Translink buys £4m train to clear leaves off the line

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Credit: Translink.
Credit: Translink.
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Translink NI Railways has invested £4 million in a bespoke multi-purpose engineering train to clear leaves off the line in Northern Ireland.

Manufactured by Windhoff, the specialist train uses high-powered water jets to clear the tracks before depositing a grit-like substance on the rails to prevent surface getting slippery.

NI Railways head of civil engineering Mark Atkinson said: “Leaf fall season leads to challenging conditions on the rails as fallen leaves get crushed between the rails and train wheels, making the rail head slippery.

“This in turn can make it difficult for trains to accelerate and brake. We have teams working hard to combat these conditions to keep our services running safely.

“We spend around £450,000 each year keeping the tracks as clear as possible during leaf fall season.”


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