Weather: 'Condoms' fitted to trains

Published on 19/12/2010 18:53

THE latest weapons in the battle to keep Britain moving are giant heated "condoms" that are stretched over trains.

Train operator ScotRail has been experimenting with the giant plastic coverings at a secret location near Perth in an attempt to keep its stock rolling.

After several problems caused by snow and ice, it has also tried fitting its trains with plastic skirts and then blasting them with hot air from gas heaters placed along the tracks in order to thaw them out.

Normally, frozen trains are de-iced using high pressure water lances in covered sheds, but the severe weather has led to a backlog of trains needing to be thawed out.