East Coast Main Line

The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a 393-mile long (632 km)[2] electrified railway[1] between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Great Britain running broadly parallel to the A1 road.

"ECML" redirects here. For the European Conference on Machine Learning, see ECML PKDD.

East Coast Main Line
An InterCity 125 train on the East Coast Main Line approaching Hadley Wood station and tunnels.
Overview
Type	Commuter rail Inter-city rail Heavy rail
System	National Rail
Status	Operational
Locale	Greater London East of England East Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber North East England Scottish Borders Central Scotland
Termini	London King's Cross 51.5314°N 0.1234°W / 51.5314; -0.1234 (East Coast Main Line, London terminus) Edinburgh Waverley 55.9522°N 3.1889°W / 55.9522; -3.1889 (East Coast Main Line, Edinburgh terminus)
Stations	52
Operation
Opened	1850
Owner	Network Rail
Operator(s)	London North Eastern Railway Great Northern Thameslink Hull Trains East Midlands Railway CrossCountry Greater Anglia TransPennine Express Northern Trains Abellio ScotRail Grand Central DB Cargo UK GB Railfreight Freightliner Direct Rail Services Colas Rail
Character	Primary[1]
Depot(s)	Hornsey Bounds Green Neville Hill Heaton Craigentinny Haymarket
Technical
Line length	393 miles 13 chains (632.7 km)
Number of tracks	Double track and quadruple track
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Loading gauge	W9 (via Hertford Loop)
Route availability	RA 7-9, RA 10 in parts between Selby and York
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
Operating speed	125 mph (200 km/h) maximum
Route map (Click to expand)

East Coast Main Line
Edinburgh–Aberdeen line, Edinburgh–Dunblane line, Fife Circle Line, North Clyde Line, Shotts Line, Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line & Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line Edinburgh Waverley Borders Railway to Tweedbank Musselburgh Wallyford Prestonpans Longniddry Drem North Berwick Line to North Berwick Dunbar Scotland England Berwick-upon-Tweed Chathill Alnmouth Acklington Widdrington Pegswood Morpeth Cramlington Manors Durham Coast Line to Middlesbrough Newcastle Tyne Valley line to Carlisle Chester-le-Street Durham Tees Valley line to Bishop Auckland Darlington Tees Valley line to Saltburn to Wensleydale Heritage Railway Northallerton–Eaglescliffe line to Eaglescliffe Northallerton Thirsk Harrogate line to Leeds York–Scarborough line to Scarborough York Cross Country Route to Bristol and Dearne Valley line to Sheffield Selby Line to Selby Askern branch line to Knottingley Wakefield line to Leeds South Humberside Main Line Doncaster Swinton–Doncaster line to Swinton Doncaster–Lincoln line to Lincoln Sheffield–Lincoln line Retford Nottingham–Lincoln line Newark North Gate Nottingham–Grantham line to Nottingham and Poacher Line to Skegness Grantham Birmingham–Peterborough line to Birmingham New Street Peterborough–Lincoln line to Lincoln Peterborough Ely–Peterborough line to Ely to Nene Valley Heritage Railway Huntingdon St. Neots Sandy Biggleswade Arlesey Cambridge line to Cambridge Hitchin Stevenage Hertford Loop Line Knebworth Welwyn North Welwyn Garden City Hatfield Welham Green Brookmans Park Potters Bar Hadley Wood New Barnet Oakleigh Park New Southgate Hertford Loop Line Alexandra Palace Hornsey Harringay Gospel Oak to Barking line Finsbury Park Northern City Line to Moorgate North London Line High Speed 1 Thameslink via London St Pancras London King's Cross
A detailed diagram of the ECML can be found at East Coast Main Line diagram

The line was built during the 1840s by three railway companies, the North British Railway, the North Eastern Railway, and the Great Northern Railway. In 1923, the Railway Act of 1921 led to their amalgamation to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the line became its primary route. The LNER competed with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) for long-distance passenger traffic between London and Scotland. The LNER's chief engineer Sir Nigel Gresley designed iconic Pacific steam locomotives, including the "Flying Scotsman" and "Mallard" which achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, 126 miles per hour (203 km/h) on the Grantham-to-Peterborough section.

On 1 January 1948, the railways were nationalised and operated by British Railways. In the early 1960s, steam was replaced by Diesel-electric traction, including the Deltics and sections of the line were upgraded so that trains could run at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). With the demand for higher speed, British Rail introduced InterCity 125 high-speed trains between 1976 and 1981. In 1973, the prototype of the HST, the Class 41, achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run. In the 1980s, the line was electrified and InterCity 225 trains were introduced.

The line links London, South East England and East Anglia, with Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland and is important to their local economies. It carries key commuter traffic in north London and cross-country, commuter, local passenger services, and freight. Services north of Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness use diesel trains. In 1997, operations were privatised. It is operated by London North Eastern Railway which took over from Virgin Trains East Coast in June 2018.[3]

Route definition and description

The ECML is part of Network Rail's Strategic Route G which comprises six separate lines:[4]

• The main line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley stations, via Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Retford, Doncaster, York, Northallerton, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar. The line crosses the Anglo-Scottish border at Marshall Meadows Bay;
• The Wakefield Line, between Doncaster and Leeds, via Wakefield Westgate;
• The Northern City Line from Finsbury Park to Moorgate; and
• The Hertford Loop Line from Alexandra Palace to Stevenage.
• The branch line to North Berwick
• The Dunbar loop

The core route is the main line between King's Cross and Edinburgh, the Hertford Loop is used for local and freight services and the Northern City Line provides an inner suburban service to the city.[5] The line has ELRs ECM1 - ECM9.[6][7]

Origins and early operations

The ECML was constructed by three independent railway companies. During the 1830s and 1840s, each company built part of the route to serve its own area, but also intending to link with other railways to form the through route that would become the East Coast Main Line. From north to south, the companies were:

• the North British Railway, from Edinburgh to Berwick-upon-Tweed, completed in 1846.
• the North Eastern Railway from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Shaftholme.
• the Great Northern Railway from Shaftholme to King's Cross, completed in 1850.

The GNR established an end-on connection with the NER at Askern, famously described by the GNR's chairman as in "a ploughed field four miles north of Doncaster".[8] Askern was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, a short section of which was used to reach the NER at Knottingley. In 1871, the line was shortened when the NER opened a direct line from an end-on junction, with the GNR, at Shaftholme, just south of Askern to Selby and over Selby Bridge on the Leeds-Hull line direct to York.[8]

Through journeys were important and lucrative for the companies and in 1860 they built special rolling stock for the line. Services were operated using "East Coast Joint Stock" until 1922.[9]

In 1923, in an effort to stem the losses of smaller companies, the Railway Act of 1921 required the companies to amalgamate to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).[10] The LNER was the second largest railway company in Britain, its routes were located to the north and east of London. On 1 January 1948, the Transport Act of 1947 implemented by Clement Attlee's Labour Government, nationalised the LNER and other privately owned railway companies to form British Railways.[11] British Railways managed the ECML as its Eastern Region up to its discorporation in the early 1980s.

Alterations to sections of the ECML's original route have taken place, the most notable being the opening of the King Edward VII Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1906 and the Selby Diversion bypassing anticipated mining subsidence from the Selby coalfield and a bottleneck at Selby station. The Selby Diversion which diverged from the ECML at Temple Hirst Junction, north of Doncaster and joined the Leeds to York Line at Colton Junction south west of York opened in 1983. The old line between Selby and York was dismantled and is now a public cycleway.[12]

LNER Class A3 No. 2547 Doncaster hauls the daily Flying Scotsman in 1928.

55012 "Crepello" enters King's Cross in May 1976. The Class 55 Deltic was the main express locomotive on the ECML between 1961 and 1981.

The line was temporarily realigned while the ground was stabilised when mining subsidence affected 200 metres of track 17 km to the east of Edinburgh, near Wallyford. The tracks were re-routed as was the overhead electrification equipment and the work was completed in 2000 when the track was returned to its original alignment. In 2001, severe subsidence was discovered at nearby, Dolphinstone[13] and about 2 km of track was permanently moved laterally in a gentle curve to avoid a permanent speed restriction in 2002.

The line was worked for many years by Pacific steam locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, including the "Flying Scotsman" and "Mallard".[14] Mallard achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, having attained a recorded top speed of 126 miles per hour (203 km/h), while traversing the Grantham-to-Peterborough section on the descent of Stoke Bank. To date, the speed record set by Mallard has not been broken.[15]

Diesel era

In the early 1960s, steam locomotives were replaced by Diesel-electrics, amongst them the Deltic, a powerful high-speed locomotive developed and built by English Electric. The prototype was successful and a fleet of 22 locomotives were built and put into BR service for express traffic. Designated the Class 55, they were powered by a pair of Napier Deltic engines that had been developed for fast torpedo boats; the unusual three-crankshaft triangular configuration of the engines was the source of the locomotive's Deltic moniker. Their characteristic throaty exhaust roar and body outline made them unmistakable and distinctive amongst their peers. The Class 55 was for a time the most powerful diesel locomotive in service in Britain, capable of providing up to 3,300 hp (2,500 kW).

In the years following the introduction of the Deltics, sections of the ECML were upgraded for trains running at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). On 15 June 1965, the first length of high-speed line, a 17 miles (27 km) stretch between Peterborough and Grantham, was completed. The next section was 12 miles (19 km) of line between Grantham and Newark and more sections were upgraded to enable high speeds along much of the line.[16]

As the demand for higher speed intensified, British Rail produced a successor to the Deltics, the high speed train (HST), which was introduced between 1976 and 1981. Capable of 125 mph (201 km/h), it was a popular and iconic train and remained in passenger service in 2018 after a re-engining programme during the 2000s, in which MTU engines replaced the HST's original Paxman Valenta power units.

In 1973, the prototype HST British Rail Class 41 recorded a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in a test run the line.[17][18] British legislation required the use of in-cab signalling for running at speeds in excess of 125 mph (201 km/h) and so regular trains services were unable to run at such speeds. The lack of in-cab signalling was the primary reason that prevented the InterCity 225 train-sets from operating at their design speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) during normal service. A secondary factor was that the signalling technology of the time was insufficient to allow detection of two broken rails on the running line.[19]

Before current in-cab regulations were introduced, British Rail experimented with 140 mph running by introducing a fifth, flashing green signalling aspect on the Down Fast line (signals P487 to P615) and Up Fast line (signals P610 to P494) between New England North and Stoke Tunnel. The fifth aspect is still shown in normal service and appears when the next signal is showing a green (or another flashing green) aspect and the signal section is clear, which ensures that there is sufficient braking distance to bring a train to a stand from 140 mph.[17] Locomotives have operated on the ECML at speeds of up to 161.7 mph (260.2 km/h) in test runs. The capability to run special test trains in excess of 125 mph is listed as being maintained in the LNE Sectional Appendix.[20]

Electrification

In the 1930s, studies were conducted into electrifying sections or all of the ECML.[21] While British Rail considered electrification to be of equal importance to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and ECML during the 1950s, political factors delayed ECML electrification. Instead, investment was in high-speed diesel traction, the Deltic and high-speed train, for implementing service improvements.[21]

Between 1976 and 1991, the ECML was electrified with 25 kV AC overhead lines, which were installed in two phases: The first phase between London (King's Cross) and Hitchin (including the Hertford Loop Line) was carried out between 1976 and 1978 as the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project, using Mk.3A equipment[22] over 30 miles in total.[23][21]

A working group of British Rail and Department for Transport officials convened in the late 1970s determined that, of all options for further electrification, the ECML represented the best value by far. Its in-house forecasts determined that increases in revenue and considerable reductions in energy and maintenance costs would occur by electrifying the line.[23] In 1984, the second phase commenced to electrify the Northern section to Edinburgh and Leeds. The Secretary of State for Transport Nicholas Ridley and Minister for Railways David Mitchell played a large role in the decision to proceed.[23]

The programme covered roughly 1,400 single-track miles and required major infrastructure changes, including resignalling the northern part of the line from Temple Hirst junction near Selby to the Scottish border and new signalling centres at Niddrie, York and Newcastle, ten power supply points at key points on the line, and clearance and immunisation activity to protect equipment.[23] The ECML was crossed by 127 overbridges which were adjusted to accommodate the change. It was decided to rebuild individual bridges as opposed to lowering the track or other compromises. Some overbridges, such as the aqueduct near Abbots Ripton, were subject to innovative alterations to accommodate the installation of the overhead lines[23] and on listed structures, such as the Royal Border Bridge, a specially-developed mast and foundation were used; elsewhere the standard Mk.3B equipment was deployed.[23]

In 1985, construction began on the second phase; in the late 1980s, the programme was claimed to be the "longest construction site in the world", spanning more than 250 miles (400 km). In 1986, the section to Huntingdon was completed, Leeds was reached in 1988 and the line to York was energised in 1989; by 1991, electrification had reached Edinburgh and electric services began on 8 July, eight weeks later than scheduled. Significant traffic increases occurred in the two years after completion; one station recorded a 58 per cent increase in passengers.[23]

Electrification was completed at a cost of £344.4 million (at 1983 prices), a minor overrun against its authorised expenditure of £331.9 million. 40 per cent of the total cost was on new traction and rolling stock and 60 per cent for the electrification of the line.[23] Shirres compared the ECML and later Great Western Railway electrification programmes, noting a 740 per cent increase in cost between the former and the latter; in this respect, the ECML scheme was more cost effective.[23] The infrastructure supported speeds of up to 140 mph on a 3hr 29mins non-stop run between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991.[23] British regulations have since required in-cab signalling on any train running at speeds above 125 mph (201 km/h) preventing such speeds from being legally attained in regular service.[19]

In 1989, InterCity 225 rolling stock was introduced on the line.[24][25] They were developed to a competitive tender, to which GEC was awarded the contract.[23] The Intercity 225 sets were used alongside other rolling stock, including Class 90 locomotives and Class 317 electric multiple units. The displaced diesel trains were reallocated predominantly to the Midland Main Line.[23]

Infrastructure

The line is mainly quadruple track from London to Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham with two double track sections, one near Welwyn North Station where it crosses the Digswell Viaduct and passes through two tunnels. The second is between Fletton Junction near Peterborough, and southwards towards Holme Junction. The section between Holme Junction south and Huntingdon is mostly triple track. North of Grantham the line is double track except for quadruple-track sections at Retford around Doncaster, between Colton Junction (south of York), Thirsk and Northallerton, and Newcastle.[26]

The main line is electrified along its full length but the line between Leeds and York (Neville Hill Depot to Colton Junction) is not electrified.[26] This line is in the Transpennine electrification scheme.

With most of the line rated for 125 mph (200 km/h) operation, the ECML was the fastest main line in the UK until the opening of High Speed 1. The high speeds are possible because much of the line is on fairly straight track on the flatter, eastern side of England, through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, though there are significant speed restrictions because of the line's curvature particularly north of Darlington and between Doncaster and Leeds. By contrast, the West Coast Main Line crosses the Trent Valley and the mountains of Cumbria, with more curvature and a lower speed limit of 110 mph (180 km/h). Speeds on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) were increased with the introduction of tilting Pendolino trains and now match the 125 mph speeds on the ECML.

Tunnels, viaducts and bridges

Major civil engineering structures on the East Coast Main Line include[27][28]

Tunnels, viaducts and major bridges on the East Coast Main Line

Railway Structure	Length	Distance from Edinburgh Waverley	ELR	Location
Calton North Tunnel	490 yards (450 m)	0 miles 27 chains – 0 miles 50 chains	ECM8	East of Edinburgh Waverley station
Calton South Tunnel	400 yards (370 m)	0 miles 29 chains – 0 miles 47 chains
St. Margarets Tunnel	3 chains (60 m)	1 miles 32 chains – 1 mile 35 chains
Dunglas Viaduct	6 chains (120 m)	36 miles 02 chains – 36 miles 08 chains		Between Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed stations
(Former Penmanshiel Tunnel)	12 chains (240 m)	39 miles 52 chains – 39 miles 64 chains
		Distance from Newcastle
Royal Border Bridge	33 chains	66 miles 74 chains – 66 miles 41 chains	ECM7	South of Berwick-upon-Tweed station
Viaduct	3 chains	66 miles 33 chains – 66 miles 30 chains
River Aln	10 chains	35 miles 50 chains – 35 miles 40 chains		North of Alnmouth station
River Coquet	9 chains	30 miles 01 chains – 29 miles 72 chains		North of Acklington station
Bothal (River Wansbeck)	9 chains	17 miles 57 chains –  17 mile 48 chains		Between Pegswood and Morpeth stations
Plessey (River Blyth)	6 chains	12 miles 23 chains – 12 miles 17 chains		Between Morpeth and Cramlington stations
Great Lime Road	3 chains	5 miles 53 chains – 5 miles 50 chains		Between Cramlington and Chathill stations
Ouseburn Viaduct	14 chains	1 miles 18 chains – 1 mile 04 chains		North of Manors station
Red Barns Tunnel	98 yards (90 metres)	0 miles 70 chains – 0 miles 65 chains
Viaduct	28 chains	0 miles 40 chains – 0 miles 11 chains		East of Newcastle station
		Distance from York
Viaduct	14 chains	80 miles 04 chains – 79 miles 70 chains	ECM5	West and South of Newcastle station
King Edward Bridge	13 chains	79 miles 66 chains – 79 miles 53 chains
Viaduct	4 chains	79 miles 53 chains – 79 miles  49 chains
Chester-le-Street Viaduct	12 chains	72 miles 20 chains – 72 miles 19 chains		North of Chester-le-Street station
Chester Moor or Dene Viaduct	10 chains	71 miles 07 chains – 70 miles 77 chains		South of Chester-le-Street station
Plawsworth Viaduct	6 chains	69 miles 60 chains – 69 miles 54 chains
Durham Viaduct	12 chains	66 miles 06 chains – 65 miles 74 chains		South of Durham station
Relly Mill Viaduct	6 chains	65 miles 23 chains – 65 miles 17 chains
Langley Moor Viaduct (River Dearness)	6 chains	64 miles 39 chains – 64 miles 33 chains
Croxdale Viaduct (River Wear)	9 chains	62 miles 18 chains – 62 miles 09 chains		Between Durham and Darlington stations
Aycliffe Viaduct (River Skerne)		49 miles 17 chains
River Skerne Viaduct	2 chains	47 miles 26 chains – 47 miles 24 chains
River Skerne Viaduct	3 chains	45 miles 33 chains – 45 miles 30 chains
Croft Viaduct (River Tees)	6 chains	41 miles 11 chains – 41 miles 05 chains		South of Darlington station
Skelton Bridge (River Ouse)	4 chains	3 miles 16 chains – 3 miles 12 chains		Between Thirsk and York stations
		Distance from King’s Cross
Ryther Viaducts (River Wharfe)	25 chains	180 miles 28 chains – 180 miles 03 chains	ECM3	Between York and Doncaster stations
Selby Dam Viaduct	7 chains	175 miles 20 chains – 175 miles 13 chains
Selby Canal Viaduct	2 chains	172 miles 44 chains – 172 miles 42 chains
River Aire	4 chains	169 miles 44 chains – miles 40 chains
Aire & Calder Navigation		166 miles 66 chains	ECM2
Balby Bridge Tunnel	95 yards (87 metres)	155 miles 38 chains – 155 miles 34 chains	ECM1	Between Doncaster and Retford stations
Bawtry Viaduct	15 chains	147 miles 24 chains – 147 miles 09 chains
River Idle Viaduct	2 chains	138 miles 23 chains – 138 miles 21 chains		Between Retford and Newark North Gate stations
Askham Tunnel	57 yards (52 metres)	134 miles 40 chains – 134 miles 37 chains
Viaduct		121 miles 40 chains
Muskham Viaduct	15 chains	121 miles 31 chains – 121 miles 16 chains
Peascliffe Tunnel	968 yards (885 metres)	108 miles 29 chains – 107miles 65 chains		Between Newark North Gate and Grantham stations
West Gate Viaduct		105 miles 54 chains		North of Grantham station
Stoke Tunnel	880 yards (805 metres)	100 miles 79 chains – 100 miles 39 chains		Between Grantham and Peterborough stations
Bytham Viaduct	4 chains	92 miles 63 chains – 92 miles 59 chains
River Nene Viaduct	3 chains	75 miles 68 chains – 75 miles 65 chains		South of Peterborough station
Great Ouse Viaduct	3 chains	58 miles 18 chains – 58 miles 15 chains		South of Huntingdon station
Robbery Lane Viaduct		23 miles 32 chains		Between Knebworth and Welwyn North stations
Welwyn North Tunnel	1049 yards (959 metres)	23 miles 12 chains – 22 miles 44 chains
Welwyn South Tunnel	446 yards (408 metres)	22 miles 31 chains – 22 miles 11 chains
Welwyn or Digswell Viaduct	513 yards (469 metres)	21 miles 60 chains – 21 miles 37 chains		Between Welwyn North and Welwyn Garden City stations
Potters Bar Tunnel[29]	1214 yards (1110 metres)	12 miles 00 chains – 11 miles 25 chains		Between Potters Bar and Hadley Wood stations
Hadley Wood North Tunnel[29]	232 yards (212 metres)	10 miles 70 chains – 10 miles 60 chains		North of Hadley Wood station
Hadley Wood South Tunnel[29]	384 yards (351 metres)	10 miles 39 chains – 10 miles 21 chains		South of Hadley Wood station
Viaduct		8 miles 64 chains		South of New Barnet station
Barnet Tunnel[29]	605 yards (351 metres)	7 miles 70 chains – 7 miles 42 chains		Between Oakleigh Park and New Southgate stations
Wood Green Tunnels	705 yards (644 metres)	5 miles 73 chains – 5 miles 41 chains		Between New Southgate and Alexandra Palace stations
Copenhagen Tunnel[29]	594 yards (543 metres)	1 mile 12 chains – 0 miles  65 chains		North of King’s Cross station
Gasworks Tunnel[29]	528 yards (483 metres)	0 miles 46 chains – 0 miles 22 chains

Line-side monitoring equipment

Line-side train monitoring equipment includes hot axle box detectors (HABD) and wheel impact load detectors (WILD) ‘Wheelchex’, these are located as follows.[27][28][30]

Line-side monitoring equipment on the East Coast Main Line

Name / Type	Line	Location	Engineers Line Reference (ELR)
Stenton HABD	Up Berwick	24 miles 20 chains (from Edinburgh)	ECM8
Oxwellmains HABD	Down Berwick	32 miles 65 chains
Innerwick Wheelchex	Up Berwick, Down Berwick	33 miles 62 chains
Lamberton HABD	Up Berwick	54 miles 06 chains
Goswick HABD	Down Main	60 miles 66 chains (from Newcastle)	ECM7
Newham HABD	Up Main	47 miles 08 chains
Stamford HABD	Up Main (was on Down Main before Sept. 2017)	40 miles 38 chains
Chevington HABD	Up Main	25 miles 48 chains
Longhirst HABD	Down Main	20 miles 20 chains
Dam Dykes HABD	Up Main (Down Main removed Sept. 2017)	8 miles 45 chains
Plawsworth (Chester-le-Street) HABD	Down Main	70 miles 20 chains (from York)	ECM5
Littleburn (Durham) HABD	Up Fast	63 miles 59 chains
Aycliffe HABD	Down Main	49 miles 36 chains
Eryholme (East Cowton) HABD	Down Main	38 miles 72 chains
Danby Wiske HABD	Up Main	33 miles 50 chains
Sessay HABD	Down Slow, Down Fast, Up Fast, Up Slow	16 miles 65 chains
Sessay Wheelchex	Up Fast, Up Slow	16 miles 65 chains
Earfit Lane HABD	Down Leeds, Down Main	184 miles 04 chains (from King’s Cross)	ECM4
Daw Lane HABD	Up Main	159 miles 10 chains	ECM1
Bawtry HABD	Down Main	148 miles 55 chains
Torworth HABD	Up Main	143 miles 17 chains
Gamston (Askam) HABD	Down Main	134 miles 37 chains
Cromwell HABD	Up Main	124 miles 55 chains
Balderton HABD	Down Main	116 miles 70 chains
Barkston HABD	Up Main	109 miles 56 chains
Stoke HABD	Down Main	99 miles 78 chains
Lolham HABD	Up Fast, Up Slow	83 miles 33 chains
Holme HABD	Down Main	69 miles 28 chains
Abbots Ripton HABD	Up Main	64 miles 25 chains
Offord HABD	Down Slow, Down Fast	54 miles 07 chains
Biggleswade HABD	Up Fast, Up Slow	42 miles 10 chains
Wymondley HABD	Up Fast, Up Slow	30 miles 60 chains
Langley HABD	Down Slow, Down Fast	26 miles 62 chains

Rolling stock

Commuter trains

Trainset	Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Built
					mph	km/h
Sprinter	Class 158		DMU	2	90	145	48	Abellio ScotRail	Fife Circle Line, Highland Main Line, Borders Railway	1989-92
Bombardier Turbostar	Class 170 Turbostar		DMU	3	100	160	34	Abellio ScotRail	Fife Circle Line, Highland Main Line, Borders Railway	1998-2005
Siemens Desiro	Class 185		DMU	3	100	160	51	TransPennine Express	Joining the ECML at York and continuing to Newcastle	2005–06
Alstom Coradia Juniper	Class 334		EMU	3	90	145	21	Abellio ScotRail	North Clyde Line	1999-2002
CAF Civity	Class 331		EMU	3	110	180	31	Northern Trains	Leeds to Doncaster	2017-2020
				4			12
Networker	Class 365 Networker Express		EMU	4	100	161	40	Govia Thameslink Railway	London King's Cross to Peterborough, Baldock	1994–95
Siemens Desiro	Class 380		EMU	3	100	160	22	Abellio ScotRail	North Berwick Line	2009-11
				4			16
Hitachi AT200	Class 385		EMU	3	100	160	46	Abellio ScotRail	North Berwick Line	2015-19
				4			24
Bombardier Electrostar	Class 387		EMU	4	110	177	29	Govia Thameslink Railway	London King's Cross to Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn	2014-15
Siemens Desiro	Class 700 Desiro City		EMU	8	100	160	60	Govia Thameslink Railway	London King's Cross to Cambridge Cambridge to Brighton via London Bridge Peterborough to Horsham via London Bridge	2014-18
				12			55
Siemens Desiro	Class 717 Desiro City		EMU	6	85	137	25	Govia Thameslink Railway	London Moorgate and London King's Cross to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford North, Stevenage, and Letchworth Garden City	2018-19

High-speed trains

Trainset	Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Built
					mph	km/h
InterCity 125	Class 43		Diesel locomotive	EMR: 6, 8 XC: 7	125	200	40	CrossCountry East Midlands Railway	EMR: Operates a limited service which join the ECML at Doncaster and continuing to Leeds. XC: Joins the ECML at either Doncaster or York and continues to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Dundee and Aberdeen	1975-82
	Mark 3 Coach		Passenger coach				176			1975-88
InterCity 225	Class 91		Electric locomotive	9	125	200	31	London North Eastern Railway	London King's Cross to: Edinburgh, Leeds, York, Newcastle, and Glasgow Central	1988—91
	Mark 4 carriage		Passenger coach				302			1989-92
	Driving Van Trailer		Control car				31			1988
Alstom Coradia	Class 180 Adelante		DMU	5	125	200	10	Grand Central	Grand Central Services from London King's Cross to: Sunderland and Bradford Interchange.	2000-01
Bombardier Voyager	Class 220 Voyager		DEMU	4	125	200	34	CrossCountry	Joining the ECML at either Doncaster or York and continuing to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Dundee and Aberdeen	2000-01
	Class 221 Super Voyager		DEMU	4	125	200	4			2001–2002
				5			20
Bombardier Voyager	Class 222 Meridian		DEMU	4	125	200	4	East Midlands Railway	East Midlands Railway operates a limited summer Saturday service which joins the ECML at Doncaster and continuing to York and Scarborough	2003–5
				5			17
				7			6
Hitachi AT300	Class 800 Azuma		Bi-mode multiple unit	5	125	200	10	London North Eastern Railway	London King's Cross to: Leeds, Lincoln Central, Hull, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Aberdeen and Inverness	2014-2018
				9			13
	Class 801 Azuma		EMU	5			12		London King's Cross to: Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central	2017-2020
				9			30
Hitachi AT300	Class 802 Nova 1		Bi-mode multiple unit	5	125	200	19	TransPennine Express	Joining the ECML at York and continuing to Newcastle and Edinburgh	2017-2019
Hitachi AT300	Class 802 Paragon						5	Hull Trains	London King's Cross to Hull and Beverley	2019-2020

Future

Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Enter Service
				mph	km/h
Class 803		EMU	5	140	225	5	East Coast Trains	London King's Cross to Edinburgh	2021-

Operators

A train operated by the former main provider of services on the line, Virgin Trains East Coast

Overview of the ECML (in blue) and other north-south mainlines in the UK

The line's current principal operator is London North Eastern Railway (LNER), whose services include regular trains between King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland. LNER is operated on behalf of the Department for Transport by a consortium of Arup Group, Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit and took over from Virgin Trains East Coast on 24 June 2018.

Other operators of passenger trains on the line are:

• Great Northern: medium distance services between King's Cross, Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn and commuter services between Moorgate and Stevenage via either Welwyn Garden City or the Hertford Loop.
• Hull Trains: operate five trains per day between King's Cross and Hull and two per day between King's Cross and Beverley on weekdays, whilst on weekends there are five trains per day between King's Cross and Hull.
• East Midlands Railway: local services between Grantham and Peterborough, part of the service that runs between Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich, as well as infrequent services between London-York and Scarborough, extensions of services running to/from Sheffield, Leicester and London St Pancras.
• CrossCountry: cross-country services north of Sheffield are routed via either Leeds or Doncaster. Leeds trains use the ECML between Wakefield Westgate and Leeds and then again north of York. Doncaster trains use the ECML north of Doncaster. Services run to and beyond Edinburgh. Occasional services run from Doncaster to Leeds before rejoining the ECML at York.
• TransPennine Express: between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle also between Manchester Airport and Middlesbrough before they divert off the ECML to Middlesbrough via Yarm.
• Northern Trains: suburban services from Doncaster to Leeds and Chathill to Newcastle via Morpeth railway station and infrequent services between Newcastle and Darlington that continue to Middlesbrough and Saltburn. Services between Selby and York also use the line from Hambleton Junction to York.
• Abellio ScotRail: services from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick and Dunbar.
• Grand Central: intercity operate five daily services between King's Cross and Sunderland, branching off the main line at Northallerton; and four daily services between King's Cross and Bradford, branching off at Doncaster.
• Greater Anglia: operate one train every two hours between Ipswich and Peterborough.

Eurostar previously held the rights to run five trains a day on the line for services from continental Europe to cities north of London, as part of the Regional Eurostar plan, although such services have never been run.[31]

The overnight Caledonian Sleeper operated by Serco occasionally uses the ECML when engineering works prevent it from using its normal train path on the WCML.

DB Cargo UK, Direct Rail Services, Freightliner and GB Railfreight operate freight services.

In 2019 FirstGroup and Hitachi Rail secured rights from the Office of Road and Rail to run a new ‘open access’ service between the two capitals.[32]

Development

Capacity problems

The ECML is one of the busiest lines on the British rail network and there is insufficient capacity on parts of the line to satisfy all the requirements of both passenger and freight operators.[33]

There are bottlenecks at the following locations:

• The section of twin track within a four-line section at Welwyn North over the Digswell Viaduct and through the Welwyn tunnels[34]
• The twin and triple-track sections located between Huntingdon and Peterborough.[35]
• Just north of Newark station at a flat crossing with the Nottingham to Lincoln Line.[36]
• The section of double track between Stoke Tunnel and Doncaster.[35]
• Doncaster station has limited facilities for terminating branch trains on the up side of the station. This has been remedied with the opening of a new platform (platform 0) on the up side so that trains to and from the Thorne direction do not conflict with high-speed trains.[37][38]
• The north throat of York station including Skelton Bridge Junction
• South of Newcastle to Northallerton (which is also predominately double track), leading to proposals to reopen the Leamside line to passenger and freight traffic.[35][39]

Railway operations are vulnerable during high winds and there have been several de-wirements over the years due to the unusually wide spacing (up to 75 m) between the supporting masts of the overhead lines. The other cost-reduction measure was the use of headspan catenary support systems over the quadruple track sections – as employed in the Weaver Junction to Glasgow Electrification on the WCML during the 1970s. Headspans do not have mechanically independent registration (MIR) of each electrified road and thus are more complex to set up, compared to TTC (two-track cantilever) and portal style support structures, during installation.[40] In the event of a de-wirement of a given road, headspans result in the need to correctly set up the OLE of adjacent roads before the line can reopen to electric traction. This was a result of extreme pressure from the Department for Transport to reduce avoidable costs when the line was originally electrified between 1985 and 1990.[41]

Recent developments

Canal Tunnels northern entrance at Belle Isle Junction

• The Allington Chord was constructed near Grantham in 2006, allowing services between Nottingham and Skegness to call at Grantham without having to use the ECML, trains now passing under the line. This provided sufficient extra capacity for 12 additional services between Leeds and London each day.[42][43]
• A new platform at London King's Cross was opened on 20 May 2010. This was originally to be called "Platform Y".[44] Instead it has been named Platform 0 to avoid confusion of lettered and numbered platforms.
• Connection of the ECML to Thameslink at Belle Isle Jnc. via the Canal Tunnels as part of the Thameslink Programme (for Thameslink and Great Northern commuter services to extend to Brighton, Horsham and Maidstone East).
• At the southern end of York station a short length of fourth track was installed in early 2011 at Holgate Junction with accompanying OLE and signalling systems. This work helped to remove one of the bottlenecks on the East Coast Main Line. Previously, trains from Leeds would sometimes have to wait before entering the station. The improvement allows for better flow of trains in and out of the station.[44][45][46]
• Provision of a £47m grade-separated junction to the north of Hitchin (the Hitchin flyover) enabling down Cambridge trains to cross the main line.[44][47][48] The work was completed by 26 June 2013[49]
• Major remodelling of Peterborough station was completed during early 2014 providing three platform faces for services in the up direction towards London and two for ECML services travelling north on the down lines. An additional two platform faces are also available for Cross Country services to and from stations to the east of Peterborough.[44]
• A new flying junction just south of Joan Croft level crossing in South Yorkshire to allow freight trains from Immingham to pass over the line on their way to Eggborough and Drax power stations, was completed in very early 2014. The project, known as the North Doncaster Chord, also replaced the level crossing on a minor road with a new overbridge just to the north of the original crossing point.[44][46]
• Renewal and gauge enhancement of the Great Northern and Great Eastern Line which runs parallel to the ECML between Peterborough and Doncaster. This removes freight traffic from a heavily congested section of the ECML.
• A new Rail operating centre (ROC), with training facilities, opened in early 2014 at the "Engineer's Triangle" in York. The ROC will enable signalling and day-to-day operations of the route to be undertaken in a single location. Signalling control/traffic management using ERTMS is scheduled to be introduced from 2020 on the ECML between London King's Cross and Doncaster - managed from the York ROC.
• An £8.6 million redevelopment of Newcastle station was completed in 2014 enhancing the existing station and provide a state-of-the-art station for thousands of passengers.[50]
• Provision of a new Up bay platform (Platform 0) at Doncaster station (part of the ECML Connectivity programme).
• Platform extensions at Stevenage, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Northallerton, Durham and Edinburgh Waverley stations for the Intercity Express Programme.
• Linespeed enhancement on the down slow line in the Fletton area (part of the ECML Connectivity programme) completed in March 2019.

Planned or proposed developments

See also: Intercity Express Programme

The European Union Directive 96/48/EC, Annex 1 defines high-speed rail's minimum Speed Limit as 200 km/h (124 mph) on existing lines which have been specially upgraded.[51]

Over the years successive infrastructure managers have developed schemes for route improvements.[26] The most recent of which is the £247 million "ECML Connectivity Fund" included in the 2012 HLOS[52] with the objective of increasing capacity and reducing journey times. Current plans include the following specific schemes:

• King's Cross throat remodelling to improve capacity and introduce higher speed turnouts reducing journey times.
• Power supply enhancement on the diversionary Hertford Loop route
• Additional turnback facility at Gordon Hill (part of the ECML Connectivity programme).
• Additional down platform and turnback facility at Stevenage (part of the ECML Connectivity programme) - now delayed from CP5 to CP6.
• Re-quadrupling of the route between Huntingdon and Woodwalton (HW4T) which was rationalised in the 1980s during electrification (part of the ECML Connectivity programme). This also involves the closure and diversion of a level crossing at Abbots Ripton which was approved in November 2017.[53]
• Enhanced passenger access to the platforms at Peterborough and Stevenage.
• Werrington Grade Separation: A £200 million scheme to increase capacity north of Peterborough station by constructing a dive under to route rail traffic between the Stamford Lines and the GNGE line, thereby avoiding at-grade conflicts on the ECML. The project was approved in summer 2018 and groundwork construction started in September 2018.[54]
• Replacement of the Flat Crossing at Newark with a flyover (scheme developed to GRIP Stage 2 by Jacobs)[55]
• Upgrading of the Down Fast line at Shaftholme Junction from 100 mph to 125 mph and higher speed associated crossovers (part of the ECML Connectivity programme).
• Modified north throat at York Station to reduce congestion for services calling at Platforms 9 - 11 (part of the ECML Connectivity programme)
• Freight loops between York and Darlington (part of the ECML Connectivity programme).
• Darlington station up fast line platform and future station remodelling as part of HS2.
• Fitment of TASS Balises and Gauging/Structure works proposed by the open operator GNER (Alliance Rail) to enable tilt operation of Pendolino trains north of Darlington station, supporting its aspirations for express 3hr43min London to Edinburgh Services.

And on a more route wide basis the following projects:

• Power supply upgrades (PSU) between Wood Green and Bawtry (Phase 1 - completed in September 2017) and Bawtry to Edinburgh (Phase 2), including some overhead lines (OLE) support improvements, rewiring of the contact and catenary wires, and headspan to portal conversions (HS2P) which were installed at Conington in January 2018.
• The line between London King's Cross and Bawtry, on the approach to Doncaster, will be signalled with Level 2 ERTMS. The target date for operational ERTMS services is December 2018 with completion in 2020[56]
• Level crossing closures between King's Cross and Doncaster: As of July 2015 this will no longer be conducted as a single closure of 73 level crossings but will be conducted on a case-by case basis (for example, Abbots Ripton Level Crossing will close as part of the HW4T scheme).[57]
• Increasing maximum speeds on the fast lines between Woolmer Green and Dalton-on-Tees up to 140 mph (225 km/h) in conjunction with the introduction of the Intercity Express Programme, level crossing closures, ETRMS fitments, OLE rewiring and the OLE PSU - est. to cost £1.3 billion (2014). This project is referred to as "L2E4" or London to Edinburgh (in) 4 Hours. L2E4 examined the operation of the IEP at 140 mph on the ECML and the sections of track which can be upgraded to permit this, together with the engineering and operational costs.[58]
• In June 2020 it was reported that the UK government would provide £350m to fund the UK's first digital signalling system on a long-distance rail route. The signalling is to be fitted on a 100-mile (161 km) section of the East Coast Main Line between Kings Cross, London, and Lincolnshire, which will allow trains to run closer together and increase service frequency, speed and reliability. No date for when the new technology, already in use on the Thameslink lines at London Bridge and some London Underground lines, has been given.[59]

Once the High Speed 2 project is completed, it will supersede the ECML as the primary link between London and Edinburgh. A link between HS2 and the ECML will be constructed south of York and high speed services will continue to use the ECML north of this junction to reach York, Darlington, Durham, and Newcastle. The removal of high speed services from the southern end of the ECML will allow more local services to run.

Accidents

The ECML has been witness to a number of incidents resulting in death and serious injury:

Title	Date	Killed	Injured	Note
Welwyn Tunnel rail crash	9 June 1866	2	2	Three-train collision in tunnel, caused by guard's failure to protect train and signalling communications error
Hatfield rail crash (1870)	26 December 1870	8	3	Wheel disintegrated causing derailment killing six passengers and two bystanders
Abbots Ripton rail disaster	21 January 1876	13	59	Flying Scotsman crashed during a blizzard.
Morpeth rail crash (1877)	25 March 1877	5	17	Derailment caused by faulty track.
Thirsk rail crash (1892)	2 November 1892	10	43	Signalman forgot about a goods train standing at his box and accepted the Scotch Express onto his line.
Grantham rail accident	19 August 1906	14	17	Runaway or overspeed on junction curve causing derailment - no definite cause established.
Welwyn Garden City rail crash	15 June 1935	14	29	Two trains collided due to a signaller's error.
King's Cross railway accident	4 February 1945	2	26	Train slipped on gradient and rolled back into station.
Potters Bar rail crash	10 February 1946	2	17	Local train hit buffers fouling main line with wreckage hit by two further trains.
Doncaster rail crash (1947)	9 August 1947	18	188	King's Cross to Leeds train was incorrectly signalled into a section already occupied by a stationary train, which resulted in a rear-end collision.
Goswick rail crash	26 October 1947	28	65	Edinburgh-London Flying Scotsman failed to slow down for a diversion and derailed. Signal passed at danger
Doncaster rail crash	16 March 1951	14	12	Train derailed south of the station and struck a bridge pier.
Goswick Goods train derailment	28 October 1953		1	'Glasgow to Colchester' Goods train was derailed at Goswick.[60][61]
Connington South rail crash	5 March 1967	5	18	Express train was derailed.
Thirsk rail crash	31 July 1967	7	45	Cement train derailed and hit by North bound express hauled by prototype locomotive. DP2
Morpeth rail crash (1969)	7 May 1969	6	46	Excessive speed on curve.
Penmanshiel Tunnel collapse	17 March 1979	2		Two workers killed when the tunnel collapsed during engineering works.
Morpeth rail crash (1984)	24 June 1984		35	Excessive speed on curve.
Newcastle Central railway station collision	30 November 1989		15	Two InterCity expresses collided.[62]
Morpeth rail crash (1992)	13 November 1992	1		Collision between two freight trains.
Morpeth rail crash (1994)	27 June 1994		1	Excessive speed led to the locomotive and the majority of carriages overturning.
Hatfield rail crash	17 October 2000	4	70	InterCity 225 derailed due to a failure to replace a fractured rail. The accident highlighted poor management at Railtrack and led to its partial re-nationalisation.
Great Heck rail crash	28 February 2001	10	82	A Land Rover Defender swerved down an embankment off the M62 motorway into the path of a southbound GNER Intercity 225, which then was struck by a freight train hauled by a Class 66
Potters Bar rail crash (2002)	10 May 2002	7	70	Derailment caused by a badly maintained set of points. Resulted in the end of the use of external contractors for routine maintenance.

Popular culture

East Coast train at London King's Cross railway station

The cuttings and tunnel entrances just north of King's Cross make a memorable smoky appearance in the 1955 Ealing comedy film The Ladykillers.[63] Also during the 1950s, the line featured in the 1954 documentary short Elizabethan Express. Later, the 1971 British gangster film Get Carter features a journey from London King's Cross to Newcastle in the opening credits.[64] During 2009, the motoring show Top Gear featured a long distance race, in which LNER A1 60163 Tornado, a Jaguar XK120 and a Vincent Black Shadow competed to be the fastest vehicle to travel the full length of the line from London to Edinburgh.[65]

The route has been featured in several train simulator games. Trainz Simulator 2010 features the route between London and York, Trainz Simulator 12 extends the route to Newcastle, and Trainz: A New Era brings it all the way to Edinburgh, allowing the entire 393-mile route to be driven. All three routes take place during the 1970s, around the time the InterCity 125 was introduced; this is reinforced by instructions in the "HST Southbound Express" session not to move until the guard has locked the doors, since the trains did not have pneumatic locks initially; doing so will lead to an automatic failure. Other rolling stock includes Class 37s, Class 47s, and Class 105s, plus Mark 2 coaches. TS12's version added Class 55 Deltics and Class 313s, as well as additional pre-made, pre-scripted sessions.

King's Cross Station is also known as the starting point of the Hogwarts Express from the books and films of the Harry Potter franchise. This connection is marked by a tourist attraction within the station concourse, featuring the Platform 9¾ sign and a luggage trolley partially embedded in the station wall with an owl cage and suitcases on it.[66]

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