CONTINGENCY measures have been introduced to avoid a repeat of last winter’s train chaos during the big freeze.

Trains operated by Southeastern suffered in the severe weather due to a third rail which supplies electricity becoming frozen.

Both the company and Network Rail say they have taken steps to address any problems this year by fitting 20 trains with 450 litre anti-icing tanks.

There will be eight treatment trains delivering anti-icing fluid as well as two snow and ice treatment trains.

This Is Local London: Orpington station last December (Picture courtesy of Tariq Sheikh photosheikh.com)

A two year conductor rail heating programme is also expected to be completed by December.

In a letter to Beckenham MP Colonel Bob Stewart, Southeastern boss Charles Horton and Network Rail’s route manager for Kent Dave Ward, promised “a more robust” system for keeping passengers updated with information.

They said: “After last year's difficulties much work has been done by industry partners to make information systems more reliable.

“Both Network Rail and Southeastern have reviewed and amended processes to ensure a more robust system is in place to upload electronic timetable information to online journey planners, screens at stations, etc.

“More use of social networking media is being deployed. Customer facing staff this year will have more tools and training to help provide passengers with better information.”

As part of the plans to cope with another harsh winter, three 4x4 vehicles have been bought to enable engineers to reach trains if they break down in remote areas.

There are also 100 extra grit salt bins across the network and 16 motorised and 220 hand-pushed snow clearing vehicles for stations and depots.

A total of 4,000 foil blankets and glow sticks will be stored on trains for vulnerable people in event of long delays.

This Is Local London: Beckenham MP Colonel Bob Stewart

Welcoming the plans, Col Stewart said: “Last winter saw heavy disruption to the rail network in Bromley due to the heavy snowfall and icy conditions.

“The severe delays caused a lot of unnecessary frustration to my constituents which was completely unacceptable.

“I welcome the fact that Network Rail and Southeastern have looked at these problems and have come up with practical solutions to stop this travel chaos from happening again.”