Thameslink and Great Northern have said no trains will travel to and from London and Peterborough/Royston this weekend (17-18 May) as work to transform the East Coast Main Line continues.
Teams will carry out significant upgrades as part of £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), including removing traditional signals in a major milestone for the project.
Ahead of a weekend of service alterations, Network Rail have released an animated video to help explain ECDP and the benefits of digital in-cab signalling.
Network Rail and the passenger operators have collaborated to produce the video, which outlines the different stages involved with ECDP, and how it will ultimately deliver more reliable, less disrupted, and greener services for passengers on the East Coast Main Line.
There will be no trains this weekend between London and Peterborough/Royston, or between Moorgate and Stevenage (via Hertford North), and rail replacement buses covering various journeys*.
Network Rail colleagues will test digital signalling between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin – ahead of this section going live in early 2026 – and carry out preparatory digital signalling work between Biggleswade and Peterborough.
The signal removal work between Moorgate and Finsbury Park marks a significant milestone, as this section becomes Britain’s first fully ‘no signals’ commuter railway, with trains operating solely with in-cab digital signalling, and not the traditional, trackside traffic-light signals. Great Northern services already use digital signalling on this stretch, so removing the physical signals completes the transition to a fully digital railway route.
Ricky Barsby, Network Rail's head of access integration for the East Coast Digital Programme, said:
“We hope people find the video informative as we move forward on our journey to the next generation railway."
“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.”
This weekend will also see track switching equipment renewed and refurbished near Hornsey and Huntingdon, and drainage work completed near Fletton, also contributing to smoother, more reliable journeys on the East Coast Main Line.
Photo and video credit: Network Rail
