Low adhesion is caused by the contamination of railways lines by biological, chemical and physical factors, some of which cannot be easily monitored or controlled.

The estimated overall cost of low adhesion to the UK railway industry is estimated at £350m each year, according to the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

A minimum level of adhesion is essential for reliable braking and traction performance, especially for maintaining safety and limiting delays. Changes in adhesion can be very localised, unpredictable and transient. Poor adhesion experienced by one train may not affect following trains at the same location.

The newly developed system will detect low adhesion hot spots in real-time and create an up-to-date map of the UK’s network which shows where any hazards might be. The hope is that the information will allow network operators to react quickly to potential risks, allowing services to run more safely and smoothly.

Lead researcher Dr Chris Ward...