The Anonymous Widower

Great Northern’s Class 717 Fleet Receives Go-Ahead From ORR To Operate With In-Cab Digital Signalling

The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from Great Northern.

These five paragraphs outline how the new signalling will be introduced.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has received authorisation from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to place its Class 717 fleet into passenger service using Level 2 European Train Control System (ETCS) digital signalling.

This is a key step towards the introduction of digital signalling on both the Northern City Line, between Finsbury Park and Moorgate in London, and the East Coast Main Line between London and Grantham, as part of the government-funded East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).

The programme will see traditional lineside signals replaced by state-of-the-art in-cab signalling technology (ETCS). On the Northern City Line this will give Great Northern passengers a more reliable service.

The trains, leased to GTR by Rock Rail, will begin running in passenger service once Network Rail has completed its approval works to switch on the trackside ETCS system. Once this second milestone is achieved later this year, GTR will start training, in passenger service, two hundred and fifty of its Great Northern drivers to drive using ETCS.

The new system overlays the traditional signals, so drivers will be able to continue using ETCS alongside their untrained colleagues once they are qualified, ensuring they maintain full competency until everyone is trained and the old system can be switched off.

I used the route from Essex Road to Moorgate stations, this morning about 09:30 and Great Northern seems to be running eight trains per hour (tph) on that section.

March 22, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 717 Train, Digital Signalling, East Coast Digital Programme, Essex Road Station, Moorgate Station, Northern City Line