Gatwick Express trains cancelled to due to falling leaves

Friday, October 13, 2017, 5:09 PM - Gatwick Express in the UK has cancelled 33 daily train services between London and Gatwick Airport because of the possibility of leaves falling on the tracks.

The revised schedule is expected to remain in place until early December and effects trains running between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

"In line with the rest of the industry, Gatwick Express is taking steps to manage the effect of the leaf fall season rail conditions on passenger services," reads a statement on the Gatwick Express website. " The changes ... will help to reduce congestion and reactionary delays."

Different procedures in Canada

Anne Marie Aikins, a spokesperson for Metrolinx, the company responsible for southern Ontario's Go Transit and UpExpress heavy-rail lines, tells The Weather Network that leaves are an issue on Canadian railroads as well.

"The biggest issue with fall leaves is the timing. Often, you`ll see lots of foliage turning on the trees, and then a big storm comes and blows them onto the tracks."

Wet leaves on the tracks can create the potential for wheel slippage, but that can be mitigated.

"In my five years with Metrolinx, we've never cancelled a train due to leaves," Aikins says. "We continually monitor the forecast and when we identify a potential issue with leaves, we'll send a [clean-up] crew to remove leaves from vulnerable areas."

Sources: Gatwick Express | Metrolinx