Historical version 4 of Silverlink North London Line (view current version)

The rail operator Silverlink were originally known, after privatisation, as North London Railways. The line has sometimes been called the Gutter, to go with the Drain (Waterloo and City Line).

The North London Line runs between Richmond and North Woolwich, with a number of incredibly useful connections to other rail and tube lines. Trains are timetabled to run every 15 minutes during weekdays, but there are often delays and cancellations. In the evening, the service stops at around 11:30 p.m. If you want to use this service late into the evening, it is worth checking the timetable, as the last trains do not go beyond Stratford or Willesden Junction. Also, avoid this line at weekends without further research, as there will inevitably be part of the line closed for engineering work, and replaced with a bus service.

The line is often used by goods trains crossing London. Do not be surprised by the sight of a full-length series of freight wagons on this apparently peaceful commuter line.

A technical note on 313 units

Apart from on the Barking service, Silverlink Trains make exclusive use of 313s on all their services. The 313 is a versatile unit, capable of being powered both by overhead electric cables via pantograph, or by third rail. It is also small enough to fit in tube tunnels. This capability of switching power pickup is used on the North London Line, as some sections are third rail, and some have overhead cables.

The GN Electrics line also uses 313s, and switches over to third rail when heading south at Finsbury Park.

This is version 4 (as of 2003-07-12 18:46:54). View current version. List all versions.