Northern’s Cryogrip Trial: Rail Innovation for Autumn Leaf Removal

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Introduction

Northern, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, will test a dry ice cleaning system, Cryogrip, on the railway line between Bishop Auckland and North Road in Darlington this autumn to mitigate seasonal disruption caused by leaves on the tracks.

Testing and Technology

A trial of the Cryogrip technology will be conducted on a live passenger route in the North East this autumn. The system, developed by engineers at the University of Sheffield, utilizes dry ice pellets blasted at supersonic speed to freeze fallen leaves. These leaves are then shattered and vaporized back into gas.

Trial Details

The train equipped with Cryogrip will operate between Bishop Auckland and North Road in Darlington. It will run between regular services within Northern’s timetable, but without passengers onboard. The innovation has previously undergone testing on the heritage Wensleydale Railway, and this marks Northern’s first deployment on a live service line.

Industry Impact

Rob Cummings, Northern’s seasonal performance improvement manager, highlighted the significant impact of leaves on the railway, emphasizing the reduction in traction and subsequent delays. The company currently employs forecasting, mapping, railhead treatment trains, and sanders to address this issue. Professor Roger Lewis, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, stated that the track cleaning system could help to cut delays for passengers and save the industry money.

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Future Prospects

If the Cryogrip trial is successful, operators may consider fitting the technology to passenger trains across the network. Each autumn, the UK’s railways contend with thousands of tonnes of fallen leaves, which, when compressed by train wheels and rain, create a slippery layer, reducing traction and causing delays.

Conclusion

The trial of the Cryogrip system by Northern and the University of Sheffield aims to assess its effectiveness in removing leaves from railway tracks, potentially reducing seasonal disruption and improving railway performance.

Company Summary

Northern is a train operating company.

University of Sheffield is an educational institution that developed the Cryogrip technology.

Technology

Cryogrip is a dry ice cleaning system that blasts dry ice pellets at supersonic speed to remove leaves from railway tracks.

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