Reminder: Digital signalling upgrades affecting journeys between London and Peterborough/Royston this weekend

Network Rail has issued the following press release about engineering works taking place this weekend between London and Peterborough/Royston, affecting Thameslink and Great Northern journeys.

Thameslink and Great Northern passengers are being reminded that no trains will travel to and from London and Peterborough/Royston this weekend (17-18 May) as work to transform 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.

As we prepare for a weekend of service alterations, we are today releasing 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.

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: “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.”

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 the south. Check details with your train operator.

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.

Notes to Editors

Ricky Barsby will be available for interview on Thursday 15 May at Peterborough station or over Teams. Email gavin.bostock@networkrail.co.uk to arrange.

Changes to train services

Great Northern/Thameslink

No trains will run between:

• London and Peterborough
• London and Royston
• Moorgate and Stevenage (via Hertford North)

Rail replacement buses will run between:

• Peterborough and Bedford via St Neots
• Peterborough and Hitchin
• Royston and Hitchin
• Stevenage and Hertford North
• Hertford North and Alexandra Palace
• Stevenage and St Albans City via Welwyn Garden City
• Stevenage and Luton Airport Parkway via Hitchin
• Alexandra Palace and Welwyn Garden City
• Cockfosters and Potters Bar via Hadley Wood

Trains will run between:

• Royston and Cambridge/Ely/Kings Lynn

Ticket acceptance will be in place on Thameslink services between Bedford and London, and on Greater Anglia services between Cambridge North/Hertford East and London Liverpool Street.

LNER

• LNER services will run a reduced service starting and terminating at Peterborough.
• Rail replacement buses will run between Peterborough and Bedford, where passengers can join Thameslink services to London St Pancras.

Passengers travelling between Leeds/Doncaster/Newcastle/Edinburgh and London are strongly advised to use LNER services to and from Peterborough and rail replacement coaches between Bedford and Peterborough, which connect with Thameslink services to London St Pancras. Customers travelling between the North and London are recommended to apply a search filter to specify travel via Peterborough.

Passengers travelling via Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham or Chesterfield on East Midlands Railway services should expect trains to be busier than normal due to the closure on the East Coast Main Line.