The Night Tube is coming to the London Overground this year

Let’s begin with a universal situation. And by universal I mean ‘affects a specific group of people including myself, so I’ll assume it’s much more widespread than it really is’.

It’s just gone midnight and you’re out at a bar in Shoreditch. The last Overground train back to south east London is leaving in 20 minutes, but your mate Nick has just bought a round of 12 double-vodka red bulls even though all but four of you have gone home (you all have a Nick, even if he claims that’s not his name).

They’ve got sensible, adult plans involving brunches and actively choosing to go for a walk, but you’re already too far gone to imagine a Sunday involving anything other than six straight hours of FIFA, interrupted temporarily when you remember McDonald’s delivers now.

In the past, you could down your three drinks like a chump, spending the entire train journey home trying to think about anything other than how much you need to throw up, urinate or both. Or you could take your time like a chump, stay out until 3am and spend the entire hour-plus on two night buses trying to think about anything other than how much you need to throw up, urinate or both.

But wait, there will soon be another way.

In December, the London Overground service will run for 24 hours between Dalston Junction and New Cross Gate on Fridays and Saturdays. This is great news for specifically me, as I live on branch of the line. I’m sure you’re all delighted for me.

The Evening Standardreports that the 24-hour service will be extended to Highbury and Islington early next year. However, it won’t stop at Whitechapel due to ongoing Crossrail work.

“Our Night Tube services have been a real success right across the capital, so I’m delighted to announce that we’ll be bringing the night Overground to the east London line later this year,” Mayor Sadiq Khan said.

The Night Tube already operates on all or part of the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, and the inclusion of the Overground will include a connection with the Jubilee line at Canada Water.

That means only a few more months of necking those last-minute drinks and making a dash for the station.

(Main image: Rex Features)