Wednesday 31 Jul 2024
East Coast Main Line in-train signalling testing this August bank holiday
- Region & Route:
- Eastern
- | Eastern: East Coast
- East Coast Main Line passengers are urged to check before they travel due to pioneering digital signalling testing this August bank holiday.
- No long-distance trains will operate between St Neots and London King's Cross from 8pm on Saturday 24 to 8am on Monday 26 August.
- It’s part of continuing work on the £1.4bn East Coast Digital Programme.
Rail passengers are being advised to plan their journeys in advance ahead of pioneering work to test 21st century digital signalling systems on the East Coast Main Line.
The £1.4 billion-pound 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.
On Sunday 25 August, the first long-distance train will test the newly installed system between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin at high speed.
This is in preparation 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 affecting long-distance trains in and out of London King’s Cross.
LNER, Lumo, and Hull Trains will not be running direct services in or out of London King’s Cross between 8pm on Saturday 24 August and 8am on Bank Holiday Monday 26 August. Grand Central will be operating no services during that time.
Instead, rail replacement buses will keep passengers on the move*, with people reminded to leave extra time for their journeys.
EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy and customers are advised to use Thameslink services and interchange at Bedford.
Thameslink and Great Northern services will be running into King's Cross, but only between London and Potters Bar, with onward journeys northwards served by rail replacement buses. More information 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.
Ed Akers, Network Rail’s industry partnership director, ECDP, said: “The testing work will take us a step closer to 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 resilient railway.
“We have carefully planned this work to avoid the busiest times of the August Bank Holiday weekend, and where possible passengers may be able to avoid this disruption by travelling before or after Sunday 25 August. I want to thank those passengers who will be affected for their patience and understanding of this work”.
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.
A spokesperson on behalf of LNER, Hull Trains, Lumo and Grand Central said: “Our teams will be working extremely hard to ensure passengers reach their destination as quickly as possible while these upgrades are carried out.
“The latest travel information can be found on our websites and on our social media platforms and we advise passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel.
The high speed European Train Control System (ETCS) testing planned for Sunday 25 August is expected to involve both a Grand Central Class 180 passenger train and a Network Rail Class 43 measurement 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.
For further information about the ECDP please visit www.eastcoastdigitalprogramme.co.uk
Notes to Editors
*More detail on rail replacement buses / train diversions
LNER will be operating a reduced service starting and terminating at St Neots or Peterborough. Rail replacement coaches will run between St Neots and Bedford, where customers can join Thameslink or EMR services to London St Pancras.
Hull Trains will be running a reduced train service of two trains in each direction which will divert and terminate in London St Pancras.
Lumo will operate a reduced service involving a non-stop rail replacement coach between London King’s Cross and Peterborough.
Digital signalling
Digital signalling, using ETCS is a proven technology already in use in many countries in Europe and elsewhere. The ECDP will see the first introduction of ETCS to an intercity mainline in Great Britain, and will provide the foundation for the future expansion of digital signalling across the network. ETCS is currently in use in the central London section of Thameslink and on the Cambrian Line in Wales, and now on the Northern City Line (Finsbury Park to Moorgate), in the first stage of ECDP.
More reliability: With signalling information being provided directly to the driver, via a screen in their cab, there will no longer be a need to maintain a large amount of lineside equipment involved with traditional ‘traffic light’ signals. As a result, the amount of signalling-related engineering work will reduce in the future by around almost half. Additionally, trains are sometimes affected by signal failures; moving to a modern, digitally based system makes this less likely, potentially reducing thousands of hours of delays, and making train services more reliable.
More punctual services: Digital signalling gives train drivers continual information about the safe maximum speed for their train. It provides drivers with additional information about the route ahead, that today’s fixed ‘traffic light’ signals do not. This enables more ‘efficient’ operations, helping trains stay on time. The new technology allows continuous communication between the trackside and onboard equipment. Signallers can continuously communicate with every train on the network and respond in real time using digital tools to help smooth the flow of trains and recover services more quickly after disruption.
Greener journeys: Digital signalling contributes to a greener railway. The East Coast Main Line is already electrified, and these upgrades will deliver a further 55,000 tonne reduction in carbon emissions over 60 years – the equivalent to over 65,000 one-way flights from London to New York, or over 2 million passenger train journeys from London to Edinburgh. This is because there is much less physical equipment to produce and maintain compared with what’s needed for ‘traffic light’ signals. The estimated whole life carbon saving over a 60-year period (the expected life span of a ‘traditional’ signalling system) is around 39%. The technology also allows gentler braking, meaning journeys are smoother and use less energy. Finally, a more reliable and punctual railway will encourage more people to choose rail over road and air, ultimately reducing transport emissions for the long-term.
For further information about the ECDP please visit www.eastcoastdigitalprogramme.co.uk
Contact information
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