| Windscreen cleaning on high speed trains Posted by grahame at 04:26, 14th April 2026 |     |
Have you seen the buckets of water and brushes near the stop boards at stations like Westbury and Reading? Are they still there? A low-tech solution to what looks like an industry-wide issue.
From Rail Advent
Alstom, in conjunction with its cleaning contractor, OCS, has developed a solution to clean the windscreens of Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino fleet by hand at its Traincare Centre in Polmadie, Glasgow.
Previously, because of overhead live wires in the depot, windscreen cleaning had to be carried out at track level. However, a spotless clean could not be achieved due to insufficient water pressure reaching the brush at that distance.
The solution makes use of mobile staging, which, by isolating the overhead electricity supply, allows cleaners to get closer access to the Pendolino windscreens, especially the edges of windscreens that automated train washes cannot completely clean.
Previously, because of overhead live wires in the depot, windscreen cleaning had to be carried out at track level. However, a spotless clean could not be achieved due to insufficient water pressure reaching the brush at that distance.
The solution makes use of mobile staging, which, by isolating the overhead electricity supply, allows cleaners to get closer access to the Pendolino windscreens, especially the edges of windscreens that automated train washes cannot completely clean.
| Re: Windscreen cleaning on high speed trains Posted by IndustryInsider at 10:36, 14th April 2026 | |
Have you seen the buckets of water and brushes near the stop boards at stations like Westbury and Reading? Are they still there? A low-tech solution to what looks like an industry-wide issue.
They are at many stations as a back up to the train's own screenwash and wipers and overnight cleaning on the depot. Useful for when a large number of insects are around - for example Mayfly nights where I have seen trains with insects coating the front of the train several centimetres thick - a test for any wiper system!
Complications with electrification mean the long wooden brushes can't be used at places like Reading, but shorter alternatives (and a multi-page instruction on how to use them safely!) are in place at places with OHLE.
Also the open containers with screenwash in were getting bad press as a health hazard (no, it's not drinking water Mr. Dog!) so they tend to be in more secure containers these days.
Both of those things mean that they aren't used anywhere near as much as they used to be.
