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History

DLR train Docklands Light Railway (DLR) was one of Britain's first light rail systems. It has one of the safest and most advanced-automatic train control systems in the world.

It has grown faster than any UK railway and has achieved record levels of reliability and customer satisfaction.

Quick history

The DLR opened in 1987 to serve the London Docklands with 11 trains and 15 stations.

Since then, a number of extensions have seen the DLR extended to Bank, Beckton, Lewisham, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal.

Today it is a 34km railway with 40 stations and over 100 trains and is carrying more passengers than ever before. The system now carries 67 million passengers a year, but this is expected to rise to more than 100 million by 2012.

As the DLR grows, it will help improve and regenerate the area it serves.

Find out more

View our DLR history timeline.

Read the DLR Fact sheet - Spring 2009 (PDF 5.01MB).

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