Gospel Oak to Barking Line

The **Gospel Oak to Barking Line** is a railway line in north and east London which connects Gospel Oak in North London and Barking in East London as part of the London Overground network - and also carries through freight trains. It is sometimes known as the Goblin (for Gospel Oak and Barking Line), although this is a nickname rather than an official title. Unlike most railways in London, the line does not pass through the central Travelcard Zone 1. Traditionally the line has played a minor role in London's transport system; however, it is now receiving significant investment to increase its capacity. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 6, SRS 06.03 and 06.05. It is classified as a London and South East Commuter line.

## Future

### Under construction

#### Extension to Barking Riverside

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The line is currently being extended southeast by Template:Convert/LoffADbSoff from the present terminus at Barking to serve the Barking Riverside regeneration area, a brownfield site with permission for around 10,800 new homes. Proposed in the mid 2010s following cancellation of the DLR extension to Dagenham Dock, the extension was approved in 2017, with construction beginning in late 2018. Running partially alongside the existing London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line and then a new viaduct to the Barking Riverside station, the extension will cost £260m and is planned to be completed in autumn 2022.

### Proposed

#### Renwick Road

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As part of the extension to Barking Riverside, a station at Renwick Road on the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway was proposed. Although not being built as part of the extension to Barking Riverside, the station site was safeguarded so that it can be built at a later stage.

#### Potential Abbey Wood extension

Following the plan to extend the line to Barking Riverside, there were also proposals to extend the line further across the river to Abbey Wood via Thamesmead, to allow for easier Orbital journeys in East London, and provide Thamesmead with a railway connection for the first time. This was outlined in the R25 orbital railway proposal in 2014, and the potential of a future extension was mentioned in the inspectors report of the Transport and Works Order authorising the extension to Barking Riverside.

However, in 2019 Transport for London and City Hall proposed an extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to serve Thamesmead instead of an extension of the Overground, as part of the proposed Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF (Opportunity Area Planning Framework). A DLR extension was chosen due to lower connectivity benefits of an Overground extension, the low frequency (4 trains an hour) of the GOBLIN line, and most significantly - a construction cost twice as much as the DLR, as the gradients required to cross the River Thames would require large scale tunnelling works when compared to the DLR. Despite recommending an extension of the DLR to Thamesmead, the consultation also noted that an extension of the GOBLIN line could provide good orbital transport links in the long term.

#### Other proposed changes

Local residents and users of the line have proposed adding a station between Leytonstone High Road and Wanstead Park to serve the Cann Hall area. The Leyton and Wanstead branch of the Labour Party has expressed an interest in the proposal. The line's user group and Islington Borough Council have been pressing for the reopening of the station at Junction Road, as its proximity to Tufnell Park Underground station would allow interchange with the Northern line.

## References

1. ↑ "Gospel Oak to Barking Update". Transport for London (04 March 2019). Retrieved on 09 January 2022.
2. ↑ "REMINDER: Closure of Gospel Oak to Barking railway line". Transport for London (20 September 2016). Retrieved on 09 January 2022.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Improvements and Projects - Barking Riverside extension" (in en). Transport for London.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Transport and Works Act 1992: Application for the Proposed London Overground (Barking Riverside Extension) Order and Deemed Planning Permission - letter from Secretary of State". Department for Transport (4 August 2017).
5. ↑ "JV picks up £196m Barking Riverside contract delayed by Carillion collapse" (in en). Construction News (2018-12-24).
6. ↑ Johnson, Marc (12 September 2017). "In focus: London Overground's Barking Riverside Extension" (in en-GB). RailStaff.
7. ↑ "Have your say on the proposed London Overground extension to Barking Riverside - Transport for London - Citizen Space". consultations.tfl.gov.uk.
8. ↑ "Barking Riverside Extension Intermediate Station Feasibility Report". Transport for London (December 2015).
9. ↑ "Call to bring London Overground to Thamesmead – south east London's largest town with no trains", *This is London Local* (22 September 2014).
10. ↑ Dudman, Jane (2014-08-01). "Boris Johnson's London orbital railway – is it a good idea?" (in en-GB), *The Guardian*.
11. ↑ "Workshops about the future of Thamesmead and Abbey Wood opened to public" (in en). News Shopper.
12. ↑ "Thamesmead and Abbey Wood OAPF - OAPF Transport Strategy - December 2019 Draft". Greater London Authority (December 2019).
13. ↑ "WALTHAM FOREST: Campaign for new station in Leytonstone". Waltham Forest Guardian (29 February 2012).
14. ↑ "BGO History".