The railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath will remain closed for “at least another ten days” after a train derailment that seriously injured two passengers on Thursday.
The Southern Rail train, which had around 150 people on board, derailed near Lewes in East Sussex.
British Transport Police (BTP) said on Friday that two people who sustained serious injuries were not deemed to be in a life-threatening condition and 18 other passengers had been discharged from hospital.
Recovery Operation Underway
The Rail Accident and Investigation Branch (RAIB) completed its work on site on Saturday and has now handed the site back to Network Rail.
Network Rail and Southern Rail have now issued a joint statement, confirming that the line will be closed until at least the end of the day Wednesday 26 August while teams recover the derailed train and begin repairs to the railway.
In the statement, they said that three carriages “derailed and slid part-way down the embankment” and that these will “need to be carefully lifted away by crane”.
Challenging Location
They added that the location of the derailed train, being close to a river, in a site of special scientific interest, and with restricted road access makes the recovery “particularly difficult”.
Specialist equipment is being brought to the site by rail given the access challenges, and engineers are preparing the site for two 125-tonne rail-mounted cranes, among the largest cranes available for use on the railway. Once the train has been removed, engineers will be able to fully assess the damage to the railway and understand the scale of the repair work needed before services can resume safely.
Travel Advice and Alternatives
Network Rail and Southern Rail on Sunday said that customers travelling in the weeks ahead are advised to check before they travel and to use alternative train services via Brighton where possible.
Some rail replacement buses will run between Lewes and Haywards Heath, serving Cooksbridge and Plumpton, but will have limited capacity.
Tickets will be accepted on relevant alternative Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern services as well as Brighton & Hove Buses and London Underground services between London terminal stations.
John Whitehurst, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern Railway, said: “It has been an incredibly difficult time for our customers and colleagues, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this, particularly the family and friends of those who have been injured.
"We recognise the impact this incident will have on customers' journeys in the days ahead, and we're working closely with Network Rail to do everything we can to keep people moving while recovery work continues and the railway is restored safely. “We know this recovery effort is not only affecting rail customers, but also local communities around Lewes, and I'd like to thank them for their patience and understanding while our teams work to restore the railway.”
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex Route Director, said: “This is a complex recovery operation in a very difficult location, and our teams are working hard to recover the carriages and repair the railway, to resume services safely as soon as we can.
“We know the closure is disruptive and the recovery work also affects people living close to the railway. I’m grateful for the support and understanding of the local community while we carry out this work, and for the patience of our customers during this time. We are working around the clock to get this done. We will share more updates as the recovery work progresses.”
