Siemens Mobility and Govia Thameslink Railway have been working to update the 25 Class 717 Great Northern trains.

They have installed an updated specification of the in-cab European Train Control System (ETCS).

The Class 717s now run on the Northern City Line with ETCS Baseline 3, Release 2 (Version 3.6.0).

The update allows for increased flexibility for services to operate in high-traffic zones.

“The successful upgrade of the Siemens-built Class 717 fleet on the Northern City Line to the new ETCS specification marks a major milestone in our mission to transform rail travel through innovative technology.

“Working closely with GTR and Network Rail, we are proud to be delivering a more reliable, connected, and higher-capacity railway for passengers travelling between Moorgate and Finsbury Park.

“This achievement proves that an ETCS no-signals commuter railway unlocks a multitude of benefits on one of the UK’s most demanding urban corridors, and we plan to apply these lessons and improvements to the wider East Coast Main Line.”

Richard Cooper, Infrastructure Lead and ECDP Project Director, Siemens Mobility