Media centre

Thursday 31 Jan 2019

South Western Railway passengers advised to check before they travel tomorrow morning, due to snow and freezing conditions

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Rail passengers on the South Western Railway network are being advised to check before they travel tomorrow morning, with overnight snow and freezing conditions forecast across the route.

Some first train services tomorrow morning may also be cancelled while work to check and clear the tracks is completed to ensure safe travel for passengers.

David Dickson, chief operating officer for Network Rail’s Wessex route, said:

“We have been working hard with South Western Railway, and our other train operators, to prepare for cold weather on this route so we can keep our passengers moving through winter.

“With snow and freezing conditions expected, we are asking passenger to please check before they travel tomorrow morning.”

Network Rail’s seasonal fleet of ice-busting trains have been traveling across the route this week, spraying anti-icing fluid to stop ice building up on the electrical conductor rails which power trains. Special heating strips have also been installed on the conductor rail in high-risk areas. South Western Railway are alsospraying external passenger doors with de-icer to stop them jamming, and running ghost trains to keep the tracks clear.

Low temperatures can cause points, the movable sections of track trains use to move from one line to another, to freeze up, preventing trains from accessing certain routes or platforms. Network Rail is using heaters on high-risk points and have installed NASA-grade insulation to keep them in working order.

A network of monitoring stations, and detailed forecasts, provide real-time weather data to inform local action plans during adverse weather. The forecasts cover not just the weather but how the conditions will impact on specific railway infrastructure such as the tracks and conductor rails.

ENDS

 

NOTES:

• For more information on how we keep trains moving in snow and ice visit - https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/keeping-trains-moving-snow-ice/
• Delays explained – snow and ice: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/snow-and-ice/
• For pictures of our cold weather vehicles and frontline workforce in action visit - https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/resources?SearchString=snow