The London Underground station where DLR tracks run above Tube to save space

If you're standing on platform 2 at Canning Town station and take a look west towards the opposite platforms, you'll see the peculiar sight of DLR trains arriving above Tube trains below, as platforms 3 and 4 are stacked over 5 and 6.

Although it's not rare to see platforms stacked on top of each other in the TfL network - St Paul's and Chancery Lane on the Central line being key examples - this is the only case where it's visible at street level.

This design is both practical and cost-effective for TfL, allowing two railways to run on the alignment of just one, thus saving money on land acquisition.

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However, it has resulted in a rather inconvenient situation where southbound DLR trains heading towards Woolwich Arsenal and Beckton can depart from either the "downstairs" platforms 1/2 or the "upstairs" platform 3.

To switch between them, passengers have to use a subway that takes them down to an additional basement level. Essentially, they have to go down one floor, cross the station, then go up two floors if they choose the 'wrong' platform to catch the next train.

This setup can cause chaos when a train is diverted, cancelled or full, resulting in a near-stampede of passengers rushing through the station to catch the next train from the other platform - far from ideal.

Canning Town station, which was once a simple National Rail stop with just two platforms, has undergone significant changes since the 1990s.

The arrival of both the DLR and Jubilee line extensions transformed it into an interchange station. To help passengers navigate, extra signage has been installed in the station, and several plasma screens display the platforms and destinations of the next DLR departures.

The station's history is quite interesting. It was originally used by trains travelling between North Woolwich and Richmond via Stratford.

This route is now split between the London Overground and DLR.

In the 1990s, the station underwent major changes. The DLR needed to cross the National Rail line, leading to the opening of a viaduct in 1994.

This allowed trains to stop at elevated platforms above the future Jubilee line before making the crossing, eliminating the need for additional bridges or tunnels.

Fast forward to 2006, the National Rail service was reduced to Stratford to facilitate its conversion to DLR. This involved modifying platforms 1 and 2 and the existing DLR viaduct.

The project was completed in 2011, partly funded by the 2012 Olympic Games. Since then, trains have been running between Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal via Canning Town.

This also allows for a shuttle service to operate between Canning Town and Beckton, reversing in platform 2.

It's worth noting that all London Underground Jubilee line trains always use platforms 5 and 6.

Though not commonplace, "Stacked" platforms are indeed a part of several metro systems internationally. Take Paris's Mirabeau station on Metro line 10, for example; it boasts an atypical architecture with just a single platform catering to eastbound trains only.

This setup results in westbound trains having to skip the station entirely by ascending a ramp that takes them 'above them', a manoeuvre that remains in full view of the passengers. Furthermore, Paris is home to another peculiar design at Austerlitz station where a viaduct uniquely positions Metro line 5 trains right above the ticket hall and the mainline station platforms.

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