After Storm Austen and Storm Boelo brought down trees across its network, South Western has outlined its seasonal measures, from rail adhesion treatment and a UK-first sanding retrofit to longer-term investment in drainage and landslip prevention.
South Western has outlined the measures it is using to keep services running through autumn and winter, after Storm Austen and Storm Boelo brought down trees across its network and caused disruption.
The operator said more storms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in the coming months, marking the start of one of the most challenging periods of the year for Britain’s railways. Its measures include a fleet of leaf-busting trains, a retrofitted sanding system on its diesel fleet and a programme of weather resilience work.
Storm damage in the Bournemouth area
Many trees fell on the South Western network between Friday 23 and Sunday 25 October. In the Bournemouth area, a large tree fell across both lines and became lodged below a passing train, damaging the train and the electric third rail.
Dedicated teams removed the tree and the affected train, repaired the damaged track and reopened the line, with services resuming hours later. Photographs supplied by the operator show a conductor rail knocked out of place after a train struck a tree.
South Western said Britain’s railway network is preparing for more incidents of this kind, as well as the risks of flooding, high winds and landslips, in addition to the challenges that autumn routinely brings.
Autumn brings some of the most challenging conditions for the railway, from slippery rails caused by falling leaves to trees brought down by strong winds, flooding and damage to railway infrastructure.”
Leaf-busting trains and autumn timetables
Preparations for autumn began in the spring, when seasonal delivery specialists based at South Western’s Rail Operating Centre in Basingstoke developed a plan to keep tracks open and trains moving.
Train operators across the industry have introduced autumn timetables, giving drivers more time to brake and accelerate during leaf fall. Wet weather and leaves falling onto the line reduce the grip between wheels and rails.
A fleet of leaf-busting trains, based at Totton in Hampshire and Effingham Junction in Surrey, is central to improving rail adhesion. The trains use high-powered water jets to remove the slippery layer left by leaves crushed by passing trains. South Western said this residue can significantly reduce grip, in a similar way to black ice on roads, making it harder for trains to brake and accelerate.
Last year, the leaf-busters treated nearly 140,000 miles of track on the South Western network, equivalent to more than five trips around the earth. Across Britain’s railway network, they will cover more than 1,000,000 miles this year.
Specialist cameras fitted to the leaf-busting trains assess rail conditions in real time, helping drivers to anticipate difficult conditions. Experienced driver managers will also join newly qualified drivers in the cab during their first autumn journeys.
Retrofitted sanding system for the diesel fleet
Drivers of South Western’s diesel fleet, which serves areas including Salisbury, Yeovil and Exeter, also benefit from an enhanced sanding system. The operator said it has improved braking efficiency in autumn conditions.
The Single Variable Rate Sanding (SVRS) system, developed by Siemens, has been retrofitted to South Western’s Class 158 and Class 159 trains in what the operator described as a UK first. It automatically assesses conditions and applies the amount of sand needed where it is required.
The system can distribute up to 5kg of sand per minute and is designed to improve wheel grip when braking and reduce the distance a train takes to stop.
Weather resilience projects
Alongside seasonal preparations, South Western said it is investing in measures to protect the railway from increasingly frequent extreme weather, which can raise the risk of damage to infrastructure such as tracks, embankments, bridges and tunnels.
Network Rail is spending £2.6 billion on weather resilience projects up until the end of 2029. These include South Western’s project to strengthen a cutting at Crewkerne in Somerset, where a landslip following torrential rain in 2023 closed the line between Yeovil and Exeter for a week. The six-month programme will improve the stability of the cutting, reduce the risk of soil movement and help prevent further landslips.
Last year, engineers also overhauled drainage in Ryde tunnel on the Isle of Wight, where winter flooding is common, to reduce the impact of flooding and keep the link to ferry services open.
As part of its Improving Your Railway plan, £15 million is also being invested in track and signalling improvements between London Waterloo and Woking, which the operator describes as the critical corridor for the wider network’s performance.
Tom Desmond, Operations Director at South Western, said: “Autumn brings some of the most challenging conditions for the railway, from slippery rails caused by falling leaves to trees brought down by strong winds, flooding and damage to railway infrastructure. These conditions can cause significant disruption, which is why our preparations begin months in advance.”
Desmond added that the storms showed how quickly conditions can change. “We’re keeping a close eye on conditions and will do everything we can to keep customers moving safely through the autumn, but we do advise customers to check the latest travel advice during the severest weather conditions.”
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