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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°31′53″N 0°07′24″W / 51.5314°N 0.1234°W / 51.5314; -0.1234 (East Coast Main Line, London terminus) Edinburgh Waverley 55°57′08″N 3°11′20″W / 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 Hull Trains East Midlands Trains CrossCountry Greater Anglia TransPennine Express Northern Abellio ScotRail Grand Central DB Cargo UK GB Railfreight Freightliner Direct Rail Services
Character	Primary[1]
Depot(s)	Hornsey Bounds Green Neville Hill Heaton Craigentinny Haymarket
Rolling stock	Class 43 "HST" Class 91 "InterCity 225" Class 142 "Pacer" Class 144 "Pacer" Class 153 "Super Sprinter" Class 156 "Super Sprinter" Class 158 "Express Sprinter" Class 170 "Turbostar" Class 180 "Adelante" Class 185 "Pennine" Class 220 "Voyager" Class 221 "Super Voyager" Class 222 "Meridian" Class 313 Class 325 Class 365 "Networker Express" Class 387 "Electrostar" Class 700 "Desiro City"
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	Mk 3a/b/d 25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
Operating speed	125 mph (200 km/h) maximum

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[ v t e ] East Coast Main Line
Legend
Edinburgh–Aberdeen line, Fife Circle Line, Edinburgh–Dunblane line, North Berwick Line, North Clyde Line, Shotts Line, Glasgow–Edinburgh via Falkirk line and 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 Central 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 Central 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 East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a 393-mile long (632 km)^[2] major railway^[1] link between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle; it is electrified along the whole route. The route forms a key artery on the eastern side of Great Britain and is broadly paralleled by the A1 trunk road.

The original line was built during the 1840s by three separate railway companies, the North British Railway, the North Eastern Railway, and the Great Northern Railway. During 1923, the enactment of the Railway Act of 1921 led to these three companies amalgamating together to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The route was the primary line of the LNER, who competed against rival London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) for long-distance passenger traffic between London and Scotland. To this end, LNER's chief engineer Sir Nigel Gresley designed a number of iconic Pacific locomotives, including the famous steam locomotives "Flying Scotsman" and "Mallard". While running on the ECML, Mallard achieved a world record speed for a steam locomotive, having attained a recorded peak speed of 126 miles per hour (203 km/h) while traversing the Grantham-to-Peterborough section.

On 1 January 1948, the LNER and the ECML alike were nationalised by the government of the day, and operated by the state-owned British Railways. During the early 1960s, the line's steam locomotives were replaced by Diesel-electric counterparts, such as the powerful high-speed Deltic locomotives, while sections of the route were upgraded to enable trains to be routinely run at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). As the demand for higher speed intensified, British Rail introduced the High Speed Train (HST) between 1976 and 1981. During 1973, the prototype of the HST, the Class 41, was recorded as having achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in one test run on the line. Capable of 125 mph (201 km/h) in regular service, the HST proved to be a popular and iconic train on the line. During the 1980s, the line was electrified, allowing a new generation of electric traction, such as the InterCity 225, to be introduced.

The line links London, South East England and East Anglia, with Yorkshire, the North East Regions and Scotland and is important to the economic health of several areas of England and Scotland. It carries key commuter flows for the north side of London and also handles cross-country, commuter and local passenger services, and carries heavy tonnages of freight traffic. Services north of Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness use diesel trains. During 1997, operation of services was passed into private hands. The main train service operator on the line is London North Eastern Railway, bringing the LNER name back into use, which took over from Virgin Trains East Coast in June 2018.^[3]

Route definition and description

The ECML forms 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 Doncaster branch of 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 part of the route is the main line between King's Cross and Edinburgh, with the Hertford Loop used for local and freight services and the Northern City Line providing an inner suburban service direct to the city.^[5] The route has ELRs ECM1 - ECM9.^[6][7]

History

Origins and early operations

The ECML was originally developed and constructed out of the efforts of three independent railway companies. During the 1830s and 1840s, each of these firms had built their part of the route with the principal aim of serving their own areas, but also held the intention of linking each other's railways together to form an extensive through route that would become the East Coast Main Line. From north to south, these 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.

When first completed, the GNR established an end-on connection at Askern, famously described by the GNR's chairman as being "a ploughed field four miles north of Doncaster".^[8] Askern was connected with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, a short section of which was used to reach the NER at Knottingley. During 1871, the route was shortened when the NER opened a direct line, which ran from an end-on junction, with the GNR, at Shaftholme, just south of Askern to Selby and then (once over Selby bridge on the Leeds- Hull Line) direct to York.^[8]

Having come to recognise that through journeys had become an important and lucrative element of their respective businesses, in 1860 the three companies decided to establish special rolling stock. Services using this rolling stock were operated on a collaborative basis under the name of "East Coast Joint Stock" and continued to be performed under this identity up to 1922.^[9]

During 1923, as part of an effort to stem the losses of smaller railway companies, the Railway Act of 1921 required the three companies to group together to form the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).^[10] Throughout its existence, the LNER was the second largest railway company in Britain, its routes mainly covering various territories located to the North and East of London. On 1 January 1948, as a consequence of the Transport Act of 1947 implemented by Clement Attlee's Labour Government, the LNER was nationalised along with the other privately owned railway companies to form the state-owned British Railways.^[11] The company managed the ECML under its Eastern Region division up to its discorporation during the early 1980s.

Numerous alterations to short 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, built to bypass anticipated mining subsidence from the Selby coalfield and a bottleneck at Selby station. During 1983, the Selby Diversion was opened, which diverged from the original ECML at Temple Hirst Junction, north of Doncaster, and joined the Leeds to York Line at Colton Junction, south west of York. The former line between Selby and York was dismantled and has since been used as a public cycle path.^[12]

More recently the discovery of mining subsidence affecting 200 metres of track 17 km to the east of Edinburgh, near Wallyford, led to the line being temporarily realigned while the ground was stabilised. This was a large operation as not only had the tracks to be re-routed but also overhead electrification equipment. However it was completed successfully in 2000 and the track returned to its original alignment. In 2001 a second and much more severe site of subsidence was discovered nearby, at Dolphingstone^[13] , and on this occasion about 2km of track had to be permanently moved laterally in a gentle curve, avoiding the need for a permanent speed restriction. This was completed in 2002.

The ECML has been the backdrop for a number of famous rail journeys and locomotives. The line was worked for many years by Pacific locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, including the famous steam locomotives "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

During the early 1960s, the line's steam locomotives were replaced by Diesel-electric counterparts, amongst them the purpose-built Deltic, a powerful high-speed locomotive developed and built by British manufacturing conglomerate English Electric. The prototype was found to have been successful in its trials, leading to a fleet of 22 locomotives being built and put into BR service to handle all the important express traffic. Designated as the Class 55, they were powered by a pair of Napier Deltic engines, which had been originally 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 chubby 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 immediate years following the introduction of the Deltics, the first sections of the East Coast Main Line were upgraded to enable trains to be routinely run at speeds of up to100 miles per hour (160 km/h). On 15 June 1965, the first length to be cleared for the new higher speed, a 17 miles (27 km) stretch between Peterborough and Grantham, entered service. The second section was a 12 miles (19 km) line between Grantham and Newark; many sections were upgraded thereafter to enable such speeds to be reached across much of the EMCL.^[16]

As the demand for higher speed intensified, British Rail made intensive efforts during the late 1960s and early 1970s to produce a successor to the Deltics. They would be superseded by the High Speed Train (HST), which was introduced between 1976 and 1981. Capable of 125 mph (201 km/h), the HST proved to be a popular and iconic train on the line. The type remains in regular passenger service as of 2018, albeit having undergone a re-engining programme during the 2000s, in which newer MTU engines replaced the HST's original Paxman Valenta power units.

During 1973, the prototype of the HST, the Class 41, was recorded as having achieved a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h) in one test run the line.^[17][18] As a consequence of current British legislation requiring the use of in-cab signalling for running at speeds in excess of 125 mph (201 km/h) , regular trains services are unable to be run at such speeds. The lack of in-cab signalling has been cited as being the primary reason which has prevented the InterCity 225 train-sets from being operated 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 line on which the train was operating.^[19]

Before the present in-cab regulations came in, 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

As early as the 1930s, studies were being conducted into potential options for electrifying sections or all of the ECML.^[21] While British Rail had considered its electrification to hold equal importance to that of the West Coast Main Line (WCML) during the 1950s, political factors played a role in delaying such ambitions while the WCML did receive such changes. Instead, investment was directed towards high-speed diesel traction, such as the Deltic and High Speed Train, as an alternative path for implementing service improvements.^[21]

Between 1976 and 1991, the ECML was electrified along its length. The route has been furnished 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 part of the Great Northern Suburban Electrification Project, using Mk.3A equipment.^[22] This only comprised a short length of the line, covering 30 miles in total.^[23][21]

According to author David Shirres, a working group of British Rail and Department for Transport officials convened during the late 1970s had determined that, of all potential options available for further electrification, the ECML represented by the best value for money by far. Reportedly, the in-house forecasts produced during this study had determined both increases in revenue and considerable reductions in energy and maintenance costs would occur by electrifying the line.^[23] During 1984, the second phase of the programme commenced when authority was given to electrify the Northern section of the line to Edinburgh and Leeds. Shirres has credited the role of the then Secretary of State for Transport Nicholas Ridley and of the then-Minister for Railways David Mitchell as having played a large role in the decision to proceed with the electrification programme.^[23]

The electrification programme covered roughly 1,400 single-track miles and involved several major infrastructure changes being carried out, including the resignalling of the northern part of the route from Temple Hirst junction, near Selby, to the Scottish border (accompanied by new signalling centres at Niddrie, York and Newcastle, in Tyneside), ten new power supply points along key points of the route, as well as necessary clearance and immunisation activity to protect equipment.^[23] The ECML was crossed by a total of 127 overbridges which had to be adjusted to accommodate the change; in general, it was decided to rebuild or replace individual bridges as opposed to lowering the track or other line-based compromises. Some of these overbridges, such as the aqueduct near Abbots Ripton, were subject to innovative alterations in order to accommodate the installation of the overhead lines.^[23] In order to better accommodate listed structures, such as the Royal Border Bridge, and other sensitive areas, a specially-developed mast and foundation combination were used; elsewhere, the standard Mk.3B equipment was deployed.^[23]

During 1985, construction work began on the second phase; at the peak of the electrification project in the late 1980s, the programme was claimed to be the "longest construction site in the world", spanning over 250 miles (400 km). In 1986, the section to Huntingdon was completed, Leeds was reached during 1988 and the route through to York was energised in 1989; by 1991, electrification had reached Edinburgh, allowing for full electric services to commence on 8 July that year, eight weeks later than had been originally scheduled at the start of the project. As had been projected, significant traffic increases occurred within two years of completion; one station alone recorded a 58 per cent increase in activity.^[23]

The programme was completed at a total cost of £344.4 million (at 1983 prices), a relatively minor cost overrun against a total authorised expenditure of £331.9 million. 40 per cent of this figure was attributed to the procurement of new traction and rolling stock, while 60 per cent was spent upon the electrification of the line itself.^[23] Shirres has compared the ECML and later Great Western Railway electrification programmes, noting an apparent 740 per cent increase in overall cost between the former and the latter; in this respect, the earlier electrification scheme was considerably more cost effective.^[23] The infrastructure is capable of supporting speeds of up to 140 mph, a feat which has been demonstrated, such as a 3hr 29mins non-stop run between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991;^[23] however, British regulations have since required the use of in-cab signalling upon any train running at speeds above 125 mph (201 km/h), which prevents such speeds from being legally attained during regular service.^[19]

During 1989, the InterCity 225 rolling stock was introduced to work the newly-electrified line.^[24][25] These were developed to a competitive tender, to which GEC was awarded as the winner.^[23] The Intercity 225 sets were joined by other rolling stock, including the Class 90 locomotives and Class 317 electric multiple units. The displaced diesel trains were reallocated to other lines, predominantly the Midland Mainline.^[23]

Infrastructure

The line is mainly four tracks from London to Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham. However, there are two major twin-track sections: the first of these is near Welwyn North Station as it crosses the Digswell Viaduct and passes through two tunnels; the second is a section around 'Stilton Fen', between Fletton Junction near Peterborough, and southwards towards Holme Junction; furthermore, the section between Holme Junction south to Huntingdon is mostly triple track. North of Grantham the route is twin track except for four-track sections at Retford around Doncaster, between Colton Junction (which is south of York), Thirsk and Northallerton, and another at Newcastle.^[26]

The main route is electrified along the full route and only the line between Leeds and York (Neville Hill Depot to Colton Junction) is non-electrified.^[26] This diversionary route will be electrified as part of the transpennine electrification scheme, to be completed by December 2018.

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. These relatively high speeds are possible because much of the ECML travels on fairly straight track on the flatter, eastern regions of England, through Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, though there are significant speed restrictions (due to curvature) particularly north of Darlington and between Doncaster and Leeds. By contrast, the West Coast Main Line has to traverse the Trent Valley and the mountains of Cumbria, leading to many more curves and a lower general speed limit of 110 mph (180 km/h). Speeds on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) have been increased in recent years with the introduction of tilting Pendolino trains and now match the 125 mph speeds available on the ECML.

Tunnels, viaducts and bridges

Major civil engineering structures on the East Coast Main Line include the following.^[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	1 chain	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
Peascliff 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 Cost 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

Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Built
				mph	km/h
Class 68		Diesel locomotive	1	100	160	2	Abellio ScotRail	Fife Circle Line	2013-14
Mk2 Coach		Passenger coach	6	100	160	12			1973-75
Class 158		DMU	2	90	145	48	Abellio ScotRail	Cumbernauld Line, Shotts Line, Fife Circle Line, Highland Main Line, Borders Railway, North Berwick Line (Occasional Saturday Services to Dunbar)	1989-92
Class 170 Turbostar		DMU	3	90	145	55	Abellio ScotRail	Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line, Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line, Edinburgh to Dunblane Line, Fife Circle Line, Edinburgh Crossrail, Highland Main Line, Borders Railway, North Berwick Line (Saturday Services to Dunbar and a peak time North Berwick Service)	1998-2005
Class 185 Pennine		DMU	3	100	160	51	TransPennine Express	Joining the ECML at York and continuing to Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Scarborough	2005–06
Class 313		EMU	3	75	120	44	Great Northern	London Moorgate and London King's Cross to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford North, Stevenage, and Letchworth Garden City	1976–77
Class 318 (gangway removed)		EMU	3	90	145	21	Abellio ScotRail	North Clyde Line	1986-87
Class 320		EMU	3	90	145	22	Abellio ScotRail	North Clyde Line	1990
Class 320/4 (ex-Class 321/4)				100	161	7			1989–90
Class 334		EMU	3	90	145	21	Abellio ScotRail	North Clyde Line	1999-2002
Class 350/4 Desiro		EMU	4	110	180	10	TransPennine Express	Edinburgh to Manchester Airport	2013–14
Class 365		EMU	4	100	161	40	Great Northern Abellio ScotRail	London King's Cross to Peterborough, Cambridge and Ely Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line	1994–95
Class 387/1		EMU	4	110	177	29	Great Northern	London King's Cross to Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn	2014-15
Class 380 Desiro		EMU	3	100	160	22	Abellio ScotRail	North Berwick Line	2009-11
			4			16
Class 385		EMU	3	100	160	46	Abellio ScotRail	Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line, Stirling / Alloa / Dunblane Lines, Shotts Line, Carstairs Line, North Berwick Line	2017-
			4			24
Class 700 'Desiro City'		EMU	8	100	160	60	Govia Thameslink Railway	Cambridge to Brighton via London Bridge Peterborough to Horsham via London Bridge	2015-18
			12			55

High-speed trains

Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Built
				mph	km/h
Class 43 HST InterCity 125		Diesel locomotive	LNER: 2 x 9 XC: 2 x 7 EMT: 2 x 8	125	200	58	London North Eastern Railway CrossCountry East Midlands Trains	London North Eastern Railway Services from London King's Cross to: Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness as well as daily services to Lincoln Central, Hull and Harrogate. CrossCountry joins the ECML at either Doncaster or York and continuing to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Dundee and Aberdeen East Midlands operates a limited service of HSTs which joins the ECML at Doncaster and continuing to Leeds	1976-82
Mark 3 Coach		Passenger coach				272			1975-88
Class 91 Intercity 225		Electric locomotive	2 x 9	140	225	31	London North Eastern Railway	London King's Cross to: Edinburgh, Leeds, Glasgow Central, York and Newcastle	1988—91
Mark 4 carriage		Passenger coach				302			1988-91
Driving Van Trailer		Driving Van Trailer				31			1988-91
Class 180 Adelante		DEMU	5	125	200	11	Grand Central Hull Trains	Grand Central Services from London King's Cross to: Sunderland and Bradford Interchange. Hull Trains Services from London King's Cross to: Hull	2001
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 SuperVoyager		DEMU	5	125	200	20	Virgin Trains	VT: Services between Edinburgh to: London Euston via Birmingham and Preston	2001–2002
						22	CrossCountry	XC: Joining the ECML at either Doncaster or York and continuing to Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Dundee and Aberdeen
Class 222 Meridian		DEMU	4	125	200	4	East Midlands Trains	East Midlands operates a limited summer Saturday service which joins the ECML at Doncaster and continuing to York and Scarborough	2003–5
			5			17
			7			6
Class 390 Pendolino		EMU	9 or 11	140 (limited to 125)	225 (limited to 200)	56	Virgin Trains	Edinburgh to: London Euston via Birmingham and Preston	2001-04 2009-12

Future

Class	Image	Type	Cars per set	Top speed		Number	Operator	Routes	Enter Service
				mph	km/h
Class 43 HST InterCity 125		Diesel locomotive	2 x 4 2 x 5	125	200	54	Abellio ScotRail	Highland Main Line, Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line	2018-
Mark 3 Coach		Passenger coach				175
Class 68		Diesel locomotive	1	100	160	19	TransPennine Express	Joining the ECML at York and continuing to Newcastle	2018–19
Mark 5A		Passenger coach	5	125	201	52
		Driving Trailer				14
Class 397		EMU	5	125	201	12	TransPennine Express	Edinburgh to Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street	2019
Class 717		EMU	6	100	161	25	Great Northern	London Moorgate and London King's Cross to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford North, Stevenage, and Letchworth Garden City	2019-
Class 800 Azuma		Bi-Mode Multiple Unit	5	140	225	10	London North Eastern Railway	London King's Cross to: Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow Central, Aberdeen and Inverness	2019-
			9			13
Class 801 Azuma		EMU	5	140	225	12		London King's Cross to: Leeds, York, Newcastle and Glasgow Central.
			9			30
Class 802 AT300		Bi-Mode Multiple Unit	5	140	225	29	TransPennine Express Hull Trains East Coast Trains	Hull Trains Services from London King's Cross to: Hull/Beverley TPE: Joining the ECML at York and continuing to Newcastle and Edinburgh East Coast Trains: London King's Cross to Edinburgh	2019-

Operators

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: long 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 six trains per day between King's Cross and Hull and one per day between King's Cross and Beverley on weekdays, whilst on weekends there are seven trains a day between King's Cross and Hull.


• 
  East Midlands Trains: 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: 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 2 hourly services 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.

Development

Capacity problems

The ECML is one of the busiest lines on the British rail network and there is currently^[when?] insufficient capacity on parts of the line to satisfy all the requirements of both passenger and freight operators.^[32]

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^[33]
  


• The twin and triple-track sections located between Huntingdon and Peterborough.^[34]
  


• Just north of Newark station at a flat crossing with the Nottingham to Lincoln Line.^[35]
  


• The section of double track between Stoke Tunnel and Doncaster.^[34]
  


• 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.^[36][37]
  


• 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.^[34][38]
  

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 ^[39]. 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.^[40]

Recent developments

• 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.^[41][42]
  

• A new platform at London King's Cross was opened on 20 May 2010. This was originally to be called "Platform Y".^[43] 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. 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.^[43][44][45]
  


• Provision of a £47m grade-separated junction to the north of Hitchin (the Hitchin flyover) enabling down Cambridge trains to cross the main line.^[43][46][47] The work was completed by 26 June 2013^[48]
  


• 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.^[43]
  


• 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.^[43][45]
  


• 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.^[49]
  


• 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.

Planned or proposed developments

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^[50] 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.^[51]
  


• Enhanced passenger access to the platforms at Peterborough and Stevenage.


• Further remodelling at Peterborough and linespeed enhancements on the down slow line in the Fletton area (part of the ECML Connectivity programme).


• 
  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.^[52]
  


• Replacement of the Flat Crossing at Newark with a flyover (scheme developed to GRIP Stage 2 by Jacobs)^[53]
  


• 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^[54]
  


• 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.)^[55]
  


• 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.^[56]
  

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.[57][58]
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.[59]
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.

Passenger volume

Station usage
Station name	2002–03	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18
Edinburgh to Doncaster
Edinburgh Waverley	12,470,767	14,219,772	14,645,022	15,285,837	16,169,294	17,571,392	19,312,458	19,957,346
Musselburgh	161,121	170,852	193,386	202,895	306,185	385,274	389,240	364,690
Wallyford	90,351	110,686	126,719	135,819	159,949	209,260	227,874	221,772
Prestonpans	91,789	108,398	129,192	142,604	170,388	192,574	202,296	206,808
Longniddry	117,121	122,678	135,040	140,490	161,410	165,716	157,908	154,040
Drem	73,871	78,009	80,563	84,905	99,735	109,418	107,844	100,208
Dunbar	224,552	266,142	288,282	299,172	332,377	339,094	318,976	333,916
Berwick-upon-Tweed	331,108	378,727	395,000	380,555	391,772	405,828	419,454	454,568
Chathill	1,482	1,503	2,279	1,037	1,847	1,864	2,612	2,642
Alnmouth	86,436	134,902	165,049	172,170	181,912	197,222	192,380	214,230
Acklington	727	917	1,137	985	948	778	268	108
Widdrington	5,481	7,740	6,618	5,523	4,707	6,314	6,398	5,124
Pegswood	2,417	3,564	2,940	2,281	2,332	2,788	2,688	1,102
Morpeth	123,142	163,627	177,497	188,798	206,458	226,652	228,252	243,982
Cramlington	40,886	68,472	77,304	83,314	87,737	89,828	87,374	85,454
Manors	1,409	1,882	1,390	1,002	1,406	2,574	2,998	2,976
Newcastle Central	4,869,662	5,728,348	6,108,240	6,230,498	6,447,267	7,098,624	7,163,284	7,500,338
Chester-le-Street	86,686	126,033	151,486	160,799	192,519	186,930	197,398	205,572
Durham	1,359,425	1,649,935	1,739,801	1,774,271	1,858,078	1,996,852	2,051,432	2,180,044
Darlington	1,509,282	1,795,683	1,906,131	2,013,516	2,099,480	2,184,436	2,164,428	2,209,274
Northallerton	293,137	380,622	413,038	453,459	488,647	531,676	544,070	556,990
Thirsk	124,877	142,359	147,333	148,260	161,474	173,944	174,826	189,288
York	4,985,396	5,795,978	6,148,333	6,363,387	6,534,388	6,802,004	6,855,682	7,173,016
Leeds to Doncaster
Leeds	11,285,693	14,733,503	16,059,517	17,356,732	18,121,572	22,421,732	21,978,372	24,491,616
Outwood	108,221	166,801	187,314	208,174	211,079	301,388	299,434	354,792
Wakefield Westgate	1,451,587	1,760,373	1,846,988	1,877,981	1,610,947	2,017,854	1,866,320	2,148,410
Sandal and Agbrigg	86,415	97,328	107,190	118,718	123,387	162,448	158,610	180,046
Fitzwilliam	79,428	105,216	116,088	126,419	142,144	180,606	178,518	195,542
South Elmsall	209,839	253,244	265,547	281,906	304,642	353,696	351,194	351,140
Adwick	115,496	176,479	175,754	156,826	160,541	253,986	244,904	247,964
Bentley (South Yorkshire)	81,494	114,419	123,292	98,641	95,264	159,788	153,550	152,994
Doncaster to London King's Cross
Doncaster	2,347,584	2,772,500	2,837,400	2,790,811	2,903,339	3,780,314	3,676,152	3,784,752
Retford	252,113	298,398	320,410	363,084	357,812	376,066	374,322	399,996
Newark North Gate	335,126	377,172	400,286	1,187,545	923,070	960,948	924,528	976,526
Grantham	806,299	917,447	935,848	999,186	1,032,641	1,054,634	1,033,374	1,071,320
Peterborough	3,386,580	3,689,729	3,720,034	3,960,429	4,070,725	4,099,754	3,930,704	4,076,724
Huntingdon	1,277,164	1,360,288	1,373,378	1,448,338	1,564,270	1,592,696	1,542,100	1,629,780
St Neots	715,993	768,708	822,064	888,971	979,356	1,029,338	1,001,248	1,091,388
Sandy	344,127	391,673	400,416	424,161	449,698	446,186	424,906	444,122
Biggleswade	582,318	638,358	653,872	689,369	751,155	734,458	703,386	739,632
Arlesey	256,882	327,106	349,725	369,425	398,128	413,870	411,056	444,680
Hitchin	1,806,889	1,948,003	2,049,217	2,368,121	2,543,526	2,569,494	2,478,832	2,594,012
Stevenage	3,267,031	3,495,795	3,539,052	3,968,033	4,206,418	4,257,732	4,093,020	4,222,776
Knebworth	328,011	344,003	343,752	392,409	457,813	480,706	471,564	494,182
Welwyn North	368,789	406,270	395,304	428,164	455,322	468,312	454,296	485,856
Welwyn Garden City	1,717,434	2,002,197	2,020,502	2,322,204	2,502,240	2,522,398	2,385,014	2,431,948
Hatfield	1,130,146	1,407,219	1,429,839	1,642,091	1,768,214	1,904,588	1,836,546	1,928,032
Welham Green	114,701	125,769	120,413	134,934	147,553	153,116	145,220	160,884
Brookmans Park	136,394	143,537	150,325	167,346	185,759	198,784	191,500	203,654
Potters Bar	1,382,046	1,440,036	1,445,179	1,604,056	1,681,137	1,649,420	1,569,258	1,599,666
Hadley Wood	181,811	206,767	244,961	344,989	393,690	402,194	353,224	343,208
New Barnet	658,099	673,521	674,532	1,057,667	1,126,244	1,013,310	1,029,964	1,069,706
Oakleigh Park	571,227	601,453	623,602	993,003	993,011	909,208	917,232	952,304
New Southgate	291,538	291,290	299,461	476,100	550,758	498,252	512,446	553,174
Alexandra Palace	592,357	609,875	692,845	1,042,833	1,310,940	1,057,712	1,063,484	1,114,960
Hornsey	391,655	362,488	381,659	737,369	1,031,000	896,096	942,828	1,068,740
Harringay	387,794	328,145	317,815	775,050	1,102,321	901,968	963,282	1,039,098
Finsbury Park	3,006,865	5,021,634	5,041,828	5,875,109	5,545,881	5,492,164	6,566,019	7,337,297
London Kings Cross	19,137,693	20,805,979	20,301,663	22,503,777	23,945,017	24,641,427	24,817,616	26,254,644
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve month periods that start in April. Please note that methodology may vary year on year.

Popular culture

The cuttings and tunnel entrances just north of King's Cross make a memorable smoky appearance in the 1955 Ealing comedy film The Ladykillers.^[60] 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.^[61] 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.^[62]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[63]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to East Coast Main Line.

Route map:

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