The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has granted authorisation for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to put its Class 717 fleet into passenger service using Level 2 European Train Control System (ETCS) digital signalling.
This is a key milestone in the government’s East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which will introduce digital signalling on the Northern City Line and the East Coast Main Line.
Under this programme, traditional lineside signals are being replaced by in-cab ETCS signalling technology to provide passengers with a more reliable service.
“Achieving authorisation to place our Class 717s into passenger service using ETCS is significant, both for us as an operator and the programme - it’s the first train to achieve this for digital signalling as part of the East Coast Digital Programme.”
GTR’s Class 717 vehicles, which are leased by Rock Rail, will begin passenger services once Network Rail has completed works to switch on the trackside ETCS system later this year.
This will enable GTR to start in-service training for 250 of its Great Northern drivers to drive using ETCS.
