Network Rail carried out an array of improvement projects over the August Bank Holiday in a bid to deliver improved and more reliable travel for passengers.

The £2.8 million improvements will support passengers who travel between Hitchin and London terminals.

Work as part of the East Coast Digital Programme saw 56 new cabinets put in place in order to house the necessary equipment to support a future digital railway and marks a once-in-a-generation project which will see traditional signals removed and replaced with state-of-the-art digital signalling technology. The installation of this essential infrastructure will prepare the route for a new operating system which will provide the ability for continual in-cab communication for train drivers as soon as 2025.

Toufic Machnouk, Network Rail’s Industry Partnership Director for Digital Railway, said: “Working with our partners to deliver this brilliant progress over the bank holiday takes us closer to running a more resilient, greener, future-proofed railway for passengers.

“The East Coast Digital Programme will transform the way that trains move along the East Coast Main Line using digital trail control technology. We are using industry-wide expertise and innovation to install, test and eventually operate a better railway for people.

“I’d like to thank passengers for their support and patience while we delivered this work.”

New Southgate station saw an unused footbridge and ticket office successfully removed during the bank holiday weekend which saw the final stage of the relocation of the ticket office for Great Northern passengers.

Engineering teams undertook the repair and renewal of more than 300 metres of overhead line equipment in a bid to increase reliability by supporting more trains to run on time whilst cutting the need for maintenance in the future for the Northern City Line close to Drayton.

Great Northern and Thameslink Customer Services Director, Jenny Saunders said: “The work Network Rail is doing will help create the railway of the future, providing more reliable services for our passengers and, on the East Coast Main Line, the potential for more frequent services in the future.

“More testing will be taking place on the Northern City Line on 18 September and 9 October so please check how your service may be affected by visiting National Rail Enquiries’ online journey planner. We’re really grateful for your patience.”

Further work will take place on the East Coast Digital Programme on Sundays the 4th and 18th of September and also Sunday the 9th of October which means that no services will be able to operate on the Northern City Line on those dates.

Trains which normally run in and out of Moorgate will be diverted into King’s Cross.

Customers who need to travel on the dates mentioned above are being advised to plan their travel ahead and to check their journey via National Rail Enquiries or by using their train operator’s website.