Lewes railway line to remain closed for at least another 10 days following derailment that seriously injured two passengers

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 12:45 EDT, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 13:02 EDT, 16 August 2026 The Lewes railway line will remain closed for at least another 10 days following the train derailment that seriously injured two passengers, Network Rail said. On Thursday, a Southern train carrying 150 passengers from Victoria to Eastbourne derailed near Lewes when three carriages tumbled off the track, leaving two passengers seriously injured and 18 others needing hospital treatment. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) completed its initial examination of the site on Saturday and has handed it back to Network Rail while its investigation into the derailment continues. Network Rail and Southern Rail said three carriages 'derailed and slid part-way down the embankment' and that these will 'need to be carefully lifted away by crane'. They said the location made this 'particularly difficult' as the railway is close to a river, in a site of special scientific interest and restricted road access was via a residential area. Once the train has been removed, engineers will be able to assess the damage to the railway and 'understand the scale of the repair work needed before services can resume safely'. A statement from Network Rail and Southern Rail on Sunday said: 'The railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath will remain closed for at least another 10days while teams recover the derailed train and begin repairs to the railway.'Customers travelling next week, and in the weeks ahead, are advised to check before they travel and, where possible, use alternative train services via Brighton. The Lewes railway line will remain closed for at least another ten days following the train derailment that seriously injured two passengers, Network Rail said On Thursday, a Southern train carrying 150 passengers from Victoria to Eastbourne derailed near Lewes when three carriages tumbled off the track'Rail replacement buses will run between Lewes and Haywards Heath, serving Cooksbridge and Plumpton. These buses have limited capacity, so customers travelling to other stations should travel via Brighton instead.'It added that tickets would 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 of Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern Railway, said: '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 customers 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.'Meanwhile, commuters nationwide face disruption this week as trains are cancelled and speed restrictions imposed amid fear the soaring heat may be damaging rail tracks.Network Rail introduced speed limits in several parts of the UK, which will lead to trains being delayed or axed. The move follows two train derailments within 24 hours last week, thought to be linked to the record-breaking temperatures impacting the tracks.Along with the Southern train that derailed on Thursday, the 1.51pm Southend-to-London train with 60 passengers came off the tracks at Wickford the following day. The Rail Accident and Investigation Branch (RAIB) completed its initial examination of the site on Saturday and has handed it back to Network Rail while its investigation into the derailment continuesNo one was injured. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said on Saturday: 'I understand passengers may be concerned but the industry has been taking steps to manage the heat, for example by closely monitoring track temperatures and putting speed restrictions in place where needed.' Speed restrictions mean a train journey from Waterloo to Exeter St Davids will now take almost half an hour longer than the usual three hours.On Saturday, Bruce Williamson of campaign group RailFuture said the two derailments will cause anxiety among commuters as they return to work on Monday. He added: 'We mustn't jump to conclusions that the hot weather caused this. It probably did, but we don't know this yet.'