videos with commentary on the history of each section is a really nice format. I have seen videos of cab rides on non-automated routes, including the undergound, but none of them focused on the history. I realize it'd take some lucky networking, but doing it would be interesting to see more of this format of content.
‘Drove’ a DLR train some twenty five years plus years ago with a good friend of mine. Probably did it as obviously as your young fellow traveller. We certainly used the exact same terminus as you did too, so it was a nice long drive. What we weren’t aware of was the fact that somewhere after leaving the city a member of DLR staff got on… and standing by one of the sets of doors the DLR conductor was thoroughly enjoining the entertainment value of grown women having more fun than most have while stone cold sober. In fact they did come to see us… I think checking for boozy shenanigans, but ended up just having a good old laugh with us and passing us a DLR leaflet. I’m not sure even real staff on the train subdued our activities! Honestly… If you can’t get into the front of a ‘proper train’ then I swear the DLR is definitely the next best thing.
You've got to get yourself to Copenhagen and take a ride on the metro there. Those trains have stickers with fake train controls so kids of all ages can drive properly! DLR's missing a trick here.
@@6yjjk I do have legitimate reasons for considering Denmark as a travel destination, but fear it's less than likely to happen.🥺 Their idea does sound superb though, and one the DLR really could have picked up on!🥰
At Poplar, the blue building on the left is the original DLR Maintenance and Operations Centre (OMC), which houses the computer equipment that monitors and manages the railway, including a control room with colour monitors that allow operations personnel to see and communicate via radio with all trains in the system, make sure they stay on schedule, and deal with incidents if/when they happen. The little green diesel in the depot was made by GEC in 1987 and is affectionately called "Sooty", since it is a CT-30 model locomotive; it is used for maintenance along the railway when needed.
During a very early trip into TG on the DLR, I sat in the driver's seat from Island Gardens. West India Quay, a young man asked if I minded his son sitting next to me. I said no and he duly sat next to me. Twenty seconds later, the boy screamed, "TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" and jumped up and down with excitement. His dad laughed and said his son loved buses and trains but struggled with the concept of being on a train being more exciting than seeing another one coming. The exultation was repeated all the way to TG. :)
I've never understood why DLR didn't build in some "controls" for kids to play with. Basic psychology would have suggested it would be an absolute winner for kids and grown-ups alike!Edit: Just seen that someone below commented that the Paris Metro has exactly this feature. Once, we used to be known for our imagination .....
I was once with a friends 4 year old riding at the front of our train , he was really enjoying the ride when the train stopped for an unknown reason. We could here the dissatisfaction and curiosity of the passengers behind us. At this point I remembered a trip, when I was a child, on a "bud car" type train that had to stop due to a cow on the tracks?! The conductor disembarked and escorted the offending bovine off the tracks! Our current Bombardier train system is all on elevated guideways (or underground) so stoppages are quite rare. I suggested to my 4 year old friend that he shout out "THERE'S A COW ON THE TRACKS" which he was happy to do,....causing much excitement and debate further back in the train. Some of the debate became heated causing a crowd to come forward in the car for confirmation of a cow on an elevated guideway!!
ahhh, I haven't ridden at the front of a DLR for quite a few years ! Happy memories 🙂 Of course the danger of getting that seat is you run the risk of getting kicked out of it by the "Train Captain" if they need to do manual operation. I remember that happening to me at least once .
We have very similar Bombardier trains here in Vancouver, Canada. The first of them went into operation in 1985 with lots of trepidation caused by the driverless wonders that were our first foray into mass rapid transit. The trains have worked very well with only a couple of very minor "fender benders" in the maintenance yards that I suspect were the result of manual operation. Our very small system (by your standards) is often overwhelmed during busy times and there is always a need for expansion. The budget always gets in the way. There was an important expansion to the airport from downtown to accommodate the 2010 Olympic Games, the folly of this expansion is short platforms that, of course, can only accommodate short trains. This line is already overwhelmed during rush hour and has few options for increased capacity. One other foible of the system is the fact that they didn't add the ability to keep snow off the important bits, now when it snows and people are very inclined to leave their cars at home the train often fails them. They try to run trains all night when it snows in an effort to keep the system clear of snow and ice in hopes of having it running during the morning commute. This plan has had limited success. If its snowing furiously,....well,...you need allot of trains to keep the guideways clear. Who knew it might snow now and then in Canada?
Thank you for this - one of the clearest memories I have of my Granda (a former locomotive designer and regular contributor to railway and bus magazines) is of riding the DLR with him as a boy of about 8. This has brought back many happy memories - I miss him constantly.
Jago,thank you for reviving memories of trains traveled! The old Long Island Railroad had a railfans window,and you could read the signals,and if you knew the schedule,coming into Penn Station, you could get the inbound platform!! The same worked outbound!! Chicago has railfan seats,also,and the old IRT cars were great for running on the right of way!! To get some idea of that past operation,see the movie,"The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3",starring the late,great Walter Matthau,as that version is original,and pretty much read as the book!! An irony is that the Blu-Ray version uses a Berlin U- Bahn train on the cover,wierd,but they probably went for a stock photo,however with a little more research,they could have gotten it right!! A definite glitch in the matrix! Lol,and thanks for the excellent front row seat train ride!! Thanks again 👍 ☺️ 😊 😘 🤗 🙂 👍!
Loved the way you had shot of a line of double decker buses outside Canning Town and then told us it was a double decker station, with the Jubilee Line platforms underneath us.
You, Mr. Hazzard are having way too much fun. And for the record my wife and I tend to do the same "Train, Train" thing when watching trains roll by along the CSX mainline just south of Baltimore. (I have the happy distinction of residing fairly close to both the mainlines of the CSX and Amtrak lines in the area. So much so that I can walk to them if I want. So all the freight and passenger traffic I could wish... Ohh there goes one now. Train!
The best bit is going to Bank at the front. The lighting is more subtle over the end seat as it’s where the driver would be if they have to take manual control, so you can see out better in the darkness. It’s like a roller coaster as it winds it’s way to Bank
Hi Jago. Yes please. Film the rest of the DLR. This video was brilliant. I love Cab Rides. So this video was right up my street. Thank you for this one. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Safe travels.
Beckton Gasworks belonged to one of several private gas companies nationalised in 1948, with the new name being the North Thames Gas Board. It supplied gas to a huge area, well into Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Surrey.
October 8th, 1988 - I was at the Royal Victoria Dock (now the site of the Excel Centre) for the Jean-Michel Jarre concert ‘Destination Docklands’. I still have the programme and ticket stub. 🎫
The DLR is so much more fun than the tube. With all that shuddering, tight bends and steep gradients, a cross between a roller-coaster and a half transport system. It also weaves between buildings and over water in a style that the tube simply cannot match and also has the most gloriously eccentric station name in London.
Hi Jago from a slightly cooler Spain. I have had connections with the DLR from before it was built. The DLR line from the old LT&S Stepney East station was the LT&S fast line into Fenchurch Street. In order to give those tracks to the DLR a new junction called Christian Street Jn was created between the then Stepney East and the old Shadwell station.
Loved this! The commentary, brilliant, the humour, dry! I’ve never been to London and i feel i know the DLR and most of the underground well. Thank you!🎉❤❤🎉
So I just went and spent my afternoon having a DLR adventure after watching this in the morning. Travelled from Lewisham to King George V via Stratford, had a wander around Royal Victoria Gardens, along to Thames Barrier Park, up the Beckton Corridor and onto this line. I even managed to get front seat on 3 of the 4 trains, and learnt very quickly why it's always best to sit on the right - even if someone did spill coffee all over the floor! Thanks for the inspiration, Jago! p.s. you should totally do videos for the other branches.
Great video. Also the DLR is just such a weird system. Like it was a pioneer for the modern automated light metro systems around the world that would later follow like the Vancouver Skytrain and Copenhagen Metro, but with how close the stops are spaced and how wavy and bendy the allignments are, as well as the lack of any route numbers or letters, the whole thing feels almost more like a reimagining of the traditional subways of older American cities like New York or especially Chicago. It's quite odd, but I assume the DLR does it job really well.
DLR trains are really comfortable, clean, regular, and efficient. IMO they should upgrade the Overground to DLR standards, and adopt the Overground name. Then we can look at extending the new Overground out to Southend (and along the pier), and gradually assimilate all mainline, crossrail, and tube services. Until the Heathrow Podway starts growing into the next generation.
I recall that when the DLR opened, it was set up for 4 car units and that platforms were later extended to take 6 car units, as seen going "the other way" (2:46). The grey brick lift shafts on the earlier stations (e.g. Shadwell at 2:15) mark the original end of the platform, the extensions are at the far end.
Yes, I went on it with friends the first couple of days it opened (have the ticket somewhere), at lunch-time, as we worked near Tower Gateway. I am pretty sure some stations had not yet got all the safety barriers at the ends of platforms and things - I remember thinking you would need your wits about you if you'd been out on the razz after work.
It has three car units now. It was originally one car units, later expanded to two and finally expanded to three, some stations cannot be lengthened so use selective door opening in the front and rear portions. Each car is articulated in the middle, so I can see why it might look like a six car train, but is actually only three.
We ❤️ the DLR! In heavy rail terms this would be a ‘cab eye’ video which from the ones I have watched this would win a BAFTA in every respect. Your insight and knowledge and continual commentary made it super interesting on a most fascinating light railway. More please…
Having lived in Greenwich, Woolwich and now Wapping I use the DLR quite regularly but still found this a fascinating watch, your videos on the DLR are always ones to look forward to!. Have a look at some Circular Polarizing filters to fit the filter thread on the end of your lens should you be filming inside carriages again (not sure if you use a dedicated camera as well as a phone. phone attachments exist too), appropriately aligned they'll cut out the majority of the reflections in the glass, cheerio!
Great video and enjoyed the more “organic” commentary too! I use the DLR a few times a year, mainly to go to Excel, Canary Wharf, Greenwich and LCY airport. It’s a great experience in the front of the train if you can get there first 😊
Brilliant idea to commentate as the video progressed, I loved it! I used to work on the buses in the east London area and, during a period of local building/development ( 10 years ago aprox) some local bus routes and training buses were diverted through the old dock site now owned by London City airport of course. You are correct Jago, there are indeed still plenty of old rail tracks from the old dock railways still there. If only I had thought to use my camera! Ah, life is full of missed opportunities!
I always like (and "Like") your videos, but this POV format was a particular highlight, and I'd love to see more like it! And, understanding you can't get a seat with a view like this on the Underground, it would be great if a way was found to do something similar for its aboveground sections - drones, anyone?
This video reminds me of when I rode the Subway as a child and fought to get to the front to see where we were going.🙂 Thank you for reviving the memories.
Man, seeing you pretend to drive the DLR by being up-front makes me miss the R32s here in NY even more...yeah they were old, but they were a beaut. Though I'm glad they now have a new purpose as an artificial reef for sea life.
I just learned something else that we have in common with New York City; it seems that we have a City Island too. I’ve been to the one in New York, and looked across to the mysterious Hart Island.
That was really enjoyable, thanks for the tour along the DLR! I lived out at East India for a couple of years around 2010, so that was really nostalgic to 'travel' along my old commute for the first time in a decade.
Thanks for the video. I used to "drive" the DLR from and to Lewisham. Memories. All your videos are a way for me to keep in touch with London, until I get back. Thanks again.
Whenever I and the sister went to MCM Comic Con we'd always take the DLR to the eXcel Centre from Bank. And I always made a land grab for that elusive front seat. Sometimes fruitfully.
For MCM I always used to come down from Stratford on the Jubilee and change at Canning Town for the DLR. I wonder if changing at Whitechapel on the Elizabeth line will be faster when it's fully open.
I used to work in poplar in the good old days it really needed redevelopment, I took a ride on the DLR a few years ago and boy had it changed. Great video Jago as always ☺️
This was a lovely format :) I always liked the DLR. It was NEW and SHINY when I was single-digit young, and I would have been about 8 when I first rode it (on the then-new extension to Bank). Maybe it is because of that, or maybe it is because it really is just delightful, that any time I have ridden it since - even when it has been out of necessity - feels more like a fun trip out than it feels like a mode of transportation. Thank you for this video!
Loved this video, and brought back great memories of my time at university. I used to travel from Cyprus to canning town and onto the jubilee line to Stratford. I
I enjoyed watching that. Thank you. The DLR has come a long way since I first travelled on it, when the trains were only two cars long and that complicated junction was a simple delta on stilts. I vote in favour of more, but then, I've never been disappointed by any of your videos. I love the history perspective, probably because it's a subject I was obliged to drop, along with geography, early in my school career in order to concentrate on the sciences.
Lovely video Jago, really soothing! As I’m sure you know, ‘Cyprus’ was also the name of one of Waterloo’s component stations, back when it was a dreadful 19th century mess, and that too referred to the acquisition. Stay well.
Wonderful video again. Thank you!! It would be nice to see more of these. I know DLR from the start in 1987 (as a tourist that is) and followed the development of it till this day. What a successtory it is. And now you give more background information which I like a lot. In a few month I will be in London again for a few days. No doubt: DLR will be part of the program. Nice that you explained the "not so good" driving charistics of these trains (I think they are really bad, to be honest). I always tought that it had to do with bad condition or lack of maintenance of the tracks. It never came up in my mind that the boogies were cause of that, because the German "Stadtbahn-B" trams, which have stand model for the DLR trains, are running very smoothly, very comfortable. And that's not due to low speeds: in Germany those trams are running speeds of 80-100 Km/h (50-60 miles an hour).
Grabbing the seat at the front of the train (if you can) is also a fun project on the Tyne and Wear Metro system in Newcastle. Until they get the new trains in and remove this feature 😭
i'll never forget the moment the DLR had me nonplussed... i was daydreaming whilst waiting for the train to arrive... as the train arrived i looked up and "wtf are those schoolgirls doing in the drivers cab..?" it felt like eternity till it dawned on me there was no driver... LOL :-)
Hardly have I had time to wonder what the rectangular red things are on adjacent tracks, than Jago yells out "Train", and then all the tension-from-uncertainty goes out of my body. Thank you Jago! ;^> (Just teasing, I watched to the end, and enjoyed! :^)
an interesting ride along the DLR, I've only come across youur channel over the last few months and this after I have managed to finish all of your current video's on tales from the tube a very interesting bit of history and facts, now to start on the rest.
I always love riding on the DLR and to get a front row seat and to see the views from the front. Even at the back as well. I was born few years after the DLR was built and Canary Wharf has changed since it became a financial district with tall office buildings and lots of places to rest and eat & drink. I’ve been to Canary Wharf couple times in my life.
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My wife was train crew on the DLR during the 1990s, her job being largely checking tickets and giving advice to passengers. There are driver controls at the front of the train by the left-hand seat which are used for driving the train out of (or into) the depots and as emergency back-up for the automated system.
Another part of the train crew duties is to collect lost property which included some 'unusual' objects. My wife once found a suitcase which contained a complete 'dominatrix' outfit with whips (no, she didn't try it on). On another occasion she found a braille book and, having had a boring day, decided to have a bit of fun. She sat next to the manual driving controls (de-activated at the time) opened the braille book, placed her left hand on the manual controls, put on her sun glasses and ran her right hand along the braille script as if 'reading'. Totally freaked out a group of American tourists who got on at the next stop, 'OMG we've got a blind driver!!' 🤣🤣
She's a keeper!
@@SteamCrane Definitely! We've been married for 31 years now. 😊😊
@@simonbeaird7436 50 years now, we're definitely travel buddies. It keeps getting better!
Amazing!
The non-script commentary is great. It's a nice change of pace and feels very natural.
When do we get to see this emmereffer‘s face
Don't know if anyone has mentioned it (too many comments to go through) but the 'blue rib things' are known as the sound barrier. The line goes past the flats there quite closely and they were originally put in to disperse noise from the trains. I work on the DLR and on the old technical maps of the system that is what they are referred as.
Also we did have little inflatable steering wheels to promote the railway a long time ago, they came with a suction cup so kids could stick them on the control panels at the front.
Looked like it was some kind of unfinished station, or overbuilding. Or some means of tieing the underdeck together.
I think replacing the plastic control box cover with a glass one would be good enough.
That is adorable
The same as the sound wall they put on some motorways. Got it. Though how the ribs would work when there are gaps in it is a mystery.
Getting the front left seat on the DLR is the absolute peak of human life
Ya at some places the childult, of the world will push and shove to get to the front, even trying to get on before other passengers get off.
@@britannia55 survival of the fittest
I dreaded the words "I need to sit there to operate"
the right hand seat just makes you feel second best
And then you get the monsters that sit there and stare at their phone the entire journey.
@@lotsofspots absolute cheek
When the old docks were being demolished (I'm showing my age here), and the A1020 (Royal Albert Way) was brand new, I was a still fit and healthy teenager (about 16 years old). For fun on a Sunday afternoon, I used to ride my bike down from Ilford through places like Cypress and North Woolwich and sometimes even took the Woolwich Ferry over to the south of the river just to have a look around. The A1020 was absolutely a wasteland of nothing at the time. No buildings or DLR out there. Also no traffic, which meant I could zoom along it at more than the speeds one can usually do on regular roads. Remember, I was on my old bike, so 25MPH between roundabouts was the most I could get up to. Going north from the Woolwich Ferry along Albert Road and BEFORE they all got torn down, it was fascinating to see all the old dark, dingy brick warehouses. Had to cross over several old railway tracks and bridges to get back up to the A13 and then through Barking to get back home. All that and the history it had is now all gone. Shame.
I think it is Cyprus , and not the tree.
WOW - sounds fun - I agree - shame they have to knock down history - like they know down my old school to build some ugly flats!!! 😐🚂🚂🚂
@@Jimyjames73 Not just ugly flats but "Million Pound Luxury Flats" in a "New Community".
@@brianjrichman Oh ok 🤔🚂🚂🚂
Bringing together the history and workings of the various hydraulic power systems would be a useful accumulation of knowledge.
Hydraulic accumulator. What you did there, I sees it...!
Just to show my age, I worked for Ravel shoes in Haunch of Venison Yard ( off New Bond street) and they had a hydraulic lift which covered 3 floors. It would lift a fully loaded 16 ton truck with ease. This would have been in 1967/8, in 1971 the family moved out to Essex, and I would NOT go back there for any money.
Those three tower blocks on the right hand side at the beginning are very popular/important broadcast points for very large London pirate radio station(s).
Not exactly train stations but still a station. 😂👏🏻
Lol
I'm surprised pirate radio still exists seeing as it's so much easier to publish music/shows these days.
@@jpaulc441 narc 😂
@@jpaulc441 less and less so these days. Majority have switch to online radio which of course is legal, very little hassle. But those particular tower blocks, which are seen in the video, are located on the highway at Wapping - and played a vital part. The good old days as they say.
A rare glimpse of the elusive jago, even if its a blurry reflection lol.
Great video, need more like this of just train views with wonderful, funny and informative commentary. Keep up the good work
Jago doesn't even have mirrors in his house!
@@trevorparker6803 Nobody knows what Jago looks like... Not even Jago!
@@trevorparker6803: for a good few minutes, I was convinced that Jago is, in fact, a supernatural entity as I saw no reflection.
@@trevorparker6803 Talking of mirrors, why are there mirrors on some of those early stations when the trains are driverless, or can they be overidden so you can drive them manually if needs be?
@@andyaccount Beats me. AFAIK the DLR trains do have the ability to be operated by a driver so maybe the mirrors are there for just such occasions, to enable a view of the platform, as per your guess.
I have to visit London just to drive the DLR. Because let's be honest, life wouldn't be complete without sitting up front and pretending you're driving the train. While I know you're only talking to us, it feels as though everyone else on that train can hear you and you are the DLR's unofficial tour guide.
Are you still watching swiss001, keep seeing you in the old video comments
The People's Democratic Docklands People's Democratic Light People's Democratic Railway in Pyongyang is much better.
TfL needs ti sell a plastic steering wheel that clamps onto the thing in top of the buttons for the PSA
It's probably a bit weird, but this video is very helpful for my anxiety. I'm going to be going to a major convention at the ExCel at Easter next year. This video helped immensely with my worries about travelling in costume (with reduced vision), as it allowed me to judge the distance between my stations and recognise them, so I won't be going in blind. Thank you!
You could use the Elizabeth Line to Custom House as well
Edit: Serves me right for replying to comments while watching the video - of course Jago would mention that.
@@brianrackley7429 Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side!
Costume? I assume you mean from the first Star Trek series, with short dresses?
@@ianhills8980 Other 'Star' franchise! 😆 It's a full set of Mandalorian armour, and I was worried about reduced visibility and steep ramps (stairs are okay, but judging gradients is difficult).
thanks for taking us along :) As we've learned in the Copenhagen (driverless) Metro, the front seat is contested territory; if you sit there it's very likely you'll get overrun by kids who want the premium view - but then our trains have panoramic windows in the ends, which does give a rather grand view of the journey. In our trains they put a big sticker on the windowsill with "controls" for kids who want to "drive" the train.
I delight in taking the Metro from Vanløse all the way to the airport. Get the front seat from the start and never relinquish it 🤣
Perhaps they need a few seats that are raised slightly and with sightlines so that adults can look over the heads of the children to take in the view.
You need to try the automated metro lines in Paris - 1 and 14. They have a fake driver layout on the two ends so that kids (like me!) can play at being the driver :-)
The same in the Copenhagen Metro ❤
This is very similar to the Vancouver SkyTrain, but there's only one seat at the front, so it makes it EVEN MORE of a fight to bag the front seat.
I spat my coffee out at "train!". Great video!
The alignment of the Gas Light and Coke company's railway line remains as a footpath running from just across the road from Beckton DLR to just across the road from Price Regent DLR.
The Chairman of the company was a Mr Beck, and Beckton is named after him.
My parents used to work for the company. Even the employees called it “The Bad Smell and Smoke Company”.
"Light" "Gas" and "Coke" sounds like a soft drink.
@@RichardFelstead1949 Or terrible addictions! Or a company that manipulates you into buying coke...
The "ton" must be the one from the old English. I was going to ask if there's a niff in their air anywhere you alight around Beckton,with all the treatment works around there. Must be super for the local residents.
@@rjjcms1 History doesn't record how familiar Beck was with the fine details of old English place-name suffixes, but yes, it would have come from that. The smell depends on wind direction.
3:39 "Train!"
6:35 "Train!"
An awesome video. I need to do more DLR, although my focus for the next 4 months in terms of train riding will be focused on the last 68 underground stops (21 central line, 12 jubilee line, 15 metropolitan line (one of which doubles as jubilee), and 21 piccadilly line), 28 overground stops (14 south of the thames including Battersea Park, 14 on the Watford DC line), and 9 tram stops (new addington branch, plus the 2 on the south side of the loop), plus the last 5 Crossrail stations (3 Heathrow, Maidenhead, and Bond St (obvs not possible yet)), as well as possibly the cablecar. The DLR can wait until next year.
Also, I'm only spotting DLR vehicles if I ride them. So not counting passing vehicles, like I would for trains and trams. Simply because there aren't that many of them, and they'll quickly fill my spreadsheet.
Cab view videos with commentary on the history of each section is a really nice format. I have seen videos of cab rides on non-automated routes, including the undergound, but none of them focused on the history. I realize it'd take some lucky networking, but doing it would be interesting to see more of this format of content.
u got it or u chop it
‘Drove’ a DLR train some twenty five years plus years ago with a good friend of mine. Probably did it as obviously as your young fellow traveller. We certainly used the exact same terminus as you did too, so it was a nice long drive. What we weren’t aware of was the fact that somewhere after leaving the city a member of DLR staff got on… and standing by one of the sets of doors the DLR conductor was thoroughly enjoining the entertainment value of grown women having more fun than most have while stone cold sober. In fact they did come to see us… I think checking for boozy shenanigans, but ended up just having a good old laugh with us and passing us a DLR leaflet. I’m not sure even real staff on the train subdued our activities!
Honestly… If you can’t get into the front of a ‘proper train’ then I swear the DLR is definitely the next best thing.
You've got to get yourself to Copenhagen and take a ride on the metro there. Those trains have stickers with fake train controls so kids of all ages can drive properly! DLR's missing a trick here.
@@6yjjk I do have legitimate reasons for considering Denmark as a travel destination, but fear it's less than likely to happen.🥺 Their idea does sound superb though, and one the DLR really could have picked up on!🥰
3:39 “Train!” Lol
A depot to the left of him. A depot to the right of him. Into the valley of dead railways went Jago, with a robot lady!
At Poplar, the blue building on the left is the original DLR Maintenance and Operations Centre (OMC), which houses the computer equipment that monitors and manages the railway, including a control room with colour monitors that allow operations personnel to see and communicate via radio with all trains in the system, make sure they stay on schedule, and deal with incidents if/when they happen. The little green diesel in the depot was made by GEC in 1987 and is affectionately called "Sooty", since it is a CT-30 model locomotive; it is used for maintenance along the railway when needed.
During a very early trip into TG on the DLR, I sat in the driver's seat from Island Gardens. West India Quay, a young man asked if I minded his son sitting next to me. I said no and he duly sat next to me. Twenty seconds later, the boy screamed, "TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" and jumped up and down with excitement. His dad laughed and said his son loved buses and trains but struggled with the concept of being on a train being more exciting than seeing another one coming. The exultation was repeated all the way to TG. :)
Really enjoyed that. Would love to see some ride-alongs on the other routes.
Agree. The Indian Pacific, perhaps, from Sydney to Perth?
Someone once suggested selling DLR branded clip on steering wheel for kids to "drive" from this seat
They'd go like hotcakes
I've never understood why DLR didn't build in some "controls" for kids to play with. Basic psychology would have suggested it would be an absolute winner for kids and grown-ups alike!Edit: Just seen that someone below commented that the Paris Metro has exactly this feature. Once, we used to be known for our imagination .....
I think that was one Geoff Marshall in one of his Secrets of the DLR videos - definitely a good idea!
@@chrisoddy8744 I think you're right
I was once with a friends 4 year old riding at the front of our train , he was really enjoying the ride when the train stopped for an unknown reason. We could here the dissatisfaction and curiosity of the passengers behind us. At this point I remembered a trip, when I was a child, on a "bud car" type train that had to stop due to a cow on the tracks?! The conductor disembarked and escorted the offending bovine off the tracks! Our current Bombardier train system is all on elevated guideways (or underground) so stoppages are quite rare. I suggested to my 4 year old friend that he shout out "THERE'S A COW ON THE TRACKS" which he was happy to do,....causing much excitement and debate further back in the train. Some of the debate became heated causing a crowd to come forward in the car for confirmation of a cow on an elevated guideway!!
The Copenhagen Metro has controls printed on the ledge beneath the window.
ahhh, I haven't ridden at the front of a DLR for quite a few years ! Happy memories 🙂
Of course the danger of getting that seat is you run the risk of getting kicked out of it by the "Train Captain" if they need to do manual operation. I remember that happening to me at least once .
We have very similar Bombardier trains here in Vancouver, Canada. The first of them went into operation in 1985 with lots of trepidation caused by the driverless wonders that were our first foray into mass rapid transit.
The trains have worked very well with only a couple of very minor "fender benders" in the maintenance yards that I suspect were the result of manual operation.
Our very small system (by your standards) is often overwhelmed during busy times and there is always a need for expansion. The budget always gets in the way. There was an important expansion to the airport from downtown to accommodate the 2010 Olympic Games, the folly of this expansion is short platforms that, of course, can only accommodate short trains. This line is already overwhelmed during rush hour and has few options for increased capacity.
One other foible of the system is the fact that they didn't add the ability to keep snow off the important bits, now when it snows and people are very inclined to leave their cars at home the train often fails them. They try to run trains all night when it snows in an effort to keep the system clear of snow and ice in hopes of having it running during the morning commute. This plan has had limited success. If its snowing furiously,....well,...you need allot of trains to keep the guideways clear. Who knew it might snow now and then in Canada?
Haha,,,,everytime I'm in that part of London, front seat on the DLR is a must!
😁😁
Thank you for this - one of the clearest memories I have of my Granda (a former locomotive designer and regular contributor to railway and bus magazines) is of riding the DLR with him as a boy of about 8. This has brought back many happy memories - I miss him constantly.
Jago,thank you for reviving memories of trains traveled! The old Long Island Railroad had a railfans window,and you could read the signals,and if you knew the schedule,coming into Penn Station, you could get the inbound platform!! The same worked outbound!! Chicago has railfan seats,also,and the old IRT cars were great for running on the right of way!! To get some idea of that past operation,see the movie,"The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3",starring the late,great Walter Matthau,as that version is original,and pretty much read as the book!! An irony is that the Blu-Ray version uses a Berlin U- Bahn train on the cover,wierd,but they probably went for a stock photo,however with a little more research,they could have gotten it right!! A definite glitch in the matrix! Lol,and thanks for the excellent front row seat train ride!! Thanks again 👍 ☺️ 😊 😘 🤗 🙂 👍!
Loved the way you had shot of a line of double decker buses outside Canning Town and then told us it was a double decker station, with the Jubilee Line platforms underneath us.
'THE HUNT IS ON', for me, has a new meaning. Thx for that
You, Mr. Hazzard are having way too much fun. And for the record my wife and I tend to do the same "Train, Train" thing when watching trains roll by along the CSX mainline just south of Baltimore. (I have the happy distinction of residing fairly close to both the mainlines of the CSX and Amtrak lines in the area. So much so that I can walk to them if I want. So all the freight and passenger traffic I could wish... Ohh there goes one now. Train!
The best bit is going to Bank at the front. The lighting is more subtle over the end seat as it’s where the driver would be if they have to take manual control, so you can see out better in the darkness. It’s like a roller coaster as it winds it’s way to Bank
4:52 I've passed this so many times and wondered what it is. Thanks for the explanation 👍
Hi Jago. Yes please. Film the rest of the DLR. This video was brilliant. I love Cab Rides. So this video was right up my street.
Thank you for this one. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Safe travels.
Beckton Gasworks belonged to one of several private gas companies nationalised in 1948, with the new name being the North Thames Gas Board. It supplied gas to a huge area, well into Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Surrey.
October 8th, 1988 - I was at the Royal Victoria Dock (now the site of the Excel Centre) for the Jean-Michel Jarre concert ‘Destination Docklands’. I still have the programme and ticket stub. 🎫
The DLR is so much more fun than the tube. With all that shuddering, tight bends and steep gradients, a cross between a roller-coaster and a half transport system. It also weaves between buildings and over water in a style that the tube simply cannot match and also has the most gloriously eccentric station name in London.
Please do more DLR routes. The same goes for the Overground. Keep up the good work.
Hi Jago from a slightly cooler Spain. I have had connections with the DLR from before it was built. The DLR line from the old LT&S Stepney East station was the LT&S fast line into Fenchurch Street. In order to give those tracks to the DLR a new junction called Christian Street Jn was created between the then Stepney East and the old Shadwell station.
"Train!"
Let's be honest. Those were my favourite bits.
Loved this! The commentary, brilliant, the humour, dry! I’ve never been to London and i feel i know the DLR and most of the underground well. Thank you!🎉❤❤🎉
5:12 I was just thinking I have no idea what these rib things are but I'm glad its about to be explained.
So I just went and spent my afternoon having a DLR adventure after watching this in the morning. Travelled from Lewisham to King George V via Stratford, had a wander around Royal Victoria Gardens, along to Thames Barrier Park, up the Beckton Corridor and onto this line. I even managed to get front seat on 3 of the 4 trains, and learnt very quickly why it's always best to sit on the right - even if someone did spill coffee all over the floor!
Thanks for the inspiration, Jago!
p.s. you should totally do videos for the other branches.
Great video. Also the DLR is just such a weird system. Like it was a pioneer for the modern automated light metro systems around the world that would later follow like the Vancouver Skytrain and Copenhagen Metro, but with how close the stops are spaced and how wavy and bendy the allignments are, as well as the lack of any route numbers or letters, the whole thing feels almost more like a reimagining of the traditional subways of older American cities like New York or especially Chicago. It's quite odd, but I assume the DLR does it job really well.
That's funny, I was just about to upload my video "nutter talks to himself for 20 minutes on the DLR" video I filmed recently. Great minds, eh.
DLR trains are really comfortable, clean, regular, and efficient. IMO they should upgrade the Overground to DLR standards, and adopt the Overground name. Then we can look at extending the new Overground out to Southend (and along the pier), and gradually assimilate all mainline, crossrail, and tube services.
Until the Heathrow Podway starts growing into the next generation.
I recall that when the DLR opened, it was set up for 4 car units and that platforms were later extended to take 6 car units, as seen going "the other way" (2:46). The grey brick lift shafts on the earlier stations (e.g. Shadwell at 2:15) mark the original end of the platform, the extensions are at the far end.
Yes, I went on it with friends the first couple of days it opened (have the ticket somewhere), at lunch-time, as we worked near Tower Gateway. I am pretty sure some stations had not yet got all the safety barriers at the ends of platforms and things - I remember thinking you would need your wits about you if you'd been out on the razz after work.
It has three car units now. It was originally one car units, later expanded to two and finally expanded to three, some stations cannot be lengthened so use selective door opening in the front and rear portions. Each car is articulated in the middle, so I can see why it might look like a six car train, but is actually only three.
We ❤️ the DLR! In heavy rail terms this would be a ‘cab eye’ video which from the ones I have watched this would win a BAFTA in every respect. Your insight and knowledge and continual commentary made it super interesting on a most fascinating light railway. More please…
Can we have more front seat videos from your journeys on the DLR please Jago? Keep up the great work!
A brilliant, fun video. I’d love more of these, they are a relaxing diversion with fascinating commentary by a knowledgeable guide.
Having lived in Greenwich, Woolwich and now Wapping I use the DLR quite regularly but still found this a fascinating watch, your videos on the DLR are always ones to look forward to!. Have a look at some Circular Polarizing filters to fit the filter thread on the end of your lens should you be filming inside carriages again (not sure if you use a dedicated camera as well as a phone. phone attachments exist too), appropriately aligned they'll cut out the majority of the reflections in the glass, cheerio!
Great video and enjoyed the more “organic” commentary too! I use the DLR a few times a year, mainly to go to Excel, Canary Wharf, Greenwich and LCY airport. It’s a great experience in the front of the train if you can get there first 😊
I always love yourvideas, but this one has been very funny, and actually very informative. Thanks for it!
Train!!!
Very much a fan of this format, Jago… keep up the amazing work!
Brilliant idea to commentate as the video progressed, I loved it! I used to work on the buses in the east London area and, during a period of local building/development ( 10 years ago aprox) some local bus routes and training buses were diverted through the old dock site now owned by London City airport of course. You are correct Jago, there are indeed still plenty of old rail tracks from the old dock railways still there. If only I had thought to use my camera! Ah, life is full of missed opportunities!
I always like (and "Like") your videos, but this POV format was a particular highlight, and I'd love to see more like it! And, understanding you can't get a seat with a view like this on the Underground, it would be great if a way was found to do something similar for its aboveground sections - drones, anyone?
This video reminds me of when I rode the Subway as a child and fought to get to the front to see where we were going.🙂 Thank you for reviving the memories.
Man, seeing you pretend to drive the DLR by being up-front makes me miss the R32s here in NY even more...yeah they were old, but they were a beaut. Though I'm glad they now have a new purpose as an artificial reef for sea life.
I just learned something else that we have in common with New York City; it seems that we have a City Island too. I’ve been to the one in New York, and looked across to the mysterious Hart Island.
That was really enjoyable, thanks for the tour along the DLR! I lived out at East India for a couple of years around 2010, so that was really nostalgic to 'travel' along my old commute for the first time in a decade.
Thankyou, I enjoyed that - very relaxing. Just the thing after a rather stressful day at work.
Thanks for the video. I used to "drive" the DLR from and to Lewisham. Memories. All your videos are a way for me to keep in touch with London, until I get back. Thanks again.
Jago, we need one of these per year! Excellent 👍
This is definitely one of my favourite ever TH-cam videos.
Whenever I and the sister went to MCM Comic Con we'd always take the DLR to the eXcel Centre from Bank. And I always made a land grab for that elusive front seat. Sometimes fruitfully.
I do Tower Gateway to Excel for the Comic Con. No changing at Canning Town
For MCM I always used to come down from Stratford on the Jubilee and change at Canning Town for the DLR. I wonder if changing at Whitechapel on the Elizabeth line will be faster when it's fully open.
I used to work in poplar in the good old days it really needed redevelopment, I took a ride on the DLR a few years ago and boy had it changed.
Great video Jago as always ☺️
The wonderful Ivo Peters gets a mention! His photos of the much missed Somerset & Dorset Railway are a constant source of pleasure for me.
I wonder what the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway would be like now had it not closed.
This was a lovely format :) I always liked the DLR. It was NEW and SHINY when I was single-digit young, and I would have been about 8 when I first rode it (on the then-new extension to Bank). Maybe it is because of that, or maybe it is because it really is just delightful, that any time I have ridden it since - even when it has been out of necessity - feels more like a fun trip out than it feels like a mode of transportation. Thank you for this video!
Loved this video, and brought back great memories of my time at university. I used to travel from Cyprus to canning town and onto the jubilee line to Stratford. I
Loved the journey, thank you for sharing!
I enjoyed watching that. Thank you. The DLR has come a long way since I first travelled on it, when the trains were only two cars long and that complicated junction was a simple delta on stilts. I vote in favour of more, but then, I've never been disappointed by any of your videos. I love the history perspective, probably because it's a subject I was obliged to drop, along with geography, early in my school career in order to concentrate on the sciences.
Interesting and fun changeup from the usual format. Thanks! Cheers.
I liked the reference to Ivo Peters, memories of the Somerset and Dorset.
I live in the States (San Francisco) and I loved this video. The commentary added to the enjoyment of the ride.
I really like this format of video, I'd love to see the rest of the DLR done too
Would definitely like to see more of these train rides, it’s great to see a change on your usual videos for sure!
Looking forward to a bit of front-window riding myself in just a couple of weeks. Thx for the inspiration
Lovely video Jago, really soothing! As I’m sure you know, ‘Cyprus’ was also the name of one of Waterloo’s component stations, back when it was a dreadful 19th century mess, and that too referred to the acquisition. Stay well.
Wonderful video again. Thank you!! It would be nice to see more of these. I know DLR from the start in 1987 (as a tourist that is) and followed the development of it till this day. What a successtory it is. And now you give more background information which I like a lot. In a few month I will be in London again for a few days. No doubt: DLR will be part of the program. Nice that you explained the "not so good" driving charistics of these trains (I think they are really bad, to be honest). I always tought that it had to do with bad condition or lack of maintenance of the tracks. It never came up in my mind that the boogies were cause of that, because the German "Stadtbahn-B" trams, which have stand model for the DLR trains, are running very smoothly, very comfortable. And that's not due to low speeds: in Germany those trams are running speeds of 80-100 Km/h (50-60 miles an hour).
This has to be the best Jago video in what feels like forever. Thank you kind sir, really brings out the best in your sarcasm.
An excellent video, thank you. Nice to have a change of style and pace.
super awesome! loved it Jago, hope you grace us with more videos like this!
Grabbing the seat at the front of the train (if you can) is also a fun project on the Tyne and Wear Metro system in Newcastle.
Until they get the new trains in and remove this feature 😭
At the moment, the “hunting” on the `Metro trains is far worse than the DLR’s. I wonder how the driver puts up with it.
Plus the all longitudinal seats 🤬
I absolutely loved this! This is something I would love more of, if you felt so inclined, Jago 😌
i'll never forget the moment the DLR had me nonplussed... i was daydreaming whilst waiting for the train to arrive... as the train arrived i looked up and "wtf are those schoolgirls doing in the drivers cab..?" it felt like eternity till it dawned on me there was no driver... LOL :-)
I grew up in SW London and moved away to settle in my uni town, but man these videos make me homesick
18:45 proof that Jago is in fact the spectre of a Victorian urchin doomed to haunt the streets and railways of London, as I suspected all along.
Hardly have I had time to wonder what the rectangular red things are on adjacent tracks, than Jago yells out "Train", and then all the tension-from-uncertainty goes out of my body. Thank you Jago! ;^> (Just teasing, I watched to the end, and enjoyed! :^)
This was quite informative and relaxing Jago, thank you.
an interesting ride along the DLR, I've only come across youur channel over the last few months and this after I have managed to finish all of your current video's on tales from the tube a very interesting bit of history and facts, now to start on the rest.
Loved this ride through commentary. Enjoyed it.
you can hear the excitement in Jago's voice at 3:38 when he says simply "train"
Very cool video. Thoroughly enjoyed it and the slightly different format. Thanks. Lance
Watching this while at the front of the DLR is amazing.
Great video as usual Jago
"Thank you Robot Lady. I already said that." Thank you for the ride :)
Great video as usual, love the commentary. And to think we got a glimpse of the man of mystery himself, even if it was only an arm.
Brilliant video!! My young son used to love pretending to be the driver on the DLR - but not as much as his father did...and still does
It's so good that you're allowed in the front seats on the DLR again, I decided to take the opportunity myself when I visited London not long ago. :)
I always love riding on the DLR and to get a front row seat and to see the views from the front. Even at the back as well. I was born few years after the DLR was built and Canary Wharf has changed since it became a financial district with tall office buildings and lots of places to rest and eat & drink. I’ve been to Canary Wharf couple times in my life.
Train!
Absolutely loved this video, keep up the good work!