Great Northern route

The network consists of all services on these lines:

• Northern City Line
• Hertford Loop Line

And some services on these lines:

• East Coast Main Line south of Peterborough
• Cambridge Line

Additionally, the main service on the Fen Line is provided as part of the route. All services are provided by EMUs.

At privatisation the services became part of West Anglia Great Northern, becoming their sole route in 2004 when the West Anglia services were transferred to 'one'. In April 2006 the services became the responsibility of First Capital Connect. In September 2014, the Department for Transport transferred the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway.{{cite web|author=Department for Transport|author-link=Department for Transport|title=New rail franchising deal set to transform passenger services across London and south east|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rail-franchising-deal-set-to-transform-passenger-services-across-london-and-south-east|access-date=28 May 2014}}

In 2018, with the completion of the Thameslink Programme, many services on the route became part of the Thameslink network, running through central London to destinations south of the River Thames.

The term Great Northern is related to the Great Northern Railway, the original builders of the line.

The July 1922 Bradshaw's Railway Guide stated a typical rail service on the Cambridge Line as follows:{{cite book|last=|title=Bradshaw's July 1922 Railway Guide|publisher=Henry Blacklock & Company|year=1922|location=Manchester}}

• {{rws|London King's Cross}} to {{rws|Cambridge}} - Six stopping and two (three on Saturday) semi-fast services from Monday to Saturday, one northbound and two southbound stopping services on Sunday. The fastest service took about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• London King's Cross to {{rws|Royston}} - Two (three on Wednesday) additional services from Monday to Saturday, one additional service on Sunday.
• London King's Cross to {{rws|Baldock}} - Seven additional services from Monday to Saturday.
• London King's Cross to {{rws|Letchworth}} - Three additional services from Monday to Saturday. The last service on Wednesday ran past midnight into Thursday morning.

Since the 1960s, Great Northern has been used to describe the suburban part of the East Coast Main Line, south of {{rws|Peterborough}} and south of {{rws|Royston}}. The Great Northern Railway had proposed electrification of part of the line in 1903, but it was not until 1971 that a scheme to electrify the line from {{rws|London King's Cross}} and {{rws|Moorgate}} was authorised.{{cite web|author=British Railways Board|author-link=British Railways Board|title=Your New Electric Railway: The Great Northern Suburban Electrification|url=http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BRE_GNElectric1973.pdf|access-date=15 April 2010}}

{{See also|Northern City Line}}

The Inner Suburban Lines to {{rws|Welwyn Garden City}} and {{rws|Hertford North}} were electrified in 1976 with {{brc|313}} EMUs. In 1978 the electrification was complete to Royston with {{brc|312}} EMUs providing the service. The route was then promoted as the Great Northern Electrics. The route between Hertford and Langley Junction, south of {{rws|Stevenage}}, was also electrified but not regularly used by electric trains until 1979, when one Moorgate - Hertford service per hour was extended to {{rws|Letchworth Garden City}}; prior to this DMUs provided an infrequent service over this route, running between Hertford and {{rws|Huntingdon}} / Peterborough. From 1979 until 1987 DMUs provided the service between Hitchin and Huntingdon/Peterborough. DMUs also provided a shuttle service between Royston and Cambridge between 1978 and 1988, connecting with the electric trains and replacing the former through Cambridge buffet expresses between Kings Cross and the university city.

In 1982 Watton-at-Stone station was reopened between Hertford and Stevenage. A new station also opened at {{rws|Welham Green}} in 1986.

With the further electrification of the East Coast Main Line between 1986 and 1988, electric services could be extended to Peterborough and the outer suburban service was changed from {{brc|312}} to {{brc|317}}, some of which were cascaded from the newly created Thameslink route, with the remainder newly built.

In 1984{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=Major rail closures ruled out|department=Home News|date=26 April 1984|page=4|issue=61815|column=}} it was decided to electrify the line between Royston and Shepreth Branch Junction, a junction on the West Anglia Main Line north of {{rws|Shelford}}, allowing the reinstatement of through services to {{rws|Cambridge}} from London King's Cross via the East Coast Main Line, which was faster than the conventional route from {{rws|Liverpool Street}} via the West Anglia Main Line. This electrification was completed in 1988. Later the track between these points was also upgraded with welded joint track instead of the jointed track that had existed, and the maximum line speed was raised to 90 mph.

Rapid growth on the route, especially on the Cambridge Line resulted in consultation on a new service pattern,{{cite web|last=|title=Cambridge Capacity Study|url=http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?iCmsPageId=321|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402195524/http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?iCmsPageId=321|archive-date=2 April 2010|access-date=14 March 2010|publisher=First Capital Connect|df=dmy-all}} which was then implemented at the timetable change in Spring 2009. During the peak hours, the route is now saturated and can support no further service improvements.

{{main|Hitchin Flyover}}

Together with the two-track Digswell Viaduct (Welwyn Viaduct) some ten miles to the south, the flat junction just north of {{rws|Hitchin}} was a major bottleneck,{{cite web|url=http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/5751/its_uleeds_app2.pdf|title=APPENDIX 2: Issues in defining and measuring railway capacity|date=13 February 2006|access-date=28 February 2014|page=2|publisher=Office of Rail Regulation}} as northbound trains diverging from the East Coast Main Line towards Letchworth and thence to Cambridge had to cross one northbound (fast) line and two southbound (fast and slow) lines to access the Cambridge Line. Proposals as part of the original electrification work envisaged a new underpass here and land was set aside for its construction. However, budgetary constraints forced this part of the programme to be abandoned. The land stood empty for many years, but has since been used to provide new housing.

A new plan{{cite web|author=Network Rail|author-link=Network Rail|title=Hitchin Flyover|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6397.aspx|access-date=28 February 2014}} and subsequent application for an order{{cite web|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/Consultation/Hitchin/6428_Hitchin%20-%20Statement%20of%20Case.pdf |author=Network Rail |author-link=Network Rail |access-date=15 April 2010 |title=The Network Rail Hitchin (Cambridge Junction) Order |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607023551/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/Consultation/Hitchin/6428_Hitchin%20-%20Statement%20of%20Case.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2011 }} to build a flyover was approved, and construction was completed in June 2013. The scheme has created a new single-track line that diverges from the northbound slow line at a new junction just beyond Hitchin station, using a short embankment section of the former Bedford to Hitchin Line, a section of which was cleared of vegetation and made progressively higher, to form a short ramp. The track is carried over the East Coast Main Line on a newly constructed viaduct and onto a new embankment to join the present Cambridge Line at the newly created Hitchin East Junction, closer to Letchworth. Although this takes trains over a longer distance, it removes the need for them to dwell at Hitchin – sometimes for several minutes – awaiting a path across the tracks of the main London-Peterborough route, thus decreasing the overall journey time to Cambridge in many instances. The scheme improves the punctuality and reliability of both the London-Cambridge and London-Peterborough routes, because Peterborough-bound stopping trains are no longer delayed if running closely behind a Cambridge service being held at Hitchin waiting to cross the flat junction.

{{main|Thameslink Programme}}

As part of the Thameslink Programme,{{cite web|author=First Capital Connect|author-link=First Capital Connect|title=2016 (Thameslink & Great Northern routes)|url=http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402080415/http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/31|archive-date=2 April 2010|access-date=15 April 2010|df=dmy-all}} the Great Northern Route has been connected to the existing Thameslink route via a new junction at Belle Isle{{cite book |author=Network Rail |author-link=Network Rail |title=London North Eastern Sectional Appendix |volume=Module LNE |date=December 2006 |id=NR30018/02 |page=12 LOR LN101 Seq002}} (south of the High Speed 1 flyover, just north of London King's Cross). Two single-bore tunnels (known as the Canal Tunnels) were driven from here to the low-level platforms at {{rws|St Pancras}} during the 'St Pancras Box' phase of the redevelopment works that created St Pancras International station. Trains diverging from the Great Northern Route at Belle Isle join the 'core' St Pancras - {{rws|Farringdon}} - {{rws|City Thameslink}} - {{rws|Blackfriars}} section of the existing Thameslink route and then serve stations across Surrey, East Sussex, Kent, and West Sussex.

On 6 November 2017 the first Thameslink Programme units entered service on the Great Northern route.{{cite magazine| title = Class 700s make Great Northern debut| url=https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/class-700s-make-great-northern-debut| magazine= Rail Magazine| access-date =2017-11-20}} 700128 worked the 0656 Peterborough - London King's Cross and 1812 return, while 700125 worked the 0733 Peterborough - London King's Cross and 1742 return.

{{Clear}}

During peak hours, all services from London King's Cross to Letchworth Garden City (see table above) are extended to/from Cambridge, resulting in a 2tph 'stopping service' between London King's Cross and Cambridge.

During peak hours, Great Northern runs 5 'limited stop' services in each direction between {{rws|Peterborough}} and London King's Cross, with calls at Huntingdon, St Neots, Biggleswade and Stevenage only.{{Cite web |title=Timetable December 2024 |url=https://timetables.thameslinkrailway.com/TL/#/timetables/3235/Table%20A |access-date=2024-12-09 |website=timetables.thameslinkrailway.com}}

In addition, during peak hours, Great Northern runs 3 'limited stop' services in each direction between Letchworth Garden City and London King's Cross, with calls at Hitchin, Knebworth and Welwyn North only.

As of 2025, the Great Northern fleet consists of {{BRC|379|cs}}, {{BRC|387|cs}} and {{BRC|717|cs}}, with 379s and 387s operating services from London King's Cross and the 717s operating services from Moorgate. {{BRC|700|cs}} also operate on the route on Thameslink services.

On 12 March 2024 it was announced that Great Northern would lease 30 Class 379 units from Porterbrook.{{cite web | url=https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007878-2024 | title=Leasing for the GN Network of Additional Rolling Stock - Find a Tender }}

The Class 379s entered service with Great Northern on 10 February 2025.{{Cite magazine|title=Class 379 Electrostars begin new duties on Great Northern services|url=https://www.railmagazine.com/news/fleet/2025/02/12/class-379-electrostars-begin-new-duties-on-great-northern-services|access-date=12 February 2024|magazine=Rail Magazine}}

Prior to the introduction of Class 387s and Class 717s in 2016 and 2019 respectively, {{BRC|313|cs}}, {{BRC|317|cs}}, {{BRC|321|cs}}, and {{BRC|365|cs}} were used. Of these, Class 365s lasted until 15 May 2021,{{Cite web|title=Today we bid farewell to our Class 365s.|url=https://twitter.com/gnrailuk/status/1393464112722624512|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-15|publisher=Great Northern|archive-date=2021-05-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519185546/https://twitter.com/GNRailUK/status/1393464112722624512}} at which point they were replaced by Gatwick Express Class 387/2 units which were being used by Southern while the service was suspended.

Trains formerly used on the Great Northern Route include, but are not limited to, the following:

{{main|East West Rail}}

The Varsity Line connected {{rws|Cambridge}} with {{rws|Oxford}} via {{rws|Sandy}} and {{rws|Bedford}} ("Varsity" being slang for "University", those termini being major university towns). It was closed in 1968 but there are now plans to restore this route.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite magazine|title=Great Northern reliability|first=Brian|last=Perren|pages=24–27|issue=110|date=30 November – 13 December 1989|magazine=RAIL|publisher=EMAP National Publications|issn=0953-4563|oclc=49953699}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Current rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom}}

{{UK TOCs}}

Category:Railway lines in the East of England

Category:Railway lines in London

Category:Transport in Hertfordshire

Category:Transport in Bedfordshire

Category:Transport in Cambridgeshire

Category:Rail transport in Norfolk

Category:Standard gauge railways in England

Category:Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)

Category:Rail transport in Cambridge