It’s not just a leaf: Meet the railway team tackling autumn across the North

Teams from TransPennine Express (TPE), Northern and Network Rail work together throughout the season to manage slippery rails, with specialist trains treating the tracks, drivers adapting to autumn conditions and controllers helping manage the impact on services.

When wet leaves are crushed under train wheels, they form a thin, slippery layer on the rail which reduces the grip between the wheel and track.

Often described as the railway’s equivalent of black ice, it can mean drivers need to accelerate more carefully and brake earlier, potentially adding time to journeys.

The scale of the challenge is significant. In 2025, Northern and TPE recorded a combined 6,405 incidents and more than 101,000 minutes of delays linked to autumn conditions – so tackling the problem takes a sizeable operation.

In the north west of England, Network Rail has six Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) and one Rail Head Treatment Train (RHTT), which collectively cover more than 100,000 miles of treatment each year.

In the north east four RHTTs are set cover 95,000 miles between October and December this year.

One of the people involved is Louise Tilly, Network Rail’s Seasons Delivery Manager, who helps oversee the work to prepare the railway for challenging autumn conditions.

Louise said: “Leaves might not sound like much of a problem, but once they’re crushed onto the rail they can create very slippery conditions, so a huge amount of work goes into keeping the railway moving during autumn.

“Our specialist leaf-busting trains travel across the network using powerful jets of water to wash leaf matter from the rails. We can then apply adhesion modifier to help improve grip for trains. It’s all about staying ahead of the conditions and making sure we’re treating the railway where it’s needed most.”

Network Rail also uses around 20,000 litres of Alleviate, a sand and glue mixture used in lineside machines to improve adhesion, every year, as well as around 250 ‘sand bombs’, containing dry sand which can be used reactively when a train is struggling to accelerate.

More than 5,000 inspections are also undertaken by Network Rail in the North West each year to check for wet leaves on the line.

But treating the tracks is only part of the response.

For Mark Jones, a Driver Team Leader at Northern, preparation means making sure drivers know where they are most likely to encounter slippery conditions.

Mark said: “In the lead-up to autumn, we brief all our drivers on the routes they drive to make sure they’re aware of the low-adhesion areas.

“The trains are built to operate in these conditions, but when it’s a particularly bad day, drivers will drive a little slower and brake a little earlier.”

Trains are also equipped with sanders which can release a short blast of sand between the wheel and rail, helping improve traction when conditions are slippery.

Autumn can take its toll on the trains themselves too, making the work of engineering teams particularly important.

Obi Ibitoye, an engineer at Northern’s traincare centre, explained that harsher autumn conditions can cause wheels to slide on the rails and develop flat spots.

He said: “During autumn, the conditions are harsher and there can be more wear on the wheels. Leaves accumulating on the tracks can cause the wheels to slide, which can lead to flat spots.

“We send the affected trains to the wheel pit, which gets rid of the flats. All this helps keep our customers moving during the autumn season.”

Behind the scenes, Kieron Riley, a controller at TransPennine Express, is among those responsible for managing the impact when autumn conditions affect services.

Kieron said: “There may be times where, because of the impact of leaves on the line, we may have delays on the network.

“So it is our job to manage those delays, make sure customers are aware and get them from A to B as quickly as possible.

“They may see slippery rails as a reason for a delay on a service, but our teams, from control to frontline, are all working together to get trains running as smoothly as possible.”

It is an operation involving colleagues right across the railway, from those treating the tracks to drivers in the cab, engineers maintaining trains and controllers managing services.

To help show that ‘It’s not just a leaf’, Northern, TransPennine Express and Network Rail have come together to deliver a joint campaign across the North, highlighting how colleagues from right across the railway work together during leaf fall season.

From drivers and engineers to controllers and track teams, the campaign aims to help customers better understand the challenges autumn brings and the work being done every day to keep passengers moving safely.

Bradley Hayes, Northern’s Campaigns Manager, said: “Leaves on the line has become a bit of a joke in recent years, but it’s an issue we take very seriously.

“Wet leaves are known as the black ice of the railways because they are compressed into a thin, slippery layer on the rail which can cause trains to slide.  

“Drivers need to pull away more slowly and brake earlier for stations so they can stop in time. This can lead to longer journey times and delays.

“We’ve launched this new campaign to educate people about the impact autumn has on the railway and show them how hard we work to keep trains running in difficult conditions.”