Network Rail has completed two weekends of upgrade work as part of the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), and plans further work between London King's Cross and Grantham in February.
Digital signalling using the European Train Control System (ETCS) is already in use in many countries in Europe and beyond, and also on the Cambrian Line in Wales, the central London section of Thameslink and the Northern City Line (Finsbury Park to Moorgate). The ECDP will bring ETCS to an intercity mainline in Great Britain for the first time, laying the foundation for digital signalling to expand across the network.
Network Rail believes that its benefits will include:
- more reliability, as signalling will no longer rely on lineside equipment
- more punctual services, as driver receive continual information about the safe maximum speed for their train.
- greener journeys, delivering a further 55,000 tonne reduction in carbon emissions over sixty years.
Further information about the ECDP is available here.
Engineers have worked night and day over the last two weekends preparing for the new digital, in-cab signalling system to operate on the East Coast Main Line. The billion-pound project is due to be completed in 2025, and promises to bring more reliable, resilient,and greener journeys.
Track workers also carried out improvements, and overhead line workers adjusted equipment. Engineers tested newly-installed cabling and equipment for operating the new system.
During February, Network Rail will carry out more ECDP upgrade work, which will result in some disruption to services.
- On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 February, work will take place between London and Peterborough, and LNER will run a reduced service, starting and terminating at Grantham. Rail replacement coaches will run between Grantham and Huntingdon, where passengers can join a shuttle train service to London King's Cross.
- From Saturday 17 February until Tuesday 20 February, no LNER trains will run to or from London King's Cross, as engineers will be commissioning the signalling system between Welwyn and Hitchin will be commissioned, which will enable train testing in the next phase of the programme. LNER will run a reduced service, which will start and terminate at Peterborough. Rail replacement coaches will run between Peterborough and Bedford, where passengers can join other operators' services to London St Pancras.
- On Saturday 10, Sunday 11, Saturday 17,and Sunday 18 February, Hull Trains will run a reduced train service of two trains in each direction. The service will divert at Doncaster and terminate at London St Pancras.
- On Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 February, Hull Trains services will terminate at Doncaster, and no trains will run to or from London, Grantham or Retford.
- Lumo services will only run between Edinburgh and Newcastle, and Grand Central will not run any trains on all the affected days.
Ricky Barsby, Head of Access and Integration for East Coast Digital Programme, said: “This is a huge milestone for the project. Commissioning the Welwyn to Hitchin stretch will allow us to start testing the new system with trains and is testament to the incredible hard work and dedication of our engineers over the last year.
“We know this extended work will cause disruption to passengers and we are very sorry for that. We would encourage all passengers to check their journey via National Rail Enquiries before they travel and want to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
A spokesperson on behalf of LNER, Hull Trains, Lumo and Grand Central said: “Our teams will be working hard to keep passengers on the move and get them to their destination as quickly and as efficiently as they can during this work.
“All the latest travel information, including how passengers' journeys may be affected, can be found on our websites, social media channels, or at our stations.”
