You will no longer need to change at Dalston Junction for services to Richmond/Stratford. Just stay on train one more stop to Canonbury.
Highbury and Islington is great for the Victoria Line to Walthamstow Central or as an alternative to Kings Cross St Pancras without waiting 10 mins for a H&C train at Whitechapel.
There's also the National Rail First Capital Connect services from H&I (Mon/Fri except late evenings) which run to Moorgate, Old Street, Finsbury Park and up to Herts.
Did the services start today? Has anybody been north of Dalston today?
Have the Islingtelligensia been filling our coffee shops and buying our cheap properties? Did Arsenal win the Carling Cup?
Do we have to bring arsenal into every conversation today
Only when they lose games they should have won with ease. Maybe Wenger was as myopic as usual and saw only a 'brilliant' side lose unluckily. The old maxim that Goals Win Games is as true today as it ever has been.
But let's applaud TfL and Mayor Boris for opening the ELL to Highbury and Islington ahead of schedule. The walk from Dalston to D Kingsland is very dull.
The yellow departure totem board on Platform 1 uses two lines to show Highbury and Islington, which means you can't see what the train afterwards is unless you go to the ticket office monitor.
I got an Overground train at about 09.25 this morning and it went all the way to H&I. Last week the TfL journey planner showed the first through train at around 09.38 so I was surprised the earlier trains were going past Dalston Junction.
Does anyone know what time you can get a seat on an Overground train from FH in the morning (if at all)? Even at 09.25 it was standing room only.
I was on the 0904 this morning and that train was only going to Dalston Junction. (and managed to get a seat)
My tip is to try and get the trains that start from Crystal Palace and then go to the front carriage which means waiting under the bridge where the lift is.
The West Croydon trains during the morning peak are normally full by the time they get here.
Thanks, I'll try that tomorrow.
A long-winded way of getting a seat for at least part of the journey is to get train to New Cross Gate, walk the 5 minutes to New Cross, and then all the space on the ELL you could ever want is yours! Incidentally, if you have a season ticket, then in the evening you can get the ELL to New Cross, walk to New Cross Gate (taking in the views) and pick up the train / ELL.
I realise that this does give rise to the question as to what value the New Cross destination gives (think we all know the answer to that one).
Please can we not talk about the Arsenal? I had a very weepy ten year-old and a nearly as emotional 44 year-old wend their sad way back from Wembley last night.
New Cross/New Cross Gate is also is what as known as an OSI (out of station interchange) where if you're an Oyster PAYG customer, you won't get charged for two journeys using the two different stations.
One more comment about arsenal and I will bring back the big issue thread!!!
My lips are sealed, mrcee. That's a threat indeed!
This is a risk, but bring on the thread!
We tend to shout 'We 'ate Tottenham' when there's nothing else going on, whoever the opponents are! Arsenal does not get a mention as that club wins nothing, unless the shout goes out 'you're going to win ****all' But it's only a game, rather tribal on occasions.
The OverGround round London, an M25 of trains as described by Mayor Boris, is much more interesting since the new link was opened.
If you're planning a night out in Islington or coming home from the Emirates, the final through train to FH from Highbury and Islington is at 11.35pm. There is another train at 12.10am which runs to New Cross Gate only which connects with the final Southern train from London Bridge.
Angel to London Bridge on the Northern line is the only real option after 11.35pm to be honest.
I caught the 10.05pm train back from H&I to HOP last night and can thoroughly recommend the service. Journey time was just 32 minutes and avoided the tedious and time consuming changes at Kings Cross and London Bridge.