Thousands of rail passengers at Gatwick Airport have been left stranded after the discovery of sinkholes on a railway bridge in South London prompted an immediate shutdown of services.
Sinkholes Discovered During Engineering Work
Network Rail reported that engineers conducting planned maintenance on the tracks near Purley uncovered several sinkholes requiring urgent repairs. The rail operator stated that all lines between Purley and East Croydon were promptly closed to ensure passenger safety, pending an inspection by a structural engineer.
Network Rail explained: “Sinkholes were spotted on the bridge, meaning that ballast, the stones that the track sits on, was falling through the gap, making the track unstable. We've since carried out a thorough inspection of the bridge and are working to safely plug the gaps so that trains can safely run again.”
Disruption to Gatwick Express and Other Services
The sudden closure of Sunday services from London to Gatwick Airport and Brighton has caused significant disruption. The Gatwick Express is among the affected lines and is not expected to resume until Monday morning.
A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport commented: “There are currently no trains running between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria or London Bridge due to blocked rail lines at Purley. Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to consider alternative routes and allow extra time for their journey. Due to high demand, passengers at the airport may experience longer waiting times for rail replacement services, and we appreciate your patience while alternative transport is in place.”
Road Congestion and Alternative Travel Options
The rail disruption has also impacted roads around the airport, with drivers reporting gridlock as hundreds of vehicles attempt to drop off passengers. Stations with no service include Reedham, Coulsdon Town, Woodmansterne, Chipstead, Kingswood, Tadworth, and Tattenham Corner.
Network Rail has urged passengers to avoid travel if possible, though tickets will be accepted on several alternative routes. The operator added: “We're sorry to passengers who have been impacted by this and we're working to safely open the railway as quickly as possible.”
Southern Railway announced there are no services between Purley and East Croydon and also advised customers to avoid travelling. In a post on X, Southern Railway stated: “If you are travelling from London towards Brighton or a station between Brighton and Gatwick Airport/on the south coast ... we advise you use one of the two following options. From Waterloo you can travel to Havant with South Western Railway. Change there for coast services. From Charing Cross, you can travel to Hastings on Southeastern. Change there for coast services. If you are travelling from the Brighton area towards London, do the opposite of this.”
Expected Duration and Affected Routes
Services are expected to remain suspended until Monday morning. The following routes are running but subject to delays and may be extremely busy:
- Southern services between London Bridge and Caterham are running as normal but may see some delays.
- Southern services from London Victoria towards Bognor Regis / Portsmouth Harbour will divert via Dorking (where possible) and will not run between Clapham Junction and Horsham.
- Southern services between London Victoria towards Ore / Littlehampton will only run as far as Haywards Heath, so services between London Victoria and Haywards Heath are cancelled.
- Southern services between London Victoria and East Grinstead are running as normal but may see some delays.
- There is no service between Purley and Tattenham Corner.
Passengers are advised that any other services between London and Brighton and other south coastal routes are heavily disrupted or suspended and will be extremely busy.
