View source for Pudding Mill Lane DLR station

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{short description|Docklands Light Railway station}}
{{Infobox London station |symbol = dlr
| name          = Pudding Mill Lane      
| alt_name      = 
| manager       = [[Docklands Light Railway]]   
| manager1      =
| manager2      = 
| owner         = [[Transport for London]]
| owner1        =
| owner2        =
| locale        = [[Stratford, London|Stratford]]
| borough       = [[London Borough of Newham]]
| platforms     = 2
| fare_zone     = 2
| fare_zone_1   = 3
| railcode      =
| railcode2     =
| access        = yes
| access_note   = <ref>{{Citation step free tube map}}</ref> 
| image_name    = File:Pudding Mill Lane station 20180314 144240 (49768277206).jpg
| image_alt     =
| caption       = Pudding Mill lane entrance 
| coordinates   = {{coord|51.5341|-0.0138|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| map_type      =
| years1        = 15 January 1996   
| years2        = 18 April 2014
| years3        = 28 April 2014
| years4        = 
| years5        = 
| years6        = 
| years7        = 
| years8        = 
| years9        = 
| events1       = Opened
| events2       = Original station closed permanently
| events3       = Re-sited station opened
| events4       =
| events5       =
| events6       =
| events7       =
| events8       =
| events9       =
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| dlrbat0809    = {{increase}} 0.681
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}}
'''Pudding Mill Lane''' is a [[Docklands Light Railway]] (DLR) station in [[Stratford, London|Stratford]] in [[Greater London|London]], [[England]]. It opened in 1996 on the road of the same name, once a light industrial area in [[Stratford, London|Stratford]], now being redeveloped into housing development called Pudding Mill Lane. It is next to the Olympic Park; however, it was closed for the duration of the [[2012 Olympic Games]] and reopened on 12 September 2012. The original island platform station was permanently closed on 18 April 2014 in order to allow for the construction of a ramp from the new [[Crossrail]] portal nearby. A new, larger station built a short distance to the south opened on 28 April 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/last-chance-to-use-pudding-mill-lane-dlr-station-before-it-closes-11356/|last=Mansfield|first=Ian|title=Last chance to use Pudding Mill Lane DLR station before it closes|website=IanVisits|date=16 April 2014|access-date=18 April 2014}}</ref>

The station is located on the DLR's [[Stratford station|Stratford to Poplar branch]], between the [[Bow Church DLR station|Bow Church]] and [[Stratford station|Stratford]] stations and is on the boundary between [[Travelcard Zone 2]] and [[Travelcard Zone 3|Zone 3]]. Trains also run to Lewisham in the morning peaks.

==History==

===Original station===
[[File:DLR PuddingMillLane Int.jpg|thumb|left|Island platform at the original station]]
The plans for the DLR to Stratford included an option for a station at Pudding Mill Lane. Funding was not available to build the station, but the location was one of two places safeguarded for future development, the other being [[Langdon Park DLR station|Langdon Park]].<ref>[http://www.lddc-history.org.uk/transport/tranmon3.html#7.DLR The DLR Story], London Docklands Development Corporation.</ref>

Pudding Mill Lane was opened on 15 January 1996. Previously this location had been a simple passing point for trains on the otherwise single-tracked section between Stratford and Bow Church.

The name of the station is taken from the nearby Pudding Mill Lane which, in turn, takes its name from the former Pudding Mill River, a minor tributary of the [[River Lea]]. This is believed to have taken its name from St. Thomas's Mill, a local [[water mill]] shaped like a [[pudding]] and commonly known as Pudding Mill.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42756 British History Online: Ancient Mills].</ref> The area had also been called Knob Hill up until the 1890s.<ref>[http://www.hidden-london.com/puddingmill.html Hidden London: Pudding Mill Lane].</ref>

When all the other platforms on the DLR's Stratford branch were extended to accommodate three-car trains, Pudding Mill Lane remained with a two-car platform, instead using [[selective door operation]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.rail.co/2011/02/01/docklands-light-railway-a-success-story-that-spans-a-generation/ |title= Docklands Light Railway, a success story that spans a generation |date= 1 February 2011 |work= Rail.co |access-date= 25 July 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120320215629/http://www.rail.co/2011/02/01/docklands-light-railway-a-success-story-that-spans-a-generation/ |archive-date= 20 March 2012 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The lack of platform extensions in this case was due to the pending rebuild of the station.

During the [[2012 Olympic Games]], Pudding Mill Lane station was temporarily closed for safety reasons as, while ideally situated to serve the Olympic site, it was far too small to cope with the probable passenger numbers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://developments.dlr.co.uk/olympics/faqs/ |title=DLR and the Olympics |publisher=Transport for London |date=n.d. |access-date=11 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322021549/http://developments.dlr.co.uk/olympics/faqs/ |archive-date=22 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The original station closed after the last train departed at 00:47 on 17/18 April 2014, and its replacement opened on 28 April.<ref name="old-station-closing">{{cite web|url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/april/work-gears-up-to-deliver-a-bigger-and-better-pudding-mill-lane-station-after-easter|title=Work gears up to deliver a bigger and better Pudding Mill Lane station after Easter|date=15 April 2014|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=20 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="new-station-open">{{cite web|url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/april/new-dlr-station-opens-at-pudding-mill-lane|title=New DLR station opens at Pudding Mill Lane|date=28 April 2014|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=20 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/last-chance-to-use-pudding-mill-lane-dlr-station-before-it-closes-11356 |last=Mansfield|first=Ian|title=Last chance to use Pudding Mill Lane DLR station before it closes|website=IanVisits|date=16 April 2014|access-date=18 April 2014}}</ref>

===New station===
[[File:Pudding Mill Lane 2014, platforms.JPG|thumb|left|New station platforms]]
[[Crossrail]] has a tunnel portal to the east of the original Pudding Mill Lane site. The ramp from the portal to track level at Stratford station passes directly through the original Pudding Mill lane station site, thus required a replacement station to be built on a new viaduct nearby.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110927072716/http://www.crossrail.co.uk/assets/download/611 Pudding Mill Lane Portal]. Crossrail.</ref> The original station was demolished to make way for the new ramp, funded as part of the Crossrail project.<ref name="d2013"/> This work also permitted the upgrade of the only significant stretch of single track left on the DLR to be doubled.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.wharf.co.uk/2011/05/dlr-sizes-up-network-expansion.html |work=The Wharf |location =London |author=Broadbent, Giles |date=4 May 2011 |title= DLR sizes up network expansion}}</ref>

In July 2011, Newham Council's Strategic Development Committee approved plans by architect [[Weston Williamson]] for the new station. Sited just to the south of the old station, between the River Lea and City Mill River, it was built with a higher capacity to cope for new developments in the area. It has three-car platforms, better pedestrian links and access to buses, improved step-free access, and provision for escalators.<ref name="d2013">{{cite news |url= http://www.europeanrailwayreview.com/rail-industry-news/replacement-dlr-station-at-pudding-mill-lane-approved-and-will-enable-crossrail-tunnelling-works-to-proceed |title= Replacement DLR station at Pudding Mill Lane approved |date=25 July 2011 |work=European Railway Review}}</ref><ref>Morgan Sindall site briefing on 29-08-13</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Crossrail issues contract notice for final tunnel portal |work=Rail |location =Peterborough |page=17 |date=10 August 2011}}</ref>

The station was flooded after torrential rain on 25 July 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-flash-floods-rain-and-thunderstorms-b947578.html|title = London floods: Hospitals and DLR station hit as streets turn to rivers|date = 26 July 2021}}</ref>

In May 2022, the station became the principal point of arrival for concert goers at the [[ABBA Arena]], constructed across the road.  An ABBA Voyage merchandise shop was subsequently opened in the station entrance. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://abbavoyage.com/thearena/#getting-here | title=ABBA Voyage Arena - 2022 ABBA Concert Venue }}</ref>

==Services==
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour from Pudding Mill Lane is:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/dlr/timetable/dlr/|title=DLR train timetables|work=[[Transport for London]]|access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref>
* 12 tph to {{stn|Stratford}}
* 12 tph to [[Canary Wharf DLR station|Canary Wharf]]

Additional services call at the station during the peak hours, increasing the service to up to 16 tph in each direction, with up to 8 tph during the peak hours extended beyond Canary Wharf to and from {{stn|Lewisham}}.

{{s-rail-start}}
{{s-rail|title=DLR}}
{{rail line|previous=[[Bow Church DLR station|Bow Church]] <br/> {{smalldiv|''towards {{stn|Lewisham}}''}}|next={{stn|Stratford}} <br/> {{smalldiv|''Terminus''}}|route=[[Docklands Light Railway]]|col={{rcr|DLR}} }}
{{end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Pudding Mill Lane DLR station}}
* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/transportaccessibility/dlr/3245.aspx Docklands Light Railway website - Pudding Mill Lane station page]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130428031123/http://www.westonwilliamson.com/projects/transport/wuhan-station/ Weston Williamson Architects website - Proposed replacement for Pudding Mill Lane DLR station]

{{Docklands Light Railway}}

<!--Categories-->
[[Category:Docklands Light Railway stations in the London Borough of Newham]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1996]]
[[Category:Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park]]
[[Category:Stratford, London]]