It’s every Londoner’s worst nightmare: an ENTIRE TRAIN full of tourists.
This city is full of pretty novel ways to get around: Boris Bikes, the Oxford Street rickshaws, and the inaccessible vanity project known as the Emirates Air Line. From next month, you’ll be able to add one more to that list, because TfL and the DLR are teaming up to offer private tourist trains, offering beautiful panoramic views of the Docklands. So, on to our first question…
Which is, why exactly are they focusing on this nonsense when the DLR is out of service roughly every other weekend? Well that’s not exactly been made clear to us, but the cynic in me suspects this one is more of a moneyspinner than, you know, having a regular rail service for the people of Westferry. Adult tickets for the ‘DLR Discovery’ cost £8, which is more than a return ticket to the furthest reaches of the DLR. But in return for parting with more of your hard-earned, there are perks which the normal DLR can’t offer.
First of all, this is a brand-new route, running from Tower Gateway to Cutty Sark without stopping. This leisurely rumble also includes a dedicated tour guide, who’ll talk you through all the sights, sounds, and smells of the Docklands as you trundle on your way. Once you’ve reached Cutty Sark, the tour continues on foot, taking in the highlights of Greenwich’s maritime history. Tours run every weekend from August 4th until September 9th, between 10am and 5pm. It’s only in the trial phase this summer, but one suspects it could become permanent with a successful run. Is it a wise use of TfL’s time and money? Perhaps not. Is it a quite nice day out? You betcha!
Check out TfL’s website for tickets and more information about DLR Discovery.
Featured image: @beartomcat