The picture above was taken by bathnewseum blog follower Ann Cullis, who tells me:
‘Hi Richard
Not seen this type of sign before (at Bath Spa station), placed by the rail to alert the train driver to the possibility of ‘Leaves On The Line ‘. Just the one leaf …. 😀 ‘
Hi Ann. I think it could be more the case that this is an advance warning. Though, it seems they weren’t exactly where they should have been.
A spokesperson for Network Rail told me:
“Signs like those in the photo are installed at locations we’ve identified as being at higher risk for leaf fall during autumn (which can affect the adhesion between train wheels and the track).
The leaf sign marks the start of the location, and another sign, with a line through the leaf, marks the end. They let train drivers know they’re passing through a higher-risk area so they can adjust their driving accordingly.
We’re arranging for the signs at Bath Spa to be repositioned as their location needs adjusting (this may have been done already!)
Higher-risk locations are identified using a number of factors, including vegetation, the signalling in the area, and any previous reports of low adhesion.”
