Rail line near Lewes reopens following repairs after derailment
Service resumes after completion of complex track repair
A railway line in East Sussex has reopened today after being damaged following a train derailment on 13th August that injured 30 people.
According to Network Rail, the derailment occurred near Lewes due to a defect on the railway tracks, as identified in a report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Engineers have completed the removal of derailed carriages, rebuilt the embankment, installed replacement track, and repositioned signalling equipment.
More than 80% of the repair work was finished ahead of schedule, enabling the line to reopen.
Louise Greaves, infrastructure director for Network Rail, commented on the operation: "This has been a complex and challenging recovery operation, but we are making strong progress towards our goal of reopening the railway for customers. With the heavy infrastructure work being well on the way to completion, we can then focus our efforts on the final testing we need to do to reopen the railway safely."
Over 5,000 hours were invested by Network Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway, and their contractors in the operation.
Specialist cranes were used to recover the derailed train carriages, allowing for the removal of damaged track and ballast before repairs commenced.
Extensive testing and safety checks were carried out to ensure the line's readiness for reopening.
The repair saw 1,640 feet (500 metres) of track renewed, with 850 sleepers replaced across a section of embankment 524 feet (160 metres) long.
The RAIB's investigation is ongoing, examining the inspection and maintenance of the defected track section, embankment conditions, weather factors, and the effectiveness of hot weather mitigation measures.
The derailment involved an eight-carriage Southern service from London Victoria to Eastbourne travelling at 65 mph.
All 150 passengers were evacuated by emergency services, with two sustaining serious injuries.