East Coast Digital Programme
We're working with colleagues and partners across the rail industry to modernise signalling on some of our Great Northern and Thameslink routes.
This means that traditional lineside signals, many of which were installed in the 1970s, will be replaced by state-of-the-art digital signalling – creating a better performing East Coast Main Line for our customers and everyone else who uses it.
There will be engineering works to allow this to be carried out. Here, you will find information about how your journey is affected. You can also find out more information about the programme, including answers to your frequently asked questions.
Major engineering work will affect Thameslink and Great Northern services between London and Peterborough King’s Lynn over the August 2026 Bank Holiday weekend.
There will be no Thameslink or Great Northern trains between Potters Bar, Peterborough / Letchworth Garden City, or between Hertford North and Stevenage on Sunday 30 August.
Evening services from approximately 20:00 on Saturday 29 August and early morning services on Monday 31 August, until approximately 09:00, will also be affected.
Please see the full service summary below.
Saturday 29 August, from approximately 22:00 until end of service
No trains will run between:
- Potters Bar and Peterborough
- Potters Bar and Letchworth Garden City
- Hertford North and Stevenage
From approximately 20:00, a rail replacement bus service will run between:
- Potters Bar and Hitchin
- Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City
- Hitchin and Peterborough
- Hertford North and Stevenage
- St Albans City and Stevenage via Hatfield
- Luton Airport Parkway and Stevenage via Hitchin
Sunday 30 August
No trains will run between:
- Moorgate and Finsbury Park
- Potters Bar and Peterborough
- Potters Bar and Letchworth Garden City
- Hertford North and Stevenage
A rail replacement bus service will run between:
- Potters Bar and Hitchin
- Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City
- Hertford North and Stevenage
- St Albans City and Hitchin via Hatfield
- Luton Airport Parkway and Stevenage via Hitchin
- St Neots and Bedford
- Hitchin and Peterborough
Trains will run between:
- Letchworth Garden City and Cambridge / Kings Lynn
- London King’s Cross and Potters Bar
- Finsbury Park and Potters Bar / Hertford North
Monday 31 August, from the start of service until approximately 09:00
No trains will run between:
- Potters Bar and Peterborough
- Potters Bar and Letchworth Garden City
- Hertford North and Stevenage
A rail replacement bus service will run between:
- Potters Bar and Hitchin
- Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City
- Hitchin and Peterborough
- Hertford North and Stevenage
We will provide the details on future closures on this page as we get closer to each one. Details about these are shown on our
planned works calendar, and on the
National Rail Journey Planner.
Are there any other works happening that could affect my journey?
Engineering works are taking place on other parts of the network which may also impact your journeys from time to time. Always check and plan your journey before you travel at nationalrail.co.uk.
There may also be other engineering works affecting this route on other dates. Details of those will always be shown in our planned works calendar.
Accessible travel and rail replacement buses
When we provide rail replacement buses or coaches for planned disruption, we use accessible vehicles. In circumstances when this is not possible, our Assisted Travel and customer facing teams will always identify an alternative journey plan to enable disabled customers to complete their journey. More information about accessible travel and rail replacement buses can be found here.
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