Through the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) has treated weeds on the Swanage Railway in Dorset to help keep its lines weed-free.

Multi-Purpose Vehicles are used throughout the country, including in Scotland. North-West England, and the West Midlands.

They can be adapted to meet specific requirements, and are often fitted with high-pressure water jets in the autumn to blast leaves off the lines and, where appropriate, apply a sand-like gel to the track that helps trains grip the rail better.

In winter, the trains are used at night to de-ice conductor rails when the temperature falls below five degrees.

The Multi-Purpose Vehicle used on the Swanage Railway is based at Totton and travelled via Wareham to the railway where it treated weeds around its lines.

During its visit, five and a half miles of line were treated efficiently to kill weeds to help keep the line free from weeds and running reliably for the thousands of visitors it welcomes every year.

Network Rail works closely with heritage railways across the country by providing support in many ways, including donating sleepers and other pieces of railway infrastructure and assisting with maintenance.

Many Network Rail staff also volunteer their time to help with the running and operation of these lines.

“We were delighted to support the Swanage Railway by providing a weed killing train to treat the surface around the railway. This success shows the strength of partnership working with both Balfour Beatty and the Swanage Railway and it is a relationship we intend to continue for a long time to come.
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Mark Goodall, Network Rail Wessex route director

“Maintaining our track in a safe and useable condition is essential for our nine-mile heritage line and managing weeds that grow along the track is a key part of that activity as stone track ballast free of weeds enables water to quickly drain away.

“The MPV enabled the whole of the Swanage Railway to be treated in a few hours in a very effective and efficient way.”

Gavin Johns, volunteer signalman, Swanage Railway Company chairman, and Swanage Railway Trust director