Media centre

Wednesday 25 Oct 2006

BIGGEST EVER CAMPAIGN UNVEILED FOR AUTUMN LEAF-FALL BATTLE (North East)

Region & Route:

Please find below a press release relating to the work being carried out by Network Rail to mitigate the effects of Autumn upon the running of the railway. Joe McLaughlin, one of Network Rail’s most experienced ‘leaf-busters’, can be available for interview at 10am on Monday 30 October in Hexham. Please let me know if you would like me to arrange this facility. Rachel Lowe Media Relations Manager (North East) 01904 383180 or email rachel.lowe@networkrail.co.uk New techniques, new and better equipment and more people working round the clock than ever before will help keep rail passengers on the move across the North East 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. At the forefront of the battle in the North East are Joe McLoughlin and his apprentice Jimmy Taylor.  They are a two man ‘leaf–busting’ team who cover the line between Newcastle and Carlisle.  They are among the teams responsible for responding to reports of leaf fall and eliminating the problem, thus improving the reliability of trains. Joe has been dealing with the effects of Autumn on the railway for around ten years.  “We try to clear the leaves before they become a problem but we also speak to all the train drivers and if there’s an area where leaves are causing difficulties we’ll go out there and remove them,” he said. Dyan Crowther, Network Rail's Route Director, 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 dozens of ‘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.” In the North East the number of ‘leaf-busting’ teams has been increased from four to six allowing them to cover a wider area and to respond more quickly to problems reported by the train operating companies.   Also in the Network Rail arsenal for the annual battle with falling leaves in the North East are: ·        A 24-hour control centre manned by teams dedicated to tackling autumn ·        Two water-jetting trains based at York.  These trains 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) to get rid of ‘leaf mulch’.  Additional sites have been added to the schedule for these trains following feedback from last year. ·        The latest satellite navigation technology to reach hot-spots as soon as possible, the two-man ‘leaf-busting’ crews then use railhead scrubbers, sand sticks and Natrusolve, which dissolves the leaf mulch to tackle the dangerous substance.  Mrs Crowther concluded: “We’re working closely with the train operators to mitigate Autumn’s effects as far as possible and keep passengers moving.”