A fleet of “leaf-busting” trains have begun working around the clock to keep train lines through Lichfield clear.
Seven special teams will wash leaf debris from tracks on Midlands routes, including the West Coast Main Line until mid-December in a bid to keep passenger and freight services moving.
After lines have been cleared with high pressure water jets the machines then apply rails with a glue-like coating to improve grip on the tracks.
Martin Colmey, operations director for Network Rail’s central route, said:
“Leaves on the line are a big problem for the railway – it disrupts services and inconveniences passengers.
“Every year, Network Rail and train operators work together to battle against the elements to get passengers and freight to their destinations.
“Even more work has gone into getting prepared for autumn this year because of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, including how we operate the trains themselves.
“We are ready to keep people and goods moving across the West Midlands and Chiltern Main line running a safe and reliable service for our customers.”
Martin Colmey, Network Rail
