Train operator unveils plan to deal with 'leaf blackposts'

A rail company has prepared a contingency plan for the autumn to deal with that hoary chestnut of transport complaints – leaves on the line.

Central Trains, which operates in the Midlands, announced an updated timetable for today which will run for about five weeks. The new timetable is designed to allow trains recover from delays where rails have become contaminated or slippery.

The rail company said that each autumn thousands of tons of leaves fall on the track which become squashed by passing trains into an "organic oily residue that can spread for miles along the tracks causing rails to become slippery".

This residue is like black ice on the roads with the same potential for wheel slip. Wheel slip can cause serious damage to the railway line and to train wheels causing delay and disruption to train services, Central Trains said. Trains have to slow considerably for stations and signals in "leaf fall blackspots”.

Tony Brown, Director of Network Services for Central Trains, said: “This temporary timetable enables us to maintain train reliability on services in the East Midlands without reducing the number of seats provided throughout what is traditionally a difficult time of year for railway operations.

“This issue of leaves on the line is very serious. Every year, Network Rail spend a considerable amount of money to cut back vegetation, to clear leaves from the line, to erect leaf catching fences and to lay gritting paste on lines in problem areas."

Timetable posters will go up at stations and the information will be posted on the website www.centraltrains.co.uk this week.

(gmcg)