Great Northern announce further weekend closures of Northern City Line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate

Work on the East Coast Digital Programme has meant that Network Rail and Great Northern have confirmed further weekend closures of the Northern City Line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate.

There will be an extra three weekends of closures which will take place due to the work needed to create the UK’s first intercity digital railway.

The significant benefits of the project will be to bring more reliability to the railway and this will be felt as soon as summer 2022, with track upgrades and outdated signalling replaced.

The Northern City line is expected to be fully digitally signalled by 2023, bringing the most up-to-date technology with trains fitted with in-cab signalling tech.

The new signalling technology means that trains can keep constant contact rather than just at fixed signal points, responding in real-time, which will be an advantage to passengers in the form of reduced delays with a notable improvement in services.

Trains will be diverted to King’s Cross station during the closures, and passengers who need to travel are advised to check and plan ahead via National Rail Enquiries or with greatnorthernrail.com

The full list of closures for 2021

Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th of July
Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th of August
Saturday the 14th and Sunday 15th of August
Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd of August
Saturday the 28th, Sunday the 29th and Monday the 30th of August
Saturday the 4th of September and Sunday the 5th of September
Saturday the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd of October

Toufic Machnouk, director, Industry Partnership Digital for Network Rail, said: “We’re sorry to any customers who will be affected by the additional weekend closures which we have announced today and I’d encourage passengers planning on using the Northern City Line to check before travelling.

“The East Coast Digital Programme will transform this stretch of railway and provide significant improvements to reliability from next summer. We’d like to thank all those impacted for their patience during this time and we look forward to them reaping the benefits of this work.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Great Northern and Thameslink, said: “Working with Network Rail, we have been able to confirm additional dates in August and October when the route between Finsbury Park and Moorgate will have to close at the weekend, and we’re keen to share this information with passengers as soon as possible. There may be more alterations later in the year and we promise to keep everyone updated.

“By summer 2022, even before the digital system is commissioned, the outdated signalling will have been replaced which should give our passengers much more reliable journeys.”

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