After Boaty McBoatface comes leaf-removal train Ctrl Alt Deleaf

If Boaty McBoatface taught us one thing, it’s that the public do not take a naming ceremony very seriously.

- Jamie Grierson

Cue the newly named leaf-removal train: Ctrl Alt Deleaf.

Network Rail said the train, named after a public vote, was part of its fleet of “leaf-busters”, which blast mulch off the rails.

Britain’s 20,000 miles of rails have to cope with about 500bn leaves each year.

Ctrl Alt Deleaf - a pun on the keyboard command control-alt-delete - will be deployed next week from a depot at Effingham Junction, Surrey.

Other shortlisted entries were Leaf-Fall Weapon, Pulp Friction and The Autumn Avenger.

Leaves cause significant disruption every autumn when they stick to damp rails and become compressed by train wheels, Network Rail said.