Gospel Oak to Barking Overground line to shut for eight months to allow electrification upgrade works

The Gospel Oak to Barking line (colloquially known as the GOBLIN), is to close for eight months from June for a major upgrade costing £130million. Commuters of the busy but neglected route face far longer journeys by alternative services. Many will have to use the District, Victoria or Northern lines to get near their destinations and then rely on a bus. This means 30 to 60 minutes’ extra travel each way.

Existing two-carriage diesel trains will be replaced with eight faster and greener four-car electric stock. Electrification work will mean the reconstruction of at least 12 bridges to accommodate new power cables. The line, now part of Transport for London’s Overground network, has been frequently condemned by commuters for poor service. Mike Stubbs, TfL’s director of London Overground, said: “Electrifying the line will double capacity on this busy route. It also is needed to enable a new rail extension to Barking Riverside, which will support up to 11,000 new homes. “No final decisions have been made, but we are aware of the disruption this will cause and so we are pressing for the shortest possible timescale.”