Going digital – major improvements this month and over Christmas on London’s Northern City Line

Network Rail has issued the following press release that details work affecting Great Northern services to Moorgate over three weekends and at Christmas:

• Work will continue later to upgrade the track and signalling on London’s Northern City Line ready for it to be digitally signalled by 2023
• Trains between Finsbury Park and Moorgate will divert into London King’s Cross over next three weekends – passengers reminded to check their journey
• Work will also take place over Christmas, with changes to services from Monday 27 until Wednesday 29 December
• East Coast Digital Programme will boost reliability for passengers and reduce delays

Work is ramping up on a major project to make Great Northern’s Northern City Line to Moorgate more reliable for passengers.

For the next three weekends, work will take place to install signalling equipment which will eventually allow signallers to communicate with the latest in-cab technology on trains. This will boost reliability and reduce delays. The Northern City Line is expected to be fully digitally signalled by 2023, although passengers will enjoy more reliable journeys into the City of London by summer 2022.

Network Rail has also announced that further work on the scheme will take place over the Christmas period. From after the last service on Christmas Eve until before the first service on Wednesday 29 December, Network Rail teams will continue with essential work to upgrade the track and signalling system on the route as part of the East Coast Digital Programme. With no timetabled train services on Christmas Day and Boxing Day on this part of the railway, Network Rail is taking the opportunity to make major progress on the project, to reduce disruption at busier times.

Due to the complexity of this work, there will be some changes to services in the run up to Christmas and over the festive period. For these vital improvements to take place safely, the section of the line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate will be closed and trains will divert into King’s Cross on the following dates:

• Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November
• Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 November
• Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December
• Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December

Passengers can find out how their journeys will be affected with Great Northern or via National Rail Enquiries. People are advised to plan ahead and allow plenty of time.

Toufic Machnouk, Network Rail’s Director, Industry Partnership Digital, said: “We’re continuing to make progress on the Northern City Line and the work over Christmas will be an important step towards bringing a more modern, reliable railway for passengers.

“We want to thank passengers for their continued patience. Trains are being diverted to keep people moving and we advise passengers to check their journey and allow extra time.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “We’re delighted with this investment to replace the ageing signalling system on our popular route into the City of London with the latest in cutting-edge digital technology.

“Closing the line for vital work such as this is never an easy decision but with trains diverted into King’s Cross, passengers will still be able to reach Moorgate, using their tickets on the Tube or 271 bus.”

ENDS