Abstract: A method of cleaning a rail by removing contaminants from the surface of the rail comprises generating a high intensity pulsed laser beam and directing the laser beam onto the surface of the rail so as to destroy at least part of the contaminants. Preferably the parameters of the laser beam are selected so that the contaminants are destroyed by being converted directly into gases. The temperature of the contaminants may be raised to at least 6000 degrees Celsius. Apparatus cleaning a rail by removing contaminants from the surface of the rail comprises means for generating a high intensity pulsed laser beam and means for directing the laser beam onto the surface of the rail so as to destroy at least part of the contaminants. Preferably the apparatus comprises means for selecting the parameters of the laser beam so that the contaminants are destroyed by being converted directly into gases. The temperature of the contaminants may be raised to at least 6000 degrees Celsius.