GTR and Siemens Mobility update ETCS OBUs in Class 717s
posted on 14th Oct 2025 20:59
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has partnered with Siemens Mobility to update its entire fleet of 25 Class 717 Great Northern EMUs, enabling them to run in passenger service using an updated ETCS OBU specification. The trains now operate on the Northern City Line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate in London using ETCS Baseline 3, Release 2 (also referred to as version 3.6.0).
This specification of ETCS allows more flexibility for services to operate in a high traffic area by connecting the train to the trackside via GPRS instead of GSM-R. It will be used by all train operators on the ECML, as part of the government-funded East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP).
Jonathan Daniels, Network Rail’s ECDP Integration Lead, said: “In less than three months the entire fleet of GTR Class 717s has been upgraded to the new baseline level of ETCS that will be used for digitally signalled services on the East Coast Main Line. The excellent collaboration we had on the Northern City Line has continued into this project, and more fleets will now be upgraded ready for ETCS 3.6.0 operation.”