It’s been a blast! Autumn RHTT season ends for another year

THE INTENSIVE autumn 2022 programme of Railhead Treatment Trains came to an end in December, with the leaf-busting trains now returning to their base at Network Rail’s Rail Fleet Engineering Centre, at the former Holgate Road carriage works in York.

The annual Network Rail-managed project has seen the rail network extensively treated mainly by its fleet of Railhead Treatment Trains and Multi-purpose Vehicles, which are used to apply high-pressure water jets onto railheads that have been contaminated by accumulated leafmulch. This creates similar conditions for trains that black ice can do on roads, creating poor rail adhesion for braking and accelerating. Network Rail said the treatment circuits cover over a million miles between October and December each year, with the entire network treated more than 50 times.

The trains are worked by a number of freight operators, with Colas, DB Cargo, Direct Rail Services, Freightliner and GB Railfreight all being employed to work the trains around the country. A wide variety of traction is also used for the trains, which are operated in top-and-tail formation. During the 2022 season, Class 37, 56, 57, 66, 68, 69, 73, 88 and 97/3 locomotives have all seen use on the workings.

The RHTT programme uses around 200 million litres of water each year, but Network Rail is now looking at alternative ways of dealing with leaf fall to reduce the need for such a large amount of water, as well as the cost of fuel for transporting it around the country.

As reported, the infrastructure company has recently carried out trials of lasers and plasma jet technology to see if these methods of treatment are as effective as the current method. The trials were carried out on the East Lancashire Railway heritage line (see Railways Illustrated issue 238). The results are to be analysed.

Following the end of the RHTT season, all trains are returned to York, where they are cleaned, serviced, overhauled, and prepared for the next season of workings, which usually begin with shakedown and positioning moves in late September, ready for the RHTT season to start at the beginning of October.

On pages 48-52, Network Rail operations director Chris Gee explains more about the organisation and the operation of the RHTT circuits from York.

Phil Chilton ABOVE: Colas Rail’s 56094 works an RHTT train with 56049 Robin of Templecombe on the rear, crossing the Afon Cefni on Malltraeth Viaduct, Anglesey, while working 3S71, the 10.59 Holyhead to Coleham leg of the North Wales RHTT circuit on November 19, 2022.

Gordon Edgar RIGHT: GB Railfreight’s 73116 Selhurst and 73119 Borough of Eastleigh work 3W90, the 04.35 Tonbridge West Yard to Tonbridge West Yard RHTT diagram, passing through Platform 17 at Clapham Junction on November 24, 2022.