Leaves on the line still causing problems
EAST Midlands trains are still being held up by leaves on the line - decades after the problem was first identified.
Exclusive analysis of almost 1.5m delays recorded by Network Rail last year show that leaves caused 657 instances of delays and cancellations on the East Midlands network last autumn.
These delays amounted to more than 54 hours of delays combined on Network Rail’s East Midlands route.
On top of this there was additional wasted time from 64 train cancellations. Many of these delays were ‘knock-on’ delays from earlier problems on the network.
At one time or other falling leaves affected trains at the likes of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Hinckley and Loughborough last autumn.
November 18, 2016 was the worst date for leaves interfering with the schedule last season, causing 140 delays and cancellations.
Leaves on the line can reduce the grip between the train and the track, which can lead to wheels slipping and means the drivers have to brake and accelerate more slowly.
It can also interrupt the signalling system.
Network Rail estimates that about 39 per cent of leaves on trees by rail lines have fallen so far this year.
A spokesman for the company said there were about 2.5m trees on its land.
It uses special ‘leaf-busting trains’ that blast water at the leaves to clear them and lays a sandy paste on the tracks to help the wheels grip it.
It also cuts back trees and bushes at places where leaves cause particular problems.
Overall there were more than 17,000 delays and cancellations due to leaves last autumn across the British rail network.
Ross Easton, a spokesperson for Network Rail, said: “When leaves fall onto steel track and are compressed by train wheels, the mulch forms a ‘non-stick’ layer and over time the track becomes slippery. It’s the railway equivalent of ‘black ice’ and results in increasing stopping distances.
“Our leaf-busting trains, which use high-pressure water jets and sand to create an adhesive paste, are just one of the ways we are tackling this problem.”