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Thursday 24 Apr 2025

Major digital signalling upgrades affecting journeys between London and Peterborough/Royston

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

Thameslink and Great Northern passengers urged to plan ahead as no trains will travel to and from London King’s Cross over a weekend in May for East Coast Main Line transformation work.

Network Rail teams will be carrying out significant upgrades on the East Coast Main Line on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May as part of £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).

It means no trains between London and Peterborough/Royston, or between Moorgate and Stevenage (via Hertford North), and rail replacement buses covering various journeys*.

The work represents another major milestone in the transformation to digital signalling technology that will create a more reliable, efficient and greener railway.

Colleagues will be working over the weekend to carry out:

• High-speed digital signalling testing between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin
• Preparatory digital signalling work between Biggleswade and Peterborough
• Removal of traditional signals between Moorgate and Finsbury Park

The high-speed testing involves running trains through the already upgraded section between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin to test the new digital signalling systems before its planned go live date in early 2026. Additional preparatory work for digital signalling will also be undertaken for the next stage of the project between Biggleswade and Peterborough – work that is required for the future operation of in-cab signalling.

The signal removal work between Moorgate and Finsbury Park marks a significant milestone. This section will become Britain’s first fully ‘no signals’ commuter railway, meaning trains will operate solely with in-cab digital signalling, and not with traditional, traffic-light signals. Great Northern services already use digital signalling on this stretch, and removing the physical signals completes the transition to a fully digital railway route.

Due to the engineering work, there will be no services to or from London King's Cross on 17 and 18 May. Journeys to and from London will take significantly longer than normal, and passengers are urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail's head of access integration for the East Coast Digital Programme, said: “The testing work is another step towards the introduction of digital, in-cab signalling on the East Coast Main Line, enabling a more reliable and greener railway. The work will also see the removal of traditional signals on a stretch of commuter railway in London, pointing the way to the next generation railway.

“We recognise the work will lead to journeys taking longer over that weekend. We would like to thank all those affected for their patience and understanding.”

Jenny Saunders, customer service director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “The vital work this weekend will bring us yet another step closer to a digitally-signalled East Coast Main Line, which means more reliable journeys for our passengers.

“I do understand that, for this progress to be made, passengers will have to allow extra time to complete their journeys – and I’m sorry for any inconvenience or changed plans this might cause on your travels between London and Peterborough. Please do check on the Thameslink or Great Northern website before leaving to make your journey.

“We’ll have plenty of buses running to make sure you can get to your destinations – and staff on hand to help you with every step of your journey.

“The works will also mark a huge milestone on our Great Northern route between Moorgate and Finsbury Park, where traditional traffic-light style signals are being removed so our modern class 717 trains can operate using fully digital technology inside the cab.” 

There will be no trains between Peterborough and London King’s Cross, meaning passengers travelling from further north will need to use rail replacement coaches between Peterborough and Bedford, and Thameslink trains between Bedford and London St Pancras.

Passengers are urged to avoid travelling via Sheffield, Derby, or Chesterfield on East Midlands Railway services if possible due to extremely high customer numbers on this route.

During the railway closure, engineers will also renew and refurbish track switching equipment near Hornsey and Huntingdon, while completing drainage work near Fletton. These improvements will allow for smoother, more reliable journeys on the East Coast Main Line.

For more information on the East Coast Digital programme, please visit here.