Northern Trains has revealed that some minor changes will be made to timetables as leaves are cleaned off the railway lines this autumn.

Every autumn, leaves fall onto the tracks and can make it harder for trains to grip them and brake, essentially creating black ice.

The leaves can also affect some of the equipment which controls the signals.

A spokesman for Northern said on Twitter: “It’s that time of year again, leaves on the line! @networkrail.

“Leaf-busting trains are out on the network, so we’ve made some minor changes to a few timetables to ensure they cover routes needed. Find out more about how we’re tackling those pesky leaves here.”

Affected lines include Manchester to Blackburn and Clitheroe, Manchester to Southport and Headbolt Lane, Manchester to Hazel Grove and Buxton, and Leeds to Manchester Victoria.

The Bolton News:

This means from October 2, the Manchester Victoria to Blackburn and Clitheroe train won't stop at Manchester Piccadilly, Deansgate and Manchester Oxford Road.

Network Rail’s 25 leaf-busting trains will also be working round-the-clock to jet wash the rails and clear leaves from the line to keep passengers moving.

Network Rail said: “There are millions of trees on or next to the railway and every autumn thousands of tonnes of leaves fall onto the tracks.

The combination of wet weather and passing trains compresses the leaves into a hard slippery layer on the rails. This is the railway’s equivalent of black ice on the roads.”