To commemorate Re:Definition 2010’s tribute to East London, Bianca Manu explores how East London train station, Dalston Junction is putting the local area back on the map. 

One of the most prominent changes in East London aside from the preparations for Olympics, is arguably the re-opening of Dalston Junction overground. The station which first opened in November 1865 as part of the North London Railway "City Extension" to Broad Street gained notoriety.

In 1899, Louise Masset was convicted of murdering her young son, Manfred in the ladies' lavatories . Soonafter, the station closed and Masset was executed. Despite Dalston Junction’s infamous reputation, the station was later used in the film, ‘Look Back in Anger’ (1959) which received widespread acclaim and was nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards.

Over fifty years later, on 23^rd May 2010, Dalston Junction was reopened by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson as part of East London Line extension project, which marked Hackney’s first ever tube-style link. The first ever passenger train departed from Dalston Junction just after midday calling at all stations to New Cross. Hackney also witnessed the opening of three other overground stations - Hoxton, Haggerston and Shoreditch High Street as part of the £1.4 billion Transport for London investment programme in the run up to the Olympics.

The development of the new Dalston station has also acted as a catalyst for the refurbishment of the surrounding area. Public spaces such as Gillet Square have been revamped and given to-die-for décor and the square now regularly plays host to a range of events consisting of Jazz to contemporary dance. 

Several new flats and apartments also stand erect over Dalston garnishing its skyline with minimalist architecture, marking the growth and development of the area as a multicultural melting pot of religion, race and ethics. Put simply, that’s Dalston – re:fixed, re:mixed and re:freshed.

Words: Bianca Manu