UK: Multiple East Coast Main Line Trains Use Digital Signalling for the First Time

Testing along the East Coast Main Line has seen the hitting of a new milestone with the UK’s first instance of two trains operating with the European Train Control System (ETCS) on an inter-city main line simultaneously.

Network Rail has thanked passengers travelling south of Peterborough for their patience after work was carried out to progress the digital signalling upgrade this past weekend (22 & 23 November).

Works included a number of tests of the new digital in-cab signalling system, which is set to be introduced in the following years as part of the 1.4 billion GBP East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).

The project will see the replacement of lineside ‘traffic light’ signals with continuous in-cab signalling information through the ETCS.

Over the weekend, two Great Northern Class 717 commuter units and a Grand Central Class 180 unit were tested along a portion of the East Coast Main Line. Data updates were also carried out across different elements of the ETCS system(trackside interlocking and also the Radio Block Centre, proving desk and signaller screens at York Rail Operating Centre).

Additional work included the enabling of balises to (trackside beacons that communicate with the train) to be ‘unshielded’ (i.e. left switched on), enabling smoother test periods in future.

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail head of access integration, ECDP, said:

More work has been done towards the introduction of modern in-cab digital signalling that will deliver a better railway for passengers. We have made a big step forward with our testing programme with us now doing simultaneous train movements under ETCS control.

The opportunity has also been taken to progress vital work to the track and lineside on the East Coast Main Line. We’re sorry to passengers whose journeys were affected over the weekend, and thank them for their patience.