One of south London's busiest train stations will finally reopen next week after being closed for 10 months

"All four of Cutty Sark station's old escalators had been regularly breaking down for years. In December 2024, every single one was out of action at the same time, and for five months, commuters had to use the lift or take the 121 steps to and from the platform."

"This station was built as a 'cut and cover' station, which meant originally the escalators were put in with a crane, and the station was built on top of the escalators. This time round, we have had to cut them into seven pieces, take them out to street level, then get the new ones manufactured in seven pieces and bring them in and build them up from scratch."

"The station is one of the main access routes into Greenwich town and normally one of the busiest stations in south London (with more than 7.6 million entries and exits a year). It's a key stop for both commuters and for tourists visiting attractions like the National Maritime Museum, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Market and, obviously, Cutty Sark itself."

Cutty Sark DLR station will reopen on Monday March 23 following a 10-month closure for escalator replacement. All four original escalators had experienced chronic breakdowns for years, with a complete failure in December 2024 forcing commuters to use lifts or climb 121 steps. TfL closed the station in May to install state-of-the-art replacements. During closure, travelers used Greenwich station, approximately 10 minutes away. The station serves over 7.6 million annual entries and exits, functioning as a primary access point to Greenwich town and attractions including the National Maritime Museum and Cutty Sark. Each new escalator required 17 weeks of construction, with new units expected to last up to 40 years.

Read at Time Out London