South Quay DLR station
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South Quay is a Docklands Light Railway station on the Isle of Dogs, in London. It is between Crossharbour and Heron Quays stations and is in Travelcard Zone 2.
South Quay station opened in 1987, and is a standard DLR phase 1 elevated station, subsequently extended to permit the use of 2 car trains. The station is constrained by sharp curves at both ends, and cannot therefore be further extended on its current site. The DLR's plans to operate 3 car trains on this line therefore include the relocation of this station some distance to the east.
The South Quay Bomb
On 10 February, 1996 the IRA detonated a one-ton bomb just outside the station directly under the point where the tracks cross Marsh Wall. Due to a telephoned warning, nearby buildings and the road were evacuated. However, two men working in the newsagents shop directly opposite the explosion had not been evacuated and were killed, and a handful of people required hospital treatment due to blast injuries and falling glass.
Three nearby buildings (the Midland Bank building, South Quay Plaza I and II) were severely damaged (the latter two requiring complete rebuilding whilst the former was beyond economic repair and was demolished). The station itself was extensively damaged, but both it and the bridge under which the bomb was exploded were reopened within weeks, the latter requiring only cosmetic repairs despite its proximity to the blast.
External links
- Docklands Light Railway website - South Quay station page (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr/stations/south_quay.shtml)