THE battle to keep trains running has taken to the air.

York-based rail maintenance firm Jarvis is using £1 million worth of the latest airborne technology to keep Britain's railways going.

A state-of-the-art thermal imaging camera, mounted on a helicopter, gives maintenance workers a bird's eye view of the rails, and allows them to spot any potential problems early.

This can be anything from vandals playing on the line to potential problems with the overhead lines or with the heaters on sets of points.

"By identifying problems early we can correct faults at times when no trains are running," said operations development director David Clarke.

"Once a problem occurs it can cause a lot of disruption, and therefore a lot of expense. But by spotting these problems before they happen, we can avoid reaching the stage where we need to undertake emergency repairs, with the delays and the cancellations that they may cause to the line."

As well as identifying problems with the track, it can also be used to deal with the huge railway problem of trespass and vandalism.

In joint operations mounted with Railtrack and the British Transport Police, cameras mounted on the helicopter can spot potential troublemakers on the lines, and evidence gathered by the subsequent recordings has led to convictions.

The company, which employs more than 400 staff in the city, wants to ensure the flagship East Coast Main Line operates smoothly.

The system was explained yesterday to York MP Hugh Bayley, who took a ride in the Jarvis helicopter.

"Jarvis has invested in York and that means York is playing a crucial part in current and future developments in the UK rail industry," he said. He was pleased a York company was playing such a vital role in improving standards on British railways.

Updated: 11:18 Saturday, December 08, 2001