Great Northern and Thameslink passengers are being advised to plan in advance and check before they travel ahead of planned signalling works this weekend.

Improvement works scheduled for Sunday, June 15, will cause significant alterations to services along the East Coast Mainline and Hertford Loop into London.

Many journeys will involve a rail replacement bus and take much longer than normal. Trains that are running will divert into Moorgate.

London North Easter Railway (LNER) will operate a reduced service starting and terminating at Peterborough. Rail replacement coaches will run between Peterborough and Bedford, where customers can join Thameslink services to London St Pancras.

placeholder image — The East Coast Main Line

On Sunday 15 June, there will be no trains between:

• Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross/London St Pancras

• Peterborough/Royston and Potters Bar

• Hertford North and Stevenage

Passenger services will be disrupted on Sunday 15 June during tests of the new digital signalling system being installed on the East Coast Main Line

• An amended train service will operate between:

• Royston and Cambridge/Ely/King’s Lynn

• Potters Bar and Moorgate

• Hertford North and Moorgate

• London St Pancras and Gatwick/Brighton

Replacement bus services will run between:

• Peterborough and Bedford via Huntingdon and St Neots

• Potters Bar and Hitchin

• St Albans and Stevenage via Hatfield

• Luton Airport Parkway and Stevenage via Hitchin

• Hitchin and Royston

• Hertford North and Stevenage

The planned engineering work is part of the government-funded £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which is introducing digital signalling technology to create a more reliable, efficient and greener railway.

On the day, engineers will be carrying out preparatory digital signalling work between Biggleswade and Peterborough.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Thameslink and Great Northern, said: “This important work by Network Rail working on the East Coast Digital Programme will cause significant changes to all train services running down the East Coast Main Line to Finsbury Park and London.

“Please, if you plan to travel on Sunday 15 June, plan ahead online at nationalrail.co.uk, allow plenty of extra time and check the state of the service before you leave for the station.”

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail head of access integration for the East Coast Digital Programme, said: “We’re continuing the rigorous programme of testing that is required ahead of the introduction of digital, in-cab signalling on the East Coast Main Line. We thank all passengers affected for their patience and understanding.”