Major Disruption through Purley 14/06/2026. Structural problem with rail bridge

[devon_belle]

Southern and Thameslink are reporting no trains through Purley until the end of the day. An unverified source on twitter reports a sink hole.

Trains are also cancelled on the Tattenham Corner branch until further notice.

Southern says:

Urgent repairs are needed to a bridge at Purley, resulting in all lines at this station being closed.

Trains are currently unable to run to / from or through this station, and will be cancelled or revised.

You are advised not to travel.

Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Southern's twitter has shared 3 photos of the sink hole, which is affecting the rail bridge where the Quarry Line and Redhill Line cross the Tattenham Corner branch.

Edited 17:04 with current status.

At 22:30 a limited service is running on the Quarry Lines.

 

[JonathanH]

It doesn't help that the Redhill route is closed for engineering work today either.

Quarry Line is 'NOGO'

Slow lines under planned T3 possession from Purley to Earlswood (although platforms 5 and 6 are available) with scheduled buses Purley to Horley.

 

[devon_belle]

I'm trying to work out where the sink hole might be to be impacting the Quarry Line and the Tattenham Corner branch. It would be most unfortunate if it is near the bridge were the 4 Brighton lines cross the branch.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jun 2026 ==

Southern and Thameslink are now advising customers not to travel (on Twitter).

 

[JonathanH]

It would be most unfortunate if it is near the bridge were the 4 Brighton lines cross the branch.

Or indeed if it is that bridge that has structural damage.

 

[devon_belle]

Or indeed if it is that bridge that has structural damage.

Yeah. Although a re-opening estimate of 16:00 would indicate that is not the case, at least to my untrained eye.

 

[D6130]

I'm trying to work out where the sink hole might be to be impacting the Quarry Line and the Tattenham Corner branch. It would be most unfortunate if it is near the bridge were the 4 Brighton lines cross the branch.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jun 2026 ==

Southern and Thameslink are now advising customers not to travel (on Twitter).

Could be just South of Stoats Nest Junction, where the Tattenham branch runs alongside the main line.

 

[JonathanH]

Could be just South of Stoats Nest Junction, where the Tattenham branch runs alongside the main line.

Yes, but the two routes don't share any bridges. The bridges on Old Lodge Lane are separate. Google Maps not showing any road delays on that route.

 

[devon_belle]

Some puzzling advice on alternative journeys!

• Great Western Railway services between Dorking Deepden and Gatwick & Portsmouth Harbour and London Waterloo

Especially given that the North Downs through Dorking Deepdene is closed for engineering works this weekend!

Fair play, it must be hectic at GTR control right now.

 

[cryptus]

Couple of holes in the structure carrying the Brighton Main Line over the Tattenham Corner lines between Purley and Reedham (Google Maps link), with ballast having fallen from the BML onto the Tattenham lines. Don't think this is going to be a quick fix unfortunately.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Immediately do not travel is all they've got in the armoury but they do have options can run the Arun valleys via Horsham and then shuttle back to Gatwick Airport with Thameslinks. Also direct people to E.Grinstead as well and nab some RRBs off Horley-Purley route to bus over to gatwick.

 

[JonathanH]

Immediately do not travel is all they've got in the armoury but they do have options can run the Arun valleys via Horsham and then shuttle back to Gatwick Airport with Thameslinks.

Indeed, that is happening to some extent. 1C30 (1243 London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour and Bognor Regis) and 1B33 (1232 Bognor Regis / 1201 Portsmouth Harbour to London Victoria) just passing through Holmwood.

Also direct people to E.Grinstead as well and nab some RRBs off Horley-Purley route to bus over to gatwick.

That is not a feasible proposal.

 

[sot]

Couple of holes in the structure carrying the Brighton Main Line over the Tattenham Corner lines between Purley and Reedham (Google Maps link), with ballast having fallen from the BML onto the Tattenham lines. Don't think this is going to be a quick fix unfortunately.

Is the bridge a single bridge there for the slows and fasts or split - looks like it is all one bridge from that link.

 

[devon_belle]

Immediately do not travel is all they've got in the armoury but they do have options can run the Arun valleys via Horsham and then shuttle back to Gatwick Airport with Thameslinks. Also direct people to E.Grinstead as well and nab some RRBs off Horley-Purley route to bus over to gatwick.

They also have the Mole Valley via Sutton which can find its way from the Coast to London Bridge and London Victoria. But it seems these contingencies are only really used during planned disruption.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jun 2026 ==

Couple of holes in the structure carrying the Brighton Main Line over the Tattenham Corner lines between Purley and Reedham (Google Maps link), with ballast having fallen from the BML onto the Tattenham lines. Don't think this is going to be a quick fix unfortunately.

Ah that's not good at all. I had feared it would be this bridge; it seems they may be being optimistic for a reopening by 16:00.

 

[JonathanH]

They also have the Mole Valley via Sutton which can find its way from the Coast to London Bridge and London Victoria. But it seems these contingencies are only really used during planned disruption.

As I noted above, diversions of some Arun Valley services via Sutton has happened today, but it only runs hourly on a Sunday, so it is still limited capacity.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Indeed, that is happening to some extent. 1C30 (1243 London Victoria to Portsmouth Harbour and Bognor Regis) and 1B33 (1232 Bognor Regis / 1201 Portsmouth Harbour to London Victoria) just passing through Holmwood.


That is not a feasible proposal.

Of course its not of controls making and its not straightforward and would be a token gesture but currently do not travel will only dissuade a number of people not the thousands who need to get planes. So they are left to source their own solutions and that will saturate other public transport operators and taxi firms when the industry could have been part of the solution.

 

[JonathanH]

Of course its not of controls making and its not straightforward and would be a token gesture but currently do not travel will only dissuade a number of people not the thousands who need to get planes. So they are left to source their own solutions and that will saturate other public transport operators and taxi firms when the industry could have been part of the solution.

Yes, a Sunday is a major problem with regard other options. Only 3 buses each two hours from Three Bridges to East Grinstead (400 hourly, 291 alternate hours). Four buses an hour from Redhill to Gatwick (100 x 2, 400, 420/460 alternately). 405 Redhill to Croydon now every 20 minutes.

 

[Horizon22]

Of course its not of controls making and its not straightforward and would be a token gesture but currently do not travel will only dissuade a number of people not the thousands who need to get planes. So they are left to source their own solutions and that will saturate other public transport operators and taxi firms when the industry could have been part of the solution.

But the alternatives are probably very very slim on the ground - diverting at short notice is not easy when not timetabled or planned - so this gives some clarity for people who may have a time-critical flight that an alterative is very much the best option. I would agree that a specific line on the disruption messaging about Gatwick may be helpful.

It's a Sunday - with all the restrictions that has - with one of the lines already shut. Tonbridge - Redhill isn't running either.

There is no route to Gatwick available from London (direct) by train right now. Splitting the route in half with shuttles is a severe headache for crew purposes. Below is the current route map, which is rather grim.

 

[devon_belle]

As I noted above, diversions of some Arun Valley services via Sutton has happened today, but it only runs hourly on a Sunday, so it is still limited capacity.

Quite right. Sorry, I missed that.

There's room for 2 tph diversions that way without impacting the normal Sunday service. Could be a coastway and a Brighton (via Three Bridges). At such short notice I guess crewing isn't guaranteed.

 

[Ehwjejr]

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Nothing happening at the aforementioned bridge, can't see anything on the Tattenham Corner line either

 

[marshlinker]

As I noted above, diversions of some Arun Valley services via Sutton has happened today, but it only runs hourly on a Sunday, so it is still limited capacity.

The 13.02 ex Victoria is currently approaching Pulborough 36 mins down. Considering that it left Vic 20 down that's a pretty creditable performance. My moneys on all 12 running to Bognor or for the Portsmouth section to turnback at Havant.

 

[Silver Cobra]

I've been caught up in this situation myself in Brighton. Following advice from staff at Brighton I am currently on a service to Portsmouth Harbour, to change at Havant onto a South Western Railway service to Clapham Junction/Waterloo.

The only thing that concerns me right now is that, according to National Rail Enquiries, ticket acceptance with South Western Railway is only between Epsom and Waterloo. Would it be prudent for me to purchase a ticket from Havant to Waterloo before getting to Havant, to avoid a possible penalty fare? That's what I'm leaning towards, but just want to check before I do.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

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Nothing happening at the aforementioned bridge, can't see anything on the Tattenham Corner line either

No signs of ballast on the TATs that come down from bridge. Older steel bridges are fitted with removable plates to facilitate inspections girders below bridge deck. Ballast gets piled up against them these days and it's possible one has become dislodged and ballast stopped though looking like a hole.

 

[SECR 65]

I've been caught up in this situation myself in Brighton. Following advice from staff at Brighton I am currently on a service to Portsmouth Harbour, to change at Havant onto a South Western Railway service to Clapham Junction/Waterloo.

The only thing that concerns me right now is that, according to National Rail Enquiries, ticket acceptance with South Western Railway is only between Epsom and Waterloo. Would it be prudent for me to purchase a ticket from Havant to Waterloo before getting to Havant, to avoid a possible penalty fare? That's what I'm leaning towards, but just want to check before I do.

I don't really know whether this would be neccecary, but if it were me, buy a ticket now, then ask customer services to refund it at a later date. That would (probably) be easier than trying to get out of a penalty fare.

 

[sot]

I don't really know whether this would be neccecary, but if it were me, buy a ticket now, then ask customer services to refund it at a later date. That would (probably) be easier than trying to get out of a penalty fare.

Is this not now allowed since both operators are DFTO?

"In the event of a cancellation to a participating TOC service, customers holding a ticket valid for that service will be able to travel on any other participating TOC service within the two hours before or after the cancelled service on a direct or reasonable indirect routing (any service displayed in a journey planner) to their destination."

Participating TOCs The policy is already applicable to the following participating TOCs: • LNER • Northern • TransPennine Express
From 31 May 2026, it will also include all other current publicly owned operators / TOCs that are part of the DfTO group: • c2c • Gatwick Express • Greater Anglia • Great Northern • London Northwestern Railway • Southeastern • Southern • Thameslink • South Western Railway • West Midlands Railway

 

[SECR 65]

Is this not now allowed since both operators are DFTO?

Yes, they are in theory. However, the revenue protection teams (certainly the prosecution people) are still completely seperate. Legally, they are seperate companies, I think, just both run by the same people?? At the moment I think each operator is being run individually.

I think this would also depend on via Portsmouth being a legitamate way of getting from Brighton to London (only choice today, but normally an absurd route. I can't imagine a Brighton-London ticket being accepted on that train.

 

[sot]

Yes, they are in theory. However, the revenue protection teams (certainly the prosecution people) are still completely seperate. Legally, they are seperate companies, I think, just both run by the same people?? At the moment I think each operator is being run individually.

Since the beginning of this month there is acceptance within DFTO for "cancelled services".

 

[MCR247]

I've been caught up in this situation myself in Brighton. Following advice from staff at Brighton I am currently on a service to Portsmouth Harbour, to change at Havant onto a South Western Railway service to Clapham Junction/Waterloo.

The only thing that concerns me right now is that, according to National Rail Enquiries, ticket acceptance with South Western Railway is only between Epsom and Waterloo. Would it be prudent for me to purchase a ticket from Havant to Waterloo before getting to Havant, to avoid a possible penalty fare? That's what I'm leaning towards, but just want to check before I do.

Personally I wouldn’t buy a ticket and would stand my ground if challenged by on train staff. Although as someone else said, customer services should in theory refund you. I think my hesitation is due to my past experiences of challenging customer services/delay repay after the fact, when they can say “ah but why didn’t you get on x train” when on the ground they hadn’t told me my train was cancelled by that point.

I also think it’s quite rare (in my experience anyway) for ticket staff to question odd routings in times of obvious disruption

 

[SECR 65]

National Rail Enquiries suggests via Havant. It also says you can use "GWR services between Portsmouth Harbour and London Waterloo"?????.....

I'm also amused by the advice to use GWR services via Dorking Deepdene which is closed for engineering works as well.

Possible travel advice to anyone stuck near Brighton / south end of BML / East Coastway: Take with a pinch of salt and note that things could change.

The whole network is completely stuffed. To anyone stuck I think get to Brighton, then either via Havant or via Hastings and SWR or SE to London.

Also if anyone can get to the Bluebell Railway by bus then there's one more train today at 15:45 from Sheffield Park (121 bus) or at 16:02 from Horsted Keynes (270 bus I think) which gets you to East Grinstead.

270 bus Brighton-Haywards Heath-East Grinstead. https://www.metrobus.co.uk/services/MB/270?date=2026-06-14&direction=outbound Might help anyone at HH. One more service today.

Another option for anyone in Brighton / Lewes is a number 29 bus to Uckfield (hourly trains to Oxted) or Tunbridge Wells (SE).

Anyone at Gatwick you could catch a train to Haywards Heath from where the 270 bus, or to Lewes for a 29. Also 400 bus Gatwick to East Grinstead.

Trains at Gatwick currently:
Plat 6 1523 to Ore - 1F36
Plat 1 1553 to Littlehampton via Hove - 1H38
Plat 3 1623 to Ore - 1F40
Lots of VSTPs around from Gatwick or Haywards Heath to Brighton.

 

[Silver Cobra]

Personally I wouldn’t buy a ticket and would stand my ground if challenged by on train staff. Although as someone else said, customer services should in theory refund you. I think my hesitation is due to my past experiences of challenging customer services/delay repay after the fact, when they can say “ah but why didn’t you get on x train” when on the ground they hadn’t told me my train was cancelled by that point.

I also think it’s quite rare (in my experience anyway) for ticket staff to question odd routings in times of obvious disruption

I've relented and purchased a ticket, just to be on the safe side. Even if customer services won't refund that ticket I should get back the majority of the cost via Delay Repay on my original ticket (I was supposed to use the 1422 Thameslink service to London Bridge for onward travel to Kings Cross for Arlesey, but that service clearly isn't running).

 

[devon_belle]

Advice has been updated: do not travel until the end of the day.