Actually, it's more about the DLR, Transport for London's above-ground light rail system. Wikipedia says it opened in 1987, but the trains and the stations seem a whole lot newer than that. The whole system amazed me no end, but the DLR is interesting because as near as I can tell it's semi-automated. There's a conductor onboard, and he occasionally will fiddle with some controls, but it starts and stops largly on its own. The ride is a little herky-jerky, but smooth and enjoyable otherwise.
Amy and I took a joy ride on the DLR today into Carary Wharf, and further on to the terminus of one of the lines at Lewisham. It was after we'd spent the morning touring Tower Bridge, and if it wasn't so cold and windy today, we might have taken a couple of excursions off the DLR to see the Prime Meridian and the Cutty Sark. As it was, though, we were pretty wiped out. So we rode the line back to the other end after Lewisham, and took the Circle Line tube back to our hotel.
The Canary Wharf area was particularly impressive. First, while not the financial heartbeat of London, it rivals it. The area is positively bustling. Second, and likely because of the financial activity there, there's a ton of development going on, most of it seemingly residential. Everywhere you look, there are flats going up all over the place, and very attractive buildings they are, too.
It was a fun and sunny, but freezing day today, and the discovery of the DLR was definitely a highlight.
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