UK’s East Coast Main Line makes progress with power supply upgrade

Credit: Network Rail

The UK’s East Coast Main Line power supply upgrade is to power forward into its second phase to enhance the East Coast network, bolstered by a £216.2 million contract award for the Rail Electrification Alliance.

The Rail Electrification Alliance – comprised of VolkerRail, J Murphy & Sons, Jacobs, Systra, Siemens Mobility and Network Rail – is to continue its plans to upgrade the power capabilities of the East Coast Main Line between Doncaster to Edinburgh, as part of its ambitious plans to optimise one of the UK’s most popular passenger lines and reduce inefficiencies across the network. 

The East Coast Main Line Power Supply Upgrade Project, which has been five years in the making, is part the wider £1.2 billion East Coast Upgrade programme. Once complete, the upgrade will deliver improved reliability and punctuality for passengers and will ensure that the route has the electrical power capacity to deal with future passenger volumes.

Whilst the power infrastructure at the southern section of the route was upgraded in the last few years, similar work is now needed at the northern section, which this project will provide.

This enhancement will be funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), in conjunction with and in support of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP), and will help deliver future timetable changes.

The Rail Electrification Alliance Board commented: “The power supply upgrade of the East Coast Main Line is a significant piece of work. We have been working together as an Alliance for the past five years, and the team delivering the project have gone from strength to strength, continuing not only physical works during COVID-19, but also delivering a contract proposal which will secure the project for the next four years and deliver the power upgrades needed for the full route from London to Edinburgh.”

Ed Akers, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail, said: “The power supply upgrade is a vital element of the East Coast Upgrade programme. It will help to deliver passenger benefits, enabling more trains to run and ensuring that journeys are reliable for passengers travelling on the route.”