Network Rail is thanking passengers for their patience during testing of the new upgrade work on the East Coast Main Line.

On the 15th June, those travelling between Peterborough/Royston and London King’s Cross had services affected.

Engineers were testing the new digital in-cab signalling system as part of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).

The programme of work will see lineside signals replaced with information within the driver’s cab and aims to make journeys more reliable.

Sunday’s work saw wider system testing using Great Northern and Grand Central to run high-speed trains between Finsbury Park and Huntingdon.

They moved trains in and out of the upgraded section between Welwyn and Hitchin, and aim to implement upgraded services from 2026.

During this service disturbance, other work in preparation for digital signalling was carried out between Biggleswade and Peterborough.

They also took the opportunity to renew overhead equipment near Huntingdon and strengthen a bridge near Finsbury Park.

 “Further work has been done to deliver modern in-cab digital signalling that will enable a higher performing railway in the future.

“Introducing a change to the way we operate services necessarily involves a lot of rigorous testing, but this will help deliver more reliable journeys for passengers in the years ahead. We’re sorry to passengers whose journeys were affected by the work, and thank them for their continued patience.“

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail head of access integration, ECDP