Customers can feel re-'leaf' as Northern demonstrates new 'supersonic cryogenic' autumn leaf busting technology

IT might be spring, but Northern are planning ahead. This Autumn disruption could be a thing of the past following the trial of new technology that has been made small enough to be fitted onto passenger trains to clear leaves from the line.

The train operator Northern and The University of Sheffield have recently demonstrated the innovation, at the Wensleydale Railway.

Fallen leaves can cause significant disruption to the network. Leaves stick to damp rails and passing trains compress them into a:- smooth, slippery layer, reducing a trains' grip. This can cause delays to services, which leads to disruption for passengers as well as affecting safety as braking is compromised.

At the moment, railway lines are cleaned using railhead treatment trains, also known as RHTTs, but there are only a limited number of these trains available, so they can't treat the whole of the network.

RHTTs are also expensive to run but this new process offers the potential to provide improved treatment at much lower cost.

Northern has partnered with top engineers and experts at:- The University of Sheffield to trial a new rail head treatment technology that is attached to passenger trains and could save the rail industry millions of pounds every year.

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 supersonic speed at the railhead; freezing any leaves on the line. The frozen leaves are then blasted away as the dry ice pellets turn back into a gas.

The dry ice pellets are made from waste carbon dioxide from other industries.

The trials with Northern are being run thanks to funding from:- Network Rail's Performance Innovation Fund.

The researchers have bought 2 retired Pacer trains, based at:- Wensleydale Railway, to test the new design and develop a plan for the system to be fitted throughout Northern's fleet next year.

Rob Cummings, seasonal improvement manager at Northern, said:- "This is a game changer for the industry; the next step in finding a solution to tricky autumn conditions. 1 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 developing the technology, said:- "This is a great example of a University testing and proving an idea in a lab based experiment and then scaling it up to be trialled and implemented in the field to make impact. This can only be done though good teamwork and having champions in the railway industry such as Rob and his team, at Northern."

Did you know? Northern is the 2nd largest train operator in the UK, with:- 2,500 services a day to more than:- 500 Stations across the North of England?

The BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K returns to its Spring date next weekend for the 2023 staging of the race
Photo and report by Erica Dillon.

THE 17th staging of the race will take place on:- Sunday, 16 April 2023, starting at:- 9.30am, in Liverpool City Centre. The route will then take runners through the Kingsway Tunnel, along the Wirral coastline before finishing in New Brighton.

More than 1,300 entries have already been taken. Places are limited at:- 1,500 places, so registration will close once numbers are at capacity.

The race is the only time throughout the year when people can make their way through the Kingsway Tunnel on foot and run under the River Mersey; making it 1 of the most unique running events in the country.

The BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K returns to its traditional April date this year. The race has been staged each year since 2006, with the exception of 2020 during the Pandemic when there was a break of almost 2 and a half years between races.

Post Pandemic, the race returned and was staged in September, both in:- 2021 and 2022. But this year, it's back to Spring and takes place 1 week before the London Marathon. The race was last staged in April in 2019.

The race proves popular with runners tapering for the marathon in the capital, those looking for a race with a difference, or others chasing a new 10K personal best.

The Mersey Tunnel 10K returned to the North West running calendar in 2006 at the request of Mersey Tunnels, with BTR Liverpool taking on the mantle to organise and deliver the event.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region.

The point to point race starts in Liverpool City Centre taking runners straight into the Kingsway Tunnel. The route also includes:- Seacombe Promenade, Fort Perch Rock and Marine Lake, before finishing on Ian Fraser Walk in New Brighton overlooking the River Mersey.

Finishers will be presented with a commemorative medal and bespoke technical running T-shirt.

The extensive BTR Liverpool race portfolio features various distances across different terrains, all with an ongoing commitment to sustainability. Events also include:- the Port Sunlight Road Race, Wirral 10K, Tour Of Merseyside, and Liverpool Santa Dash.

BTR Liverpool Race Director Alan Rothwell explained:- "The BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K always attracts new people coming to experience the race for the 1st time, alongside regulars who just relish the atmosphere and challenge. It's a unique race and the only time you can go through the Kingsway Tunnel on foot. It's great to be back at the traditional Spring date. It's always been regarded as an excellent event for local runners, heading to London the following week, to use the race as a steady taper distance. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the start line on:- 16 April 2023, for another exciting race. Don't forget to join in with the cheers of:- 'oggy oggy oggy' along the way; especially as you head through the Tunnel."

Last month's BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon and 10 Mile Road Race kick started a busy 2023 race calendar for BTR Liverpool, which will see three of its headline events reaching major milestones during the year.

The overall event campaign is dubbed as:- '30/20/10 - 30 Years, A Life On The Run,' and focuses on the hat trick of key events all spearheaded by Alan's passion for running from an early age.

Alongside the 30th staging of the BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon in March, the next 2 Anniversary events are the 20th BTR Liverpool Santa Dash and 10th BTR Tour Of Merseyside.

The race was last held in September 2022, the weekend after the passing of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II.

Fondly known locally as the:- 'New Tunnel' the Kingsway Tunnel was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on 24 June 1971. Runners observed two minutes silence before the race. The Beatles' song:- 'In My Life' played as a mark of respect and to reflect on The Queen's incredible duty of more than 70 years.

The race record currently stands at:- 30 minutes 52 seconds, set in 2016, by:- Dejene Gezimu, from Liverpool Harriers AC. He also took 1st place in 2018 and again in 2022.

The female record was set in 2019, by:- Kirsty Longley, from Liverpool Pembroke Sefton Harriers, in:- 36 minutes 19 seconds. Kirsty broke the record she had previously set in 2017 by knocking a further 30 seconds off her time.

Senior runners taking part are aged between:- 73 and 82 years old.

The largest number of local clubs taking part this year include:- Kirkby Milers AC, Liverpool Running Club, Mikkeller Running Club, Penny Lane Striders, Rimrose Runners, and Wallasey AC.

Full details and online entry can be found at:- BTRLiverpool.Com.