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03
Oct 2023
Last Updated: 03/10/2023
Harrogate and Knaresborough trains to trial leaf-busting jets
Trains passing through Harrogate and Knaresborough will be fitted with water jets this autumn to blast leaves off the line.
Fallen leaves frequently cause delays this time of year by sticking to rails and reducing trains’ grip.
Rail operator Northern said the trials on five trains operating on the line between Leeds and York, which runs through Harrogate and Knaresborough, could prevent this.
The trial, which will also take place on routes between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, is being funding by Network Rail’s performance innovation fund.
The technology, called Water-Trak, is based on the discovery that leaf-coated rails only become slippery if damp, noting that trains still stop safely in heavy rain.
Water-Trak creates rainy-day conditions on the rail surface by spraying a small amount of water from the train onto the track when a slippery rail is detected. This cleans the rail and makes the conditions better for braking.
Rob Cummings, seasonal performance improvement manager at Northern, said he hoped it would lead to a more reliable service.
By next autumn, a further 11 trains will have the Water-Trak system fitted.
John Cooke, co-founder at Water-Trak, said:
“Slippery rails are a massive problem for the rail industry, and we hope to play a big part in resolving this issue.
“We’re hoping that by working with Northern we can make autumn disruption a thing of the past.”
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