LEAF BUSTING trains are operating on railway tracks across the West Midlands in a bid to call time on seasonal autumnal delays.
Network Rail’s three specialist engines are blasting leaves and debris off the line between now and December 13, covering a total of 83,600 miles of track across the region.
After the tracks have been cleared the machines then apply rails with a glue-like coating to help passenger and freight train wheels grip the tracks.
Leaves are regarded as the railway’s equivalent of black ice on the roads, creating issues when they stick to damp rails and are compressed by moving trains into a thin, black layer which can affect both train braking and acceleration.
The build-up of leaf mulch can also make it harder for signallers to detect a train’s location, which causes delays.
Martin Colmey, operations director for Network Rail’s Central route, said leaves were a major problem at this time of year, disrupting services and inconveniencing passengers,
“Network Rail and train operators work together to battle against the elements to get passengers and freight to their destinations.
“Even more work has gone into getting prepared for autumn this year because of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, including how we operate the trains themselves.
“We are ready to keep people and goods moving across the West Midlands and Chiltern Main line running a safe and reliable service for our customers.”
This year, 96 track gel applicators have been positioned across the Central route. They spray a special sand-like gel onto the rails to help provide extra grip for train wheels.
Specialist teams will be positioned across the West Midlands and Chiltern main line to check the autumn treatment programme is working effectively and provide additional support where necessary.
