Network Rail has installed 60 new sustainably powered weather stations to monitor the country's railways from London Euston to Carlisle.
Weather watchers have been installed along the West Coast main line and across parts of the North West.
Network Rail has installed the weather watchers to ensure engineers can act swiftly before extreme weather events ensuring passengers and freight continue to move rapidly.
The £1.3m investment gives staff and response teams access to real-time data allowing any issues to be fixed quickly.
The scientific surveillance stations measure:
- Wind gust & direction
- Air temperature
- Dew point
- Relative humidity
- Wind speed & direction
- Rain fall totals (precipitation rate & accumulation)
In future the data gathered will allow Network Rail to identify which parts of the rail network are most susceptible to inclement weather.
Network Rail emphasised how the new technology will help Network Rail reduce disturbance from extreme weather events.
Talisa Fletcher, Network Rail Service Delivery Manager said: “Our solar powered weather stations will help us to better understand weather patterns.
“During stormy weather we can send our response teams to where they’re most needed which will help us to reduce disruption and keep passengers safe.”
Extreme weather has caused more than 400 days worth of delays in Network Rail’s North West and Central Region since 2015.
