Northern says new tech could reduce train delays caused by fallen leaves

The operator said the GPS tracking system will be used to warn train drivers about “hotspots” where wet leaves have stuck to the track and caused wheel slides.

The system, installed on the Northern fleet built by Spanish manufacturer CAF, also alerts Network Rail so the tracks can be cleaned.

Fallen leaves are one of the most common causes of delays, as drivers need to travel at slower speed to prevent the wheels from sliding.

Northern said they frequently cause disruption between Horsforth and Harrogate as well as Guiseley and Ilkley.

The operator is also trialling a technology called Water-Trak, which cleans leaf-coated railway lines by spraying water from the undercarriage of passenger trains.

Rob Cummings, seasonal performance manager at Northern said: "Slippery rails are a massive problem for the rail industry, and we are playing a big part in resolving this issue.

“This is just one of the many cutting-edge ways Northern is battling autumn conditions to make sure our customers can get to their destinations on time, even when the weather is against us.”

It comes as Northern is planning to introduce a new timetable on Sunday, with several alterations which “reflect the lower demand during the winter months”.

As part of the changes, the 5.51pm service between Huddersfield and Sheffield will be axed.

Additional carriages will be added to services between Knottingley to Leeds, which will also call at Outwood.

But the number of carriages on some off-peak trains running between Doncaster and Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley, and Skipton and Leeds will be cut from four to three. There will also be fewer carriages between Leeds and Carlisle.