Media centre

Thursday 26 Oct 2006

BIGGEST EVER CAMPAIGN UNVEILED FOR AUTUMN LEAF-FALL BATTLE IN KENT

Region & Route:

| Southern

New techniques, new and better equipment and more people working round the clock than ever before will help keep rail passengers in Kent on the move this Autumn. Leaves on the line are no joking matter for the thousands of rail workers and millions of commuters who battle with the effect Autumn has on train services. Network Rail's Route Director Andrew Munden said: “Autumn and falling leaves are a challenge for railways the world over. The leaves form a mulch on the rails, which is as slippery as ice on the roads. And the same precautions have to be taken that you take in your car, braking and accelerating slowly, which can lead to delays. “We do everything possible to prepare for Autumn – and everything possible to deal with the effects when it arrives. We invest in the best techniques and equipment and use ‘leaf-busting’ teams around the clock to keep the railways running. And we target these huge resources at the leaf-fall hotspots, which we can predict by using the latest satellite technology.” Network Rail is investing £5.4 million in the Kent region alone this year to tackle Autumn weather and has unveiled its arsenal for the annual battle with falling leaves in the region: ·          A 24-hour control centre manned by a team dedicated to tackling autumn ·          9 rail head water-jetting trains and Sandite treatment trains will be in operation in Kent around the clock.  The railhead will shoot out water at an equivalent pressure of 1,000/bar (up to 1,000 times faster than the water coming out of your tap) and will be used to get rid of ‘leaf mulch’ across Kent’s railway ·          Traction gel (Sandite) applied to rails - approximately 1,636 miles of Sandite laid every 24 hours around the Kent region.  Sandite is a solution of sand which is applied to the rail to help prevent train wheels from slipping.  We will be using 66 Sandite applicators, 22 of which are new this year ·          5 two-man ‘leaf busting’ crews will be using rail head scrubbers, sand sticks and Citris Rail, which dissolves the leaf mulch ·          The latest satellite navigation technology to reach hot-spots as soon as possible ·          Four leaf vacuum cleaners for use across the region Mr Munden added: “We’re working closely with Southeastern to mitigate Autumn’s effects as far as possible and keep passengers moving.”