The East Coast Digital Programme which aims to create a digital railway and will transform rail travel to and from London is making great headway following vital work which took place over the weekend of the 18th and 19th of February.

The weekend of essential work saw the commissioning of new signalling for the North London area of Wood Green-New Barnet which will bring greater reliability whilst preparing the location for future digital signalling. The work marks a major step towards the nearby Finsbury Park to Moorgate route on the Northern City Line running passenger trains with digital signalling later in 2023.

Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin in Hertfordshire also saw brand new lineside equipment and technology installed which supports the provision of digital signalling straight to the driver’s cab. Work in this area also marks progress essential to part of the line becoming the first part of the East Coast Main Line to operate utilising digital signalling.

In order for the work to be completed safely and efficiently over the weekend of the 18th and 19th of February, no trains were able to operate between St Neots near Peterborough or between Royston and London. The line closures also provided a fantastic chance to undertake further work such as maintenance of overhead lines, signalling and track alongside essential repair work to Harringay station’s footbridge.

Rail operators have worked alongside Network Rail in order to keep rail passengers on the move with rail replacement services and trains using diversionary routes between Peterborough and London Liverpool Street via Cambridge.

Ed Akers, Network Rail’s Principal Programme Sponsor, ECDP, said: “The work carried out this weekend in London and Hertfordshire provides a big step forward towards a next-generation railway that is fit for the future.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to passengers for bearing with us while this crucial work was delivered.  Digital signalling will enable more reliable passenger services and more freight to be carried while reducing carbon emissions, creating a more sustainable railway”.

Dr Linda Wain, Engineering Director at LNER, said: “The East Coast Digital Programme is one the biggest transformations on the railway – bringing it into a digital age. It will mean LNER customers travel with even more confidence by making journeys even greener and smoother as well as enabling our fleet of Azuma trains to realise their full potential.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Service Director, Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “The work Network Rail completed this weekend was a vital step in our journey towards introducing digital signalling, which will give our Great Northern and Thameslink passengers a more dependable service between London and Peterborough. I’d like to thank our customers for their continued patience while this work takes place.”