The Northern City Line has entered a new operational era after Network Rail completed the removal of every conventional lineside signal on the 3.5-mile route to Moorgate. The conversion, delivered under the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), makes the Great Northern corridor the first commuter railway in the United Kingdom to rely solely on the European Train Control System (ETCS) for train protection and control.
Why this matters for operators and passengers
- Improved reliability and punctuality – Real-time movement authorities transmitted directly to the cab reduce the risk of signal failures and allow smoother traffic regulation, potentially cutting delay minutes by up to one-third.
- Enhanced safety – Continuous speed supervision removes dependence on line-of-sight signalling and automatically intervenes if a train exceeds its dynamic movement authority.
- Lower whole-life costs – Eliminating trackside assets cuts renewals and maintenance expenditure while delivering an estimated 39 % carbon saving across a 60-year life cycle.
- Foundation for network-wide rollout – The lessons learned will underpin forthcoming ETCS deployments on the East Coast Main Line and other strategic corridors.
Delivery milestones
- 17–18 May 2025 – Siemens Mobility engineers decommissioned and recovered all legacy colour-light signals between Finsbury Park and Moorgate.
- 2019–2025 – Progressive commissioning of ETCS Level 2, introduction of a £240 million Class 717 fleet pre-equipped for digital operation, and extensive driver conversion training.
- Next phase – Live ETCS testing continues between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin ahead of the first main-line changeover later this year.
Industry perspectives
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said the programme “brings our railways into the 21st century and beyond”, highlighting the potential to reduce delays and improve access to employment across the region.
Oliver Turner, GTR’s Head of ERTMS & Digital Signalling, compared the leap from fixed signals to ETCS with “moving from a Nokia 3210 to an iPhone 16”, adding that drivers can now “see around corners” and run to tighter headways.
Network Rail’s ECDP Industry Partnership Director Ed Akers praised the “deep collaboration across track and train” that enabled the first signal-free railway in the capital’s core.
Technical overview
ETCS Level 2 continually exchanges data between on-board equipment and Radio Block Centres over GSM-R, calculating a moving-block movement authority and displaying permitted speed and target distance on the driver’s DMI. Should the driver fail to respond, the system applies the brakes automatically.
Looking ahead
A high-frequency metro corridor with up to 12 trains/h is now demonstrating in service what the Cambrian Line pilot proved on a rural network in 2011. With design work advancing for the broader East Coast Digital Programme, stakeholders expect ETCS adoption to accelerate, unlocking capacity and sustainability benefits across Britain’s rail network.
