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Tuesday 17 Nov 2015

Network Rail keeps passengers moving as Storm Barney moves in

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National

With strong winds and heavy rain forecast across much of Britain over the coming days, Network Rail staff continue to work round the clock to keep Britain’s railway tracks clear and safe so passengers aren’t affected by unnecessary delays. 

Dozens of chainsaw gangs are on standby ready to deal with trees, branches or any other obstructions which are blown onto the railway and  train operators will be running special ‘route proving’ trains at slow speed before the start of service tomorrow morning to make sure the lines are clear and safe for passengers.

Known flood hotspots are also being kept under close inspection, with engineers on site to keep culverts and drainage channels clear.

And as they have done throughout the autumn so far, Network Rail’s fleet of more than 60 leaf-busting trains will run through the night tonight and every night over the coming weeks to keep the tracks clear of leaves which, when compressed by passing trains, form the railway’s equivalent of black ice on the tracks.

This Teflon-like leaf mulch makes it difficult for train wheels to grip on the track, so extra precautions have to be taken by drivers – such as lower speeds and longer stopping distances – to avoid wheel-slip or overshooting stations or signals.

Last year, Network Rail’s leaf-busting fleet covered more than 600,000 miles between October and December – the same as travelling round the world 24 times – and are on course to break that record this year.

Phil Hufton, managing director of network operations at Network Rail said: “Network Rail teams work round the clock throughout the autumn to deal with any weather-related issues and keep passengers moving.

“Our people do an excellent job, but the stormy weather forecast for the next few days will make conditions extremely challenging for Network Rail staff and the train companies. Just like we all do in our cars, train drivers rightly adapt their driving to the conditions and take extra care to keep passengers safe during severe weather.

“We’re working closely with train operators to get people safely where they’re going, but some journeys may take longer and passengers are advised to check before travelling to find out if their journey is affected.”

Detailed forecasts from weather experts MetDesk are used by Network Rail to formulate local action plans during severe weather in order to minimise any disruption to passengers. The forecasts cover not just the weather – wind speeds, rainfall, temperature – but how they will impact on specific railway infrastructure such as the rails and overhead power lines. A network of hundreds of monitoring stations also provides real-time weather data, enabling Network Rail to respond to conditions as they develop.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For more information about how Network Rail keeps the railway running during severe autumnal weather, click here.