Strategic Route 6 - North London Line and Thameside is the designation given by Network Rail to a grouping of railway lines in Greater London and the East of England region that encompasses the London, Tilbury and Southend Line and overground commuter lines within London. The route provides key services to Southend and London suburban areas as well as supporting various freight routes within London.

Strategic route sections

The Route is divided into a number of separate Strategic Route Sections (SRS's) that are defined based on route use, infrastructure and historical lines.

Route	Strategic Route Sections (SRS)	Corresponding historical lines (whole & partial)
Route 6 - North London Line and Thameside	06.01 - NLL: Gospel Oak – Stratford	North London Line
	06.02 - Fenchurch Street – Shoeburyness	London, Tilbury and Southend Line
	06.03 - Forest Gate Jn – Barking	Gospel Oak to Barking Line
	06.04 - Barking – Pitsea	London, Tilbury and Southend Line
	06.05 - Gospel Oak – Woodgrange Park	Gospel Oak to Barking Line
	06.06 - NLL: Willesden Jn– Gospel Oak	North London Line
	06.07 - NLL: Richmond/Old Kew Jn – Willesden Jn	North London Line
	06.08 - Other Freight Lines	Various freight lines
	06.09 - NLL: No1 Lines	Freight line
	06.10 - Dudding Hill Line	Freight line

Railway planning

As part of Network Rail's Strategic Business Plan a Route Plan for each route, including Route 6, is published annually. The Route 6 plans for 2008 and 2009 are made available online.

Together with Route 7 - Great Eastern and Route 5 - West Anglia, the London, Tilbury and Southend Line section of the route is included in the Greater Anglia Route Utilisation Strategy. The North London Lines section of the route is included in the Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy.

Proposed developments

The Greater Anglia RUS includes a number of proposal for the future development of the route.In the medium term, 2009-14, this includes minor infrastructure works and additional rolling stock to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended to 12-car formation.Also included is the proposal for the extension of platforms on the Tilbury loop and Ockendon branch to handle 12 cars, to allow all main line peak-service trains to be extended to 8 or 12-car formation.In the longer term intentions are to continue the lengthening of peak trains to 12-car formation. Enhancements to the power supply of the route are intended for completion by 2012 to interface with those carried out on Route 5 and Route 7.

References