LEWES — Rail investigators have found evidence of a track defect on the approach to the site where a Southern train derailed near Lewes, injuring 30 people. An interim report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said CCTV images showed a track geometry irregularity before the incident on 13 August, the hottest day of the year so far.
The watchdog also published an image that appeared to show the track had buckled, which can happen in very high temperatures. It said it was looking at weather conditions, the state of the track and embankment, the condition of the train, and any steps taken to reduce the effects of the heat.
The train was travelling at about 65mph, within the 70mph limit, and about 150 passengers were on board.
What the interim report says about the track and embankment
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said there had been a sustained spell of hot, dry weather before the derailment, with the nearest weather station recording an ambient air temperature of about 27C at the time. It said the railway embankment near the site is made of clay, which is sensitive to changes in water content and can move as moisture levels alter.
The report said there was no evidence at this stage that a significant embankment slip happened before the accident. However, investigators said there was evidence that some movement had previously taken place. They also said passengers on other trains had reported rough riding in the same area before the derailment.
Three carriages came off the track and ended up on their side, trapping passengers. The RAIB said the incident caused significant damage to the train and to railway infrastructure.
Network Rail and GTR apologise after closure extended
Network Rail and Greater Thameslink Railway, which runs Southern, said they were very sorry the derailment happened on their railway. Lucy McAuliffe, Sussex route director at Network Rail, and John Whitehurst, chief executive of GTR, said they recognised the ongoing impact on customers, local communities and railway colleagues.
They added that safety remained their highest priority and said Britain’s railway was among the safest in the world, but that incidents must still be understood properly so lessons can be learned. The line between Lewes and Haywards Heath is due to stay closed until at least the end of service on 26 August while the train is recovered and evidence is preserved.
Recovering the train is expected to be a complex job, with the derailed carriages needing to be lifted by crane before teams can finish securing the site.
Wider investigation continues after two derailments in less than 24 hours
The Lewes incident happened during the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer, and it was one of two derailments in less than 24 hours. The second took place on Friday, when the rear carriages of a Greater Anglia train came off the track in an upright position at Wickford railway station in Essex. No injuries were reported in that case.
The Office of Rail and Road said it was also investigating the circumstances of the Lewes derailment, but declined to comment further. Unlike the RAIB, the ORR looks into possible breaches of health and safety law and can prosecute on those grounds.
The investigation remains at an early stage, and officials have indicated that the final report may not be published for a year or longer.
Local concern grows as MP and transport department react
James MacCleary, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, said the early findings raised serious concerns and described the fault on the track as deeply concerning. He said he used the line regularly and had reported to the authorities that the section had become bumpy.
He added that it could not yet be assumed the rough ride and the derailment were connected, but said the findings made the incident even more troubling. The Department for Transport said safety remained the absolute priority across the rail network and that it would ensure the industry acted on the Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s full report when it is published.
The interim findings have put attention on how heat, track condition and underlying ground movement may have combined at the Sussex site. Further conclusions will depend on the wider evidence gathered by investigators.
The latest UK news and stories from Bailey Universe.
