dlr and the docklands

I once took the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to get back to the city. It took me through the Docklands area, and I was smitten for good!

The DLR and Docklands are archetypical expressions of new age, steel and glass, corporate, moneyed urban planning. The docklands used to be part of the Port of London before, but containerisation, air cargo and the bombing during the World War II blitz led to massive job losses and the area eventually became derelict and unused. The ensuing redevelopment (1981-1998) has transformed the docks into the most important economic hub in London, complete with its own airport. Warehouses, once for storage and packing, are now up-market restaurants and apartments. Gleaming edifices by the docks house over 2,500 offices. And the DLR, as its artery, slices through the buildings, running on lines towering over the streets.

It was grey and cloudy today. Perfect for good pictures:) Traipsing with my umbrella, backpack and camera, I managed to capture these images. I quite like them. I hope you do too.

The DLR is the artery of the Docklands. Fully automated, its stations are often built inside the office blocks.

The old Docklands have been turned into a symphony of steel and glass. The Exchange Tower. East India Quay. The O2 Dome. Canada Tower.

I love this picture - the clocks reminding us how trapped we are by time.

The marina at Limehouse. Its very picturesque.

Come hail or rain. One has to do what one has to do:)