The route became an extension of the North London Line (NLL) in 1979. In 1979, the original station building and a platform were closed, being replaced by a minimalist entrance and passenger shelter on the south side.[5] From the 1980s onward, only one track of the double track line was used through the Connaught Tunnel under the Royal Docks and on to North Woolwich.
In 1985 the line from North Woolwich was electrified on the third rail system under British Rail, with the service running round inner north London to Richmond (a route part-third rail and part-overhead wire). Prior to closure, the typical service frequency Monday to Saturday was every 30 minutes during the daytime, increasing to every 20 minutes in the evening and every 30 minutes all day Sunday.
Class 313 waiting to depart a few days before the station closed.
For a period of about 18 months, from May 1994 until October 1995, the line from North Woolwich to Stratford (Low Level) closed temporarily during the Jubilee Line extension which involved reconstruction on the platforms at West Ham and Canning Town stations. A replacement bus was in place during this time. In 1998, the original station building was Grade II-listed.[4]
The station and the line to Stratford closed on 9 December 2006[7] to allow conversion of the North London Line between Stratford and Canning Town to a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) line. At closure the station was served by Silverlink. Following the opening of the DLR extension to London City Airport in 2005, the area was better served by more frequent services from King George V DLR station. Following the extension of the line to Woolwich Arsenal in 2009, a rapid transit connection across the Thames was provided for the first time.[3]
Future
The Elizabeth line uses the Connaught Tunnel and nearby NLL route, with a new tunnel under the River Thames near the site of North Woolwich station. This prevents any future use of the station for railway purposes - preventing two proposed schemes for using the short section of railway track near the station:
Ownership of the station site passed to the House Mill Trust after closure, but high maintenance costs led to it being sold on to a property investment firm, Sav Group, in 2018,[8] with the station building and trackbed subsequently being purchased in 2021 by the New Covenant Church.[9]
In 2023 plans were submitted to redevelop the former goods yard with apartments, a café and a commercial space.[10]
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