Docklands Light Railway - Docklands Light Railway Rolling Stock - D

Docklands Light Railway - D

Docklands Light Railway Rolling Stock

The DLR is operated by 149 high-floor bi-directional single-articulated electric multiple units (EMUs). Each car has four double doors on each side, and two or three cars make up a train. There are no cabs because normal operations are automated, a small driver's console is concealed behind a locked panel at each end, from which the PSA can drive the car.

Consoles at each door opening allow the PSA to control door closure and make announcements whilst patrolling the train. With the absence of a driver's position, the fully glazed car ends provide a forward and rear view for passengers. The operational top speed is 64 kilometres per hour (40 mph).

Despite having high floors and being automated, the cars are derived from a German light-rail design intended for street running. All cars look similar but there have been several different types, some still in service, others sold to other operators. Units were purchased from Bombardier in 2005 and delivered between 2007 and 2010.

Docklands Light Railway Future Rolling Stock

In 2017, TfL opened bidding for new full-length, walk-through trains, subsequently awarded to CAF in 2019 and expected in service between 2024 and 2026, following delivery and testing on the network of the initial units from January 2023. Fifty-four 5-car trains were ordered, 33 to replace the existing stock and the rest to increase service capacity. The design of the train increases internal capacity by 10%, which combined with service improvements will bring about a 65% increase in capacity from Stratford to Lewisham, and a doubling of capacity between Canning Town and Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal. The trains will feature charging points and air-conditioning.

Docklands Light Railway Depots

The network has two depots, at Poplar and Beckton. Poplar was opened with the initial line in 1987. Due to the constrained site, a new, larger, depot at Beckton was opened in 1994 – and is now the main maintenance depot and primary control centre for the network. Track maintenance, off-peak train stabling, as well as the Operating and Maintenance Centre (OMC for TfL Staff) and the Hilton, Ritz and Dorchester Buildings houses the KeolisAmey Docklands franchise staff and the secondary back-up control centre are based at Poplar.

Docklands Light Railway Signalling Technology

Originally the DLR used signalling based on a fixed-block technology developed by GEC-General Signal and General Railway Signal. This was replaced in 1994 with a moving-block TBTC (Transmission Based Train Control) system developed by Alcatel, called SelTrac. The SelTrac system was bought by Thales in 2007 and updates are provided by Thales Rail Signalling Solutions. The same technology is used by rapid transit systems including Vancouver's SkyTrain, Toronto's SRT, the San Francisco Municipal Railway and Hong Kong's MTR.

The SelTrac S40 system has also been adopted by the London Underground Jubilee line and Northern line. Transmissions occur via an inductive loop cable between each train's Vehicle On-Board Controller (VOBC) and the control centre (VCC, SMC) at Beckton. If this link is broken and communication is lost between the VOBC and VCC, SMC, the train stops until it is authorised to move again. If the whole system fails the train can run in restricted manual at 19 kilometres per hour (12 mph) for safety until the system is restored and communication is re-established.

Emergency brakes can be applied if the train breaks the speed limit during manual control or overshoots a fixed stopping point, or if it leaves the station when the route has not been set. A secondary control centre is based at Poplar, the location of the original control centre, which can operate immediately should there be any issues with the primary at Beckton.

Docklands Light Railway Overview

Docklands Light Railway Owner: Docklands Light Railway Ltd, part of Transport for London

Docklands Light Railway Area Served: London

Docklands Light Railway Locale: Greater London

Docklands Light Railway Transit Type: Light metro

Docklands Light Railway Number of Lines: 7

Docklands Light Railway Number of Stations: 45

Docklands Light Railway Daily Ridership: 340,000 (daily average, DfT 2017)

Docklands Light Railway Annual Ridership: 92.3 million (2022/23)

Docklands Light Railway Increase: 19.6%

Docklands Light Railway Headquarters: Endeavour Square, E20

Docklands Light Railway Operation:

Began operation 31 August 1987, 36 years ago

Docklands Light Railway Operator(s): KeolisAmey Docklands Limited (Keolis 70%, Amey 30%)

Docklands Light Railway Number of Vehicles: 149

Docklands Light Railway Train Length: 2 or 3 vehicles per trainset

Headway 3–5 minutes

Docklands Light Railway System Length: 38 km (24 mi)

Docklands Light Railway No. of Tracks: 2

Docklands Light Railway Track Gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

Docklands Light Railway Minimum Radius of Curvature: 125 ft (38 m)

Docklands Light Railway Electrification: 750 V DC third rail (bottom contact)

Top Speed:

50 mph (80 km/h) (Maximum Speed Capable)

40 mph (64 km/h) (Regular Operational Speed)

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