Services resume after two weekends’ disruption on the East Coast Main Line

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Services resume after two weekends’ disruption on the East Coast Main Line

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Upgrade work at Welwyn. // Credit: Network Rail
Upgrade work at Welwyn. // Credit: Network Rail

Over the last two weekends, services on the southern end of the between Peterborough and London King’s Cross were severely disrupted while engineers carried out a range of improvements.

During the work, preparatory work was carried out for cables to be laid under the lines between Biggleswade and Peterborough in readiness for the installation of digital in-cab , under the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).

Engineers work on the ECDP between Welwyn and Hitchin // Credit: Network Rail
Engineers work on the East Coast Digital Programme. // Credit: Network Rail

Once the East Coast Digital Programme is fully operational, traditional, lineside signals will be replaced with continuous information displayed inside drivers’ cabs.

Engineers work between Welwyn and Hitchin to deliver ECDP, Network Rail
Upgrading overhead lines between Welwyn and Hitchin. // Credit: Network Rail

Other improvements to the track, drainage, and overhead lines included:

  • Replacing bridge timbers south of Finsbury Park, and switch and crossing equipment at Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Harringay, and Wood Green.
  • Carrying out drainage work in tunnels at Hadley Wood and the Barnet Tunnel.
  • Renewing track at Wymondley.
  • Upgrading overhead line equipment at Hadley Wood, between Wood Green and Hadley Wood, at Finsbury Park, and between St Neots and Huntingdon.
Engineers work on ECDP between Welwyn and Hitchin
Engineers work on the East Coast Digital Programme. // Credit: Network Rail

“We’ve taken another step towards the delivery of modern in-cab digital signalling that will enable a higher performing railway in the future. With the main line shut over two weekends, the opportunity has also been taken to deliver a whole range of improvements to the track and overhead line equipment that will help ensure reliable journeys in the here and now. We’re sorry to passengers who were affected by the two weekends of disruption and thank them for their patience as we make these vital improvements.”

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail head of access and integration, ECDP

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