East Coast Mainline Power Supply Upgrade Phase 2  

Enabling an environmentally friendly train service 

To improve capacity on the railway and the performance and reliability of services, Network Rail, in the biggest investment on the route in a generation is delivering a £1.2bn upgrade to the East Coast Mainline (ECML). 

At the heart of the project is an upgrade to the power supply which will enable faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly electric trains to run, as well as ensuring the route has the electrical power capacity to deal with future passenger volumes. 

Required for the power supply upgrade timetable change, new feeder stations brought resilience to the railway network, replacing life expired switchgear and updating the protection scheme to ensure faster, safer operation on the electrification network. 

Powering toward the future 

In September 2020 a £216.2m contract was awarded by Network Rail to the Rail Electrification Alliance (Jacobs, Murphy, Network Rail, Siemens, SYSTRA and Volker Rail) to deliver the power supply upgrade (PSU) for Phase 2 of the East Coast Main Line (ECML). We had already successfully provided design services for the first phase of the ECML’s PSU programme. 

The contract covered upgrading the route between Doncaster and Edinburgh, including the installation of feeder and substations along the route, capacity upgrades, a new 132kv connection at Hambleton junction and upgrades to existing power supply connections. 

A strong track record for efficiency and delivery 

The appointment of the REAL for ECML’s PSU 2 was based upon a number of key factors, which included our strong track record, a reputation for efficient and safe delivery, clear demonstration of the required behaviours and capabilities, whilst seeking out continuous improvement. 

Innovative approaches to powering the new fleet 

To meet the significant increase in electric train operations on the East Coast Main Line, the project team challenged traditional rail electrification practices by adopting Static Frequency Converter (SFC) technology at Hambleton. Rather than relying on conventional solutions that would have required extensive National Grid upgrades, new high-voltage infrastructure and disruptive railway works, the SFC connects directly to the local 132kV supergrid supply and optimises the power delivered to the railway.

The Hambleton installation introduced several world-first innovations, including the world’s largest SFC and the first 50Hz Multilevel Modular SFC. By digitally controlling and balancing the power supply, the system provides higher capacity, improved voltage regulation and enhanced network resilience while allowing the railway to continue using a simpler and lower-cost overhead line infrastructure.

The approach delivered substantial benefits, including a capital cost saving of more than £500 million compared with traditional autotransformer-based solutions, significantly reduced on-track construction activity and minimised disruption to passengers and freight operators. The digital integration of power supply, protection and control systems also reduced fault energy by more than 99%, enhancing both safety and reliability.

Importantly, the solution has future-proofed the route, providing sufficient capacity to support continued growth in electric passenger services, electric freight, battery train technologies and future high-speed rail integration, all without the need for major disruptive upgrades. Through innovative engineering and a whole-system approach, Hambleton SFC has transformed how traction power can be delivered on the UK railway.

Saving money though innovation 

Over £500m has been saved over the term of the project through using innovative methods of upgrading the power supply. 

By retiring the diesel fleet of trains this project will also be saving a massive 154 tonnes of carbon per day, the equivalent of planting over 2300 trees every day. 

Cleaner, greener travel 

The upgrade also paves the way for the introduction of new trains, such as LNER’s Azuma and Hull Trains’ Paragon fleets allowing train passengers to benefit from more seats, additional services, improved performance and reliability and cleaner, greener, train travel.