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Network Rail engineers will be carrying out major upgrades to the East Coast Main Line between York and Newcastle in March, resulting in some changes to train services.

Volunteers will be at stations across the East Coast Main Line for Samaritans’ Small Talk Saves Lives campaign to remind the public that small talk can be lifesaving as half the nation admit to swerving someone they don’t know to avoid small talk.

The East Coast Digital Programme has taken a big step forward with the renewal of infrastructure successfully commissioned that now enables the Welwyn to Hitchin (W2H) ETCS overlay to be tested and proven, with engineers having worked around the clock between 17-20 February. W2H is Britain’s first instance of infrastructure commissioning towards a ‘no signals’ intercity mainline.

In a big step forward for the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), new technology has now been successfully commissioned between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin, bringing digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line a step closer.

Passengers are being advised that changes are being made to walking routes at Darlington station as major improvement work continues.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Network Rail shines a light on two of its current East Coast apprentices and explains the opportunities to those interested in working for the railway.

Engineering work to install state-of-the-art digital signalling will close sections of the East Coast Main Line between London and Peterborough for two weekends and two working days in February.

Network Rail is reminding passengers to plan ahead and check before travelling as major upgrades to signalling at the southern end of the East Coast Main Line will see changes to services across multiple dates in February 2024.