It involves dry ice blasted out of a nozzle at 'supersonic speed'
Rail bosses have revealed a 'gamechanger' solution to the age-old frustration of leaves on the line stopping passenger trains.
Leaves stick to damp rails and passing trains compress them into a smooth, slippery layer, reducing grip. It can cause delays to services and disruption for passengers as braking is compromised. The cleaning system, developed by researchers from the university's Department of Mechanical Engineering, works by firing dry ice pellets in a stream of air at high speed onto the tracks - freezing any leaves on the line. Frozen leaves are then blasted away as the dry ice pellets turn back into a gas.Trials on the Northern network are now being run thanks to funding from Network Rail's Performance Innovation Fund.
"One of the biggest risks to our performance during October and November is leaves on the line, but by helping to develop new innovative technology we aim to deliver the very best service for our passengers. Professor Roger Lewis, who has led the team at the university in developing the technology, said: "The nozzle is designed as such that the dry ice pellets come out in a stream of air going at supersonic speed.