Editing Gospel Oak to Barking line (section)

==== New trains ====
[[File:Class 710 train at Barking Station.jpg|thumb|A Class 710 four-coach electric train at Barking station]]
On account of the completion of electrification in 2018, new electric [[British Rail Class 710|Class 710]] trains were supposed to run from March 2018. However, the delivery of these trains was delayed by the manufacturer; at one point,  officials were not even willing to divulge an anticipated service date for the Class 710 sets.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.globalrailnews.com/2018/06/20/london-overground-receives-first-new-class-710-emu/ |title = London&nbsp;Overground receives first new Class 710 EMU {{!}} Global Rail News |date = 20 June 2018 |work = Global Rail News |access-date = 11 September 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225501/https://www.globalrailnews.com/2018/06/20/london-overground-receives-first-new-class-710-emu/ |archive-date = 11 September 2018 |url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="standard.co.uk">{{Cite web |url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/train-services-to-be-halved-on-troubled-goblin-barking-to-gospel-oak-line-a4089041.html |title = Trains to be halved on troubled 'Goblin' Barking to Gospel Oak line |date = 12 March 2019 |publisher = Evening Standard |access-date = 23 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/bombardier-class-710/s-authorised-but-wait-goes-on-for-entry-into-traffic |title = Bombardier Class 710/2s authorised, but wait goes on for entry into traffic |website = railmagazine.com |access-date = 23 April 2019}}</ref>

Due to the Class 172 units being needed by [[West Midlands Trains]], three [[British Rail Class 378|Class 378]] units (378 206, 378 209 and 378 232) were moved from other parts of the [[London Overground]] and shortened down from five to four carriages to provide an interim service until the class 710 units entered service. However, six trains are needed to be able to run a full service, so from 15 March 2019 (the day the last Class 172 units left London Overground) the frequency on the line was halved to two trains per hour.<ref name="standard.co.uk"/>

Increases in passenger numbers led to severe overcrowding at peak times, but it was not possible to increase peak frequencies without reducing the number of goods trains, as the line could accommodate only eight trains per hour in each direction. The two-coach Class 172 diesel trains in use between 2010 and 2019 were incapable of handling the increased number of passengers experienced after the incorporation into the London Overground. Between 2016 and 2018 the line was electrified by Network Rail; this work was delayed due to a number of design, track works and delivery problems. At the same time, platforms were lengthened to accommodate the new four-coach electric Class 710 trains. These trains were intended to be introduced in the spring of 2018, but the delivery was delayed by the manufacturer, the first two entering service on 23 May 2019,<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |date = 28 May 2019 |title = Aventra finally enters Barking-Gospel Oak service |url = https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/aventra-finally-enters-barking-gospel-oak-service |access-date = 3 October 2023 |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]]}}</ref> but the existing two trains per hour service was maintained until the full timetable was restored in June of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |last = Gelder |first = Sam |date = 24 June 2019 |title = Three-year nightmare is over! Full service resumes on Gospel Oak to Barking Overground line |url = https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/full-service-resumed-on-gospel-oak-to-barking-london-overground-line-1-6123315 |access-date = 11 August 2019 |publisher = Islington Gazette}}</ref> The full fleet entered service in August 2019.<ref name="Gospel Oak to Barking trains">{{Cite web |title = Gospel Oak to Barking trains |url = https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-overground/gospel-oak-to-barking-improvements |access-date = 11 June 2019 |website = Transport for London}}</ref> Because the delay caused timetable cutbacks and continued overcrowding, TfL offered a month's free travel, financed by the manufacturer [[Bombardier Inc.|Bombardier]], to compensate passengers for the months of disruption they experienced.