Fledgling train spotters and Francis Bourgeois wannabes listen up! If you haven’t had your TfL-related appetite sated since the opening of the Elizabeth Line, here’s some more train-related excitement for you, because for the first time in 17 years London Overground is getting a spanking new station.
On July 18 Barking Riverside station will open its doors in east London, extending the Gospel Oak to Barking line (or the Goblin, as it’s known to all you TfL enthusiasts). This is London’s first new Overground stop since 2005.
Thanks to the new addition, the orange line will be able to ferry passengers to Barking’s town centre in a swift seven minutes, which will certainly be an improvement to the current 25-minute bus link. You can also connect to the Lizzie Line at Forest gate through the new station.
Seb Dance, London’s deputy mayor for transport, said: ‘Hot on the heels of the opening of the Elizabeth Line, this is more excellent news for east London.’
The station is fully step-free and will provide a link to the new Barking Riverside housing development – a 443-acre former industrial site that is being developed into 10,000 homes.
The orange line extension was supposed to open at the end of 2021, but was delayed due to a number of issues, not least the surprising discovery of a Thames Water sewer which scuppered the plans.
If you do want to experience the wonders of zipping along the newest part of London Overground, just make sure not to go there on Saturday 23 or Sunday 24 July, because there won’t be any trains running on the entire line. After that it’ll be back to business as usual, with four services an hour, seven days a week.
Goblin line, activated!
These are the best places to eat along the Elizabeth Line.
Check out Time Out’s interactive Cultural TfL map.
