Editing Docklands Light Railway (section)

===Upgrade to three-car trains (2007–2011)===
With the development of the eastern Docklands as part of the [[Thames Gateway]] initiative and London's staging of the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], several extensions and enhancements were undertaken.<ref name="dlrdev">{{cite web|url=http://developments.dlr.co.uk/index.asp |title=Docklands Light Railway&nbsp;– Development Projects |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=9 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705084414/http://developments.dlr.co.uk/index.asp |archive-date=5 July 2008 }}</ref>

Capacity was increased by upgrading for trains with three cars, each with four doors per side. The alternative of more frequent trains was rejected as the signalling changes needed would have cost no less than upgrading to longer trains and with fewer benefits.<ref name="dlrcapen">{{cite web|url=http://developments.dlr.co.uk/enhancements/capacity/index.asp |title=Docklands Light Railway&nbsp;– Three-carriage Capacity Enhancement Project |publisher=[[Transport for London]] |access-date=9 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080803062955/http://developments.dlr.co.uk/enhancements/capacity/index.asp |archive-date=3 August 2008 }}</ref> The railway had been built for single-car operation, and the upgrade required both strengthening viaducts to take heavier trains and lengthening many platforms.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6924214.stm |title=Longer trains for Docklands Line |work=BBC News |access-date=24 June 2009 |date=31 July 2007}}</ref> The extra capacity was useful for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], which increased the use of London's transport network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arup.com/projects/docklands-light-rail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421194506/https://www.arup.com/projects/docklands-light-rail |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 April 2019 |title=Docklands Light Railway (DLR) 3 Car Enhancements Project |publisher=[[Arup Group Limited|Arup]] |access-date=24 June 2009 }}</ref> The main contractor for the expansion and alteration works was [[Taylor Woodrow]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2007/05/03/54774/taylor-woodrow-wins-200m-docklands-light-railway-project.html |title=Taylor Woodrow wins £200m Docklands Light Railway project |date=3 May 2007 |work=Contract Journal |access-date=24 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117052125/http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2007/05/03/54774/taylor-woodrow-wins-200m-docklands-light-railway-project.html |archive-date=17 January 2016 }}</ref>

Elverson Road, Royal Albert, Gallions Reach and Cutty Sark have not been extended for three-car trains; such extension may be impossible in some cases. [[Selective door operation]] is used, with emergency walkways in case a door fails to remain shut. {{stl|DLR|Cutty Sark}} station is underground, and both costs and the risk to nearby historic buildings prevent platform extension. The tunnel has an emergency walkway. Additional work beyond that needed to take the three-car trains was also carried out at some stations. This included replacing canopies with more substantial ones along the full platform length. A new {{stl|DLR|South Quay}} station has been built {{convert|200|m|abbr=on}} east of the former location as nearby curves precluded lengthening. {{stl|DLR|Mudchute}} now has a third platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/2008/04/mudchute-third-platform.html |title=Mudchute third platform |date=11 April 2008 |publisher=London Connections |access-date=29 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708051923/http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/2008/04/mudchute-third-platform.html |archive-date=8 July 2011 }}</ref>

For this upgrade DLR purchased an additional 31 cars compatible with existing rolling stock.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_7_46/ai_n26701780/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712232246/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_7_46/ai_n26701780/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 July 2012 |title=Olympic rail gets a head start |work=International Railway Journal |access-date=12 March 2012 |author=Barrow, Keith |date=July 2006 }}</ref> The works were originally planned as three phases: Bank-Lewisham, Poplar-Stratford, and the Beckton branch. The original £200{{nbsp}}million contract was awarded on 3 May 2007.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://developments.dlr.co.uk/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=1138 |title=Extra carriage on every DLR train |date=3 May 2007 |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=10 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927185707/http://developments.dlr.co.uk/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=1138 |archive-date=27 September 2011 }}</ref> Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham was originally due to be completed in 2009. However, the work programme for the first two phases was merged and the infrastructure work was completed by the end of January 2010. The Lewisham-Bank route now runs three-car trains exclusively. They started running on the Beckton branch on 9 May 2011.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/19961.aspx |publisher= Transport for London |title= Docklands Light Railway ready for 2012 Games with three-car upgrade completed |date= 10 May 2011 |url-status= live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513075914/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/19961.aspx |archive-date= 13 May 2011 }}</ref> Stratford to Lewisham and Bank to Woolwich Arsenal services sometimes operate as three-car trains; other routes run the longer trains when required.