Network Rail reminds East Coast Main Line passengers to check before they travel due to further ETCS digital signalling testing taking place this upcoming weekend.
Rail passengers are being reminded to plan their journeys ahead of further work taking place this weekend to test 21st century digital signalling systems on the East Coast Main Line.
The GBP 1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme will see traditional, lineside signals replaced with signalling displayed inside drivers’ cabs, which will mean more reliable journeys and a greener railway for passengers in the future.
This weekend further testing will take place of the recently installed system between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin. This is part of ongoing preparations for trains to run on this route using digital signalling from late 2025.
For the testing to be carried out under controlled conditions, the railway needs to be closed in and around the affected section.
There will be no Thameslink or Great Northern trains between Potters Bar and St Neots; Potters Bar and Royston; and between Hertford North and Stevenage on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December.
Instead, rail replacement buses will keep passengers on the move (see editor’s notes below), with people reminded to check before they travel and leave extra time for their journeys.
Long distance services on the East Coast Main Line will also be affected by the work and details can be found here.
The advice from Network Rail and train operators is to check before you travel by using www.nationalrail.co.uk or by checking train operator websites.
“The testing work is a further step towards the introduction of digital, in-cab signalling on the East Coast Main Line, which will improve services for passengers and create a more reliable and greener railway. We recognise the work will lead to journeys taking longer over that weekend. We thank all those affected for their patience and understanding,” Ricky Barsby, Network Rail’s head of access integration, ECDP, said.
The East Coast Digital Programme is being delivered in partnership with all train operators which operate on the East Coast Main Line to deliver the first-of-a-kind signalling project.
“I thank customers for their patience whilst Network Rail carries out this vital work, which will improve the reliability of services in the long run. There will be rail replacement buses to help keep customers on the move and I urge people to plan their journeys and allow plenty of extra time,” Jenny Saunders, Thameslink and Great Northern’s customer services director, said.
The European Train Control System (ETCS) testing planned for Sunday 30 November and Sunday 1 December is expected to involve a Great Northern Class 717 commuter train and a Grand Central Class 180 passenger train.
Testing and proving will continue between Welwyn and Hitchin at various stages in the coming months, involving different trains and onboard systems.
Much of the work will be done overnight, avoiding any impact on regular passenger services.
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