Train services between York and Newcastle on the East Coast Main Line will be disrupted for the next four weekends because of major engineering work.

The work starts this Saturday, 7th March, and continues on Sunday, 8th March, and Saturdays/Sundays 14th/15th, 21st/22nd, and 28th/29th March.

During the affected weekends, trains between York, Northallerton, and Newcastle will run every hour by an alternative route via Sunderland. For passengers travelling to or from Darlington and Durham, rail replacement bus services will connect with trains at either York or Newcastle.

Further south, testing of digital signalling in Hertfordshire will affect services between Peterborough and London King’s Cross on Sunday, 15th March. This is part of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which, from later this year, will see passenger trains on a section of the main line between Welwyn and Hitchin signalled digitally, resulting in more reliable and safer journeys.

The weekend’s testing will check the correct operation between lineside equipment, equipment onboard trains, and the York Rail Operating Centre.

On Sunday 15 March, services between London King’s Cross will start and terminate at Peterborough, where a frequent coach service will connect passengers to Bedford for onward Thameslink services to and from London.

Daniel Mann, director of industry operations at Rail Delivery Group, advised that passengers travelling between York and Newcastle at the weekend should plan ahead and allow extra time for travel.

”We’re carrying out a significant package of upgrades on the East Coast Main Line to keep trains running safely and reliably for the millions of passengers who depend on the route. The improvements, including renewing track and switches and crossings as well as progress with the Darlington station upgrade and East Coast Digital Programme, are important steps towards an even more modern, greener, safer and more reliable railway. We appreciate this work does mean changes to weekend services, and we’re grateful to passengers for their patience while we complete these upgrades.”

Gunnar Lindahl, joint operations director for Network Rail and LNER