Thursday 17 Sep 2026
This weekend: Engineering work gets underway on East Coast Main Line
- Region & Route:
- Scotland’s Railway: Scotland
A project to improve the reliability and long-term resilience of the East Coast Main Line will begin this weekend.
The work between North Berwick and Dunbar will help maintain a safe and reliable railway for years to come, supporting services on the key route between Edinburgh Waverley and London King’s Cross.
To allow engineers to carry out improvements safely and efficiently, the line between Edinburgh and Newcastle will be closed from Saturday 19 September to Monday 21 September and from Saturday 26 September to Monday 28 September.
Engineers will be carrying out a range improvements across the line throughout the closure including the renewal of a kilometre of track at Hedderwick.
Other work includes the installation of a new drainage system and a half a kilometre of rails being replaced at Ninewar.
A project to stabilise a slope on the railway at Howburn, near Reston, will also be delivered during the closures.
On the following weekend, Saturday 3 October and Sunday 4 October, engineering work will also be taking place south of the border between Newcastle and Berwick.
During these closures, services operated by LNER, ScotRail, Lumo, CrossCountry and TransPennine Express will be affected, with rail replacement transport and some alternative rail travel options available.
Passengers are advised to plan for journeys and check with their train operators for alternative travel options.
Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “This multi-million pound investment in the East Coast Main Line will help us deliver a more reliable railways for passengers and freight customers on cross-border services for years to come.
“We know closures can be inconvenient and we’d like to thank passengers for their patience while the work takes place.
“By closing the line over weekends, our engineers can carry out a significant amount of work safely and efficiently, reducing the need for future maintenance and disruption.”
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