Preparing for winter: How Network Rail tackles seasonal weather challenges

Credit: Network Rail

What initially drew you to the field of seasonal weather and resilience, and how has your journey led you to this role at Network Rail?

So, the first job I had on the railway was within the National Weather Team headquarters, and that was back in 2008 when we were at Melton Street in London. The National Weather team at that time only comprised of three people.

The reason I got into it was that I had been studying at Reading University, where I completed a PhD. Strangely enough, it was in fine art, but the meteorology department was next door, with the physics department next to that. All my artwork was based around physics, which gradually led me into meteorology, climate science and fractals, among other areas.

I grew up in a railway family – my dad was a rail engineer for 44 years – so I think that’s where my interest in physics comes from. My dad did a lot of detailed technical drawing and taught me how to see. I knew a lot of people in the railway, and I was doing a lot of teaching when I ended up in a conversation with a friend who ran the National Weather Team. He said, “Oh my God, you like trains, and we’ve got a weather department!” I went for an interview, got the job, and that’s essentially how I got into the field.

Since then, I’ve done all sorts of other things within the railway. I’ve been head of train performance for the train operator Great Anglia, and I’ve worked with a number of train operators. I’ve worked both in the route with Network Rail and at HQ. Now, I find myself back in a national role for Network rail in System Operator.

With winter approaching, what are the main challenges Network Rail anticipates and how are you preparing to address them?

That’s a good question. Cold weather affects the railway in many ways, and it’s not just about ice and snow. There are also issues with the interface between fixed infrastructure and train.

Most of these issues are compounded by overhead line equipment or conductor rails providing traction current for electric trains. When even a small amount of ice builds up on the conductor rail, it can compromise the drawing of traction current from the shoe gear from the third rail to the train. These are real problems that can affect services, especially in the southeast, where we have conductor rail and Merseyrail. Network rail can also suffer from ice build-up on the overhead line equipment (OLE). In summer, the OLE  expands, and in winter, it contracts, so ensuring the balance weights are prepared is crucial.

Beyond that, there are wider, non-linear impacts to consider, such as coupling gear, trace heating, anti-icing and de-icing procedures which all aggregate into a wider systems issue and can affect the working timetable (WTT). Trains failing to couple up can be an issue, door freezing and frozen horns are just a few issues that can be experienced at very low temperatures. Frozen ballast can be a real issue in winter especially in wagons where it can turn into a solid mass which prevents it from being released or used. There have been incidents when wagons have clogged up much needed space in sidings because of this.

Slipping and tripping hazards on walkways are also a concern, especially when even a thin layer of ice or snow makes walking routes hazardous. In Scotland, frost heave has also been an issue, where thawing has led to the movement of embankments and occasional rockfalls. So, there’s a whole range of things we monitor and prepare for to keep the railway safe and operational.

Credit: Network Rail

And preparation usually starts quite early on, doesn’t it?

Following every season, there’s a review at both route level and national level. Lessons are taken from whatever incidents we’ve had and are built into the processes for the following season. These are worked out through all the standards, national operational procedures, regulations and controls. Many of these are mandatory, while others evolve based on new research and technologies, as well as the deployment of things we already know we should be doing.

How is technology being used to predict and mitigate the effects of extreme winter weather on the rail network?

One of the biggest innovations is our weather forecasting system, provided by Met Desk, our contracted forecast provider, which is integrated into the Network Rail Weather Services (NRWS) site. It’s available for anyone in the rail industry with a rail industry email.

The thresholds and forecasts are set out on this site, and we have a weather academy under the National Weather team, which helps controllers understand what tools are available.

For winter, there’s not as much technology in use compared to technologies available in autumn to manage low adhesion. However, research on anti-icing, how to deploy it from multipurpose vehicles and how to get it onto the conductor rail has been ongoing, along with studies on anti-icing for overhead line equipment.

Overall, the focus is on proactive preparation, forecasting and planning. The emergency weather action teleconference (EWAT) process is also crucial, where routes and operators plan for weather impact in advance. So, technology is more about forecasting and proactive measures rather than direct mitigation.

How has climate change influenced Network Rail’s approach to winter resilience and long-term planning?

With climate change, we’re seeing a blending of seasons, which historically have been approached individually. For example, our standards recognise that autumn and winter overlap, both beginning on 1^st of October. However, in operations, we tend to focus on leaf fall because snow and ice haven’t been as prevalent recently, especially in the South.

Each route has a weather resilience and climate change adaptation (WRCCA) plan,  adaptation pathways, and targets to complete by the end of control period 7. Plans are in place to ensure assets meet higher standards set by asset thresholds and tolerances for extreme weather.

The adaptation pathways are central to making sure that routes are ready for climate changes, and we’re updating language in our national operational procedures to reflect this more blended, holistic approach.

Credit: Network Rail

How does Network Rail work with meteorological agencies and other partners to ensure effective preparation and response?

Met Desk, our forecast provider, has been working closely with us for years since 2015 in building the Network Rail weather services website, which includes all thresholds and standards.

The EWAT process kicks in at a five-day warning (t -5) for a potential extreme event. If confidence in the forecasted event remains high at t -3 or t -4, a teleconference is held with train operators and asset managers to discuss any necessary preparations, such as amended services, diversionary routes, or cancellations.

All the weather forecasters at Met Desk are trained on Network Rail thresholds and standards and use a red, amber, green system aligned to our standards to aid decision-making. Although the forecast provides guidance, each route makes its own decisions based on their assets and service needs which are detailed in their Integrated Weather Management Plans (IWMPs).

What lessons have been learned from past winters, and how have these shaped your current strategies for managing seasonal disruptions?

A significant period for cold weather that sticks out is December 2010, when the network was heavily impacted, especially in the Southeast and the Eurostar came to a halt. Lessons from that time included reviewing the vulnerabilities of fleet to snow. Key learning included protecting traction motors from snow ingress, which had previously caused issues with electrical equipment on trains.

Another more recent event was Lewisham in March 2018 when multiple trains were stranded due to the conductor rail freezing. The main takeaways were around better communication and how to use the EWAT process to align operator plans and communication with passengers during disruptions. This led to the development of pre-EWAT processes and specific EWATs for weather parameters like snow and ice.