RAIL authorities have spent more than £500,000 on specialist equipment to combat leaves this Autumn.

Network Rail annually run 'leaf-buster' trains which spray the track with high-pressure blasts to stop foliage from accumulating.

When leaves fall, they stick to damp rails, and passing trains compress them into a smooth, slippery, layer that reduces the trains’ grip, similar to black ice on roads.

Drivers then have to brake earlier to avoid overshooting and accelerate gently to avoid wheel spin. The four specialist trains will run across the country until December 12 and in total will treat 121,884 track miles this year – the equivalent of 4.89 times around the equator.

Phil James, regional director for Network Rail’s North West route, said: “Leaves on the line are a big problem for the railway and this autumn we’re committed to improving the performance and reliability of the railway across the North West. As part of the Great North Rail Project, we have invested £540,000 on 43 extra track adhesion machines which will support our fleet of leaf-busting trains so we can keep passenger and freight services on the move.”

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Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, added: “Leaves on the line, often used to poke fun at the railway, are no laughing matter. The leaves can cause damage to train wheels (wheel flats) which mean the carriage has to be taken out of service and the wheel repaired before the problem becomes more serious. The rail industry is working together to reduce the impact of leaves on the line and the subsequent impact on customers’ journeys.”