Lewes derailment - Thursday 13th August

[Deltic55]

Image from BBC said to be 1 hour before the incident. That would explain the previous train that went over this with a big jolt. (Image source: RAIB)

Does that look as if it is right over a culvert?

 

[zwk500]

Have the Newhaven aggregates trains been cancelled or have the gas the excitement of a reverse at Brighton?

A quick flick through RTT suggests no freight has run to/from Newhaven since the derailment.

Reversing at Brighton would face length issues, the need for a 2nd loco or propelling move, and route knowledge issues (i.e. probably getting a conductor in).

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Drat. Understandable but still drat.

 

[Bald Rick]

But was the identification of the issues prompted by the derailment?

No

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The RAIB have published an update establishing some basic information about what happened and outlining their lines of enquiry:



I've not included it in the above quote but there is an image of the track irregularity from the rear CCTV of a train prior to the incident train which does show quite a kink in the line.

Derailment of a passenger train at Lewes

Investigation into the derailment of a passenger train at Lewes, East Sussex, 13 August 2026.

www.gov.uk

Interesting that they haven't used the camera footage from 1F34 yet nor explicitly said the driver of 1F34 braked due sighting the track defect. The rear facing camera picture is from a preceding train (1F28) and there were two more trains that followed this before 1F34. Im pretty sure all trains have forward facing cameras these days although quality maybe variable on older electrostars so either they didnt or they didnt want to show them. They actually provided more information on Elstow in my view.

Anyhow comprehensive terms of reference but going to take a while to work through the investigation but there modus operandi more recently has been to issue an interim report so we will have to wait for that.

 

[AlterEgo]

Is it me or does the up line also look distorted?

It does to me, though perhaps less than the down line.

 

[zwk500]

Drat. Understandable but still drat.

2 circuits (1 DB to Marine and 1 GBRf to Town Yard) ran on the 13th, and both have an inbound and corresponding return on RTT, suggesting no trains were trapped.

When the derailment happened, 6O46 Hanwell Bridge Loop - Newhaven Day Aggregates (FLHH) was en-route and it last reported at Haywards Heath. It's not obvious from RTT where it then went, but other trains used platform 1 less than an hour after it arrived so presumably it either shunted to the sidings or was run to an alternative destination sharpish.

 

[hwl]

Does that look as if it is right over a culvert?

To me it looks like the transition from underbridge back to embankment (in the direction of travel)

 

[liam456]

That is over underbridge 674, it has a path connecting Landport Road to another path that follows the course of the Ouse.

It's also what connects the main working compound to the actual derailment site which are on opposite sides of the railway formation in this location.

 

[978wta]

Does anyone know if the rescue locos are just taking the single lead unit or the coach from the 2nd unit that didn’t derail too?

 

[Deepgreen]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:06949/2026-08-18/detailed

Inbound for collection…

It managed to lose nearly two and a half hours en route, too.

 

[SouthernOne]

2 circuits (1 DB to Marine and 1 GBRf to Town Yard) ran on the 13th, and both have an inbound and corresponding return on RTT, suggesting no trains were trapped.

When the derailment happened, 6O46 Hanwell Bridge Loop - Newhaven Day Aggregates (FLHH) was en-route and it last reported at Haywards Heath. It's not obvious from RTT where it then went, but other trains used platform 1 less than an hour after it arrived so presumably it either shunted to the sidings or was run to an alternative destination sharpish.

It was berthed at Copyhold Junction a driver told me, close to an access gate

 

[zwk500]

It was berthed at Copyhold Junction a driver told me, close to an access gate

Thanks, makes sense.

 

[BRX]

That is over underbridge 674, it has a path connecting Landport Road to another path that follows the course of the Ouse.

It's also what connects the main working compound to the actual derailment site which are on opposite sides of the railway formation in this location.

It's the one in the bottom left image on this page, I think:

Lewes – The Pells & The Ouse 2.6m

The Pells is a beautiful L-shaped channel of water teeming with ducks and surrounded by elegant trees. This walk follows the Sussex Ouse Way along the riverbank, cuts under the railway and returns …

123walks.org

I've walked under it a few times.

 

[Deepgreen]

BBC News has an updated story, incuding CCTV from a previous train, which shows a slight kink in the track and what appears to be a similar kink in the other line's track, albeit less severe.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gx12v8z51o

A defect was found on railway tracks in East Sussex at the site where a train derailed leaving 30 injured, a report says.

Initial findings from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found an "irregularity" with the tracks near Lewes where three carriages tumbled down an embankment last Thursday.

The RAIB, which is continuing to investigate the derailment, said it had received "several reports of rough riding at the location of the derailment from passengers on other trains".

Network Rail and Greater Thameslink Railway, whose Southern Rail train was involved in the crash, said in a joint statement they were "sorry this happened on our railway".

Investigators from the RAIB have said CCTV from a train which passed through the crash site at 14:04 BST showed the "irregularity" with the track geometry just before the point where the train came off the tracks.

 

[CHAPS2034]

Is it me or does the up line also look distorted?

Difficult to tell but could the appearance of distortion on the up line be due to the effects of heat haze, it being hot and sunny at the time?

 

[CB Root]

Out of curiosity, I've never considered this before, but how DO you self-evacuate from a carriage which is on its side ? Is it a question of breaking a window above your head and climbing ? Not sure I'd like to have to try it in the event of a fire (though I assume that there's not a huge amount of flammables on an electric train...), or indeed if water was rising !!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Out of curiosity, I've never considered this before, but how DO you self-evacuate from a carriage which is on its side ?

Out the front or back would probably be my first thought, if your carriage is separated a gangway corridor would be open.
or yes climbing out the top is an option (you could use the emergency door open rather than breaking a window), but obviously climbing requires strength plenty would not have.

 

[jopop]

Interesting manoeuvres tonight…

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:LWS/2026-08-20/0000-0030?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

 

[BrianW]

It's the one in the bottom left image on this page, I think:

Lewes – The Pells & The Ouse 2.6m

The Pells is a beautiful L-shaped channel of water teeming with ducks and surrounded by elegant trees. This walk follows the Sussex Ouse Way along the riverbank, cuts under the railway and returns …

123walks.org

I've walked under it a few times.

The geology and effects of water may be significant- I believe the Lewes area is 'interesting', with chalk, sandstone, clay and 'stream erosion'. The Victorians have bequethed to us significant earthworks to which we have given inadequate, and reducing, attention, and expenditure. There are many examples of consequential failures.

 

[zwk500]

Interesting manoeuvres tonight…

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:LWS/2026-08-20/0000-0030?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

Very interesting, turns out to be Newhaven Marine after all.

Best as I can work out:
- ECS runs to Newhaven (5Z55)
- Light loco follows from Lewes to attach on London End at Newhaven (0Z55), Country end loco Detaches. Presumably the front loco from the 2 that have performed the rescue will shunt clear but not clear how!
- ECS moves to Brighton, detaches loco on blocks. loco detached at Newhaven runs light from Newhaven to attach on (now) London End to haul it to Selhurst (0Z56
- Loco on blocks follows light to Haywards heath (0Z57), not clear what the next onward movement would be.

 

[norbitonflyer]

That is over underbridge 674, it has a path connecting Landport Road to another path that follows the course of the Ouse.

It's also what connects the main working compound to the actual derailment site which are on opposite sides of the railway formation in this location.

Is it possible the distortion couid be due to a bridge strike?

 

[jopop]

Very interesting, turns out to be Newhaven Marine after all.

Best as I can work out:
- ECS runs to Newhaven (5Z55)
- Light loco follows from Lewes to attach on London End at Newhaven (0Z55), Country end loco Detaches. Presumably the front loco from the 2 that have performed the rescue will shunt clear but not clear how!
- ECS moves to Brighton, detaches loco on blocks. loco detached at Newhaven runs light from Newhaven to attach on (now) London End to haul it to Selhurst (0Z56
- Loco on blocks follows light to Haywards heath (0Z57), not clear what the next onward movement would be.

I think both locos haul it to newhaven marine, then one runs arround to haul to Brighton the other detaches to follow behind to Brighton.

 

[westcoaster]

Very interesting, turns out to be Newhaven Marine after all.

Best as I can work out:
- ECS runs to Newhaven (5Z55)
- Light loco follows from Lewes to attach on London End at Newhaven (0Z55), Country end loco Detaches. Presumably the front loco from the 2 that have performed the rescue will shunt clear but not clear how!
- ECS moves to Brighton, detaches loco on blocks. loco detached at Newhaven runs light from Newhaven to attach on (now) London End to haul it to Selhurst (0Z56
- Loco on blocks follows light to Haywards heath (0Z57), not clear what the next onward movement would be.

seems like a lot of moves, you not top and tail the 47's from Newhaven.

 

[zwk500]

seems like a lot of moves, you not top and tail the 47's from Newhaven.

It does seem odd, but that's what seems to be in the plan:
5Z55 Lewes to Selhurst via Newhaven Marine and Brighton: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:07716/2026-08-19/detailed
0Z55 Lewes to Newhaven Marine: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:07717/2026-08-19/detailed
0Z56 Newhaven Marine to Brighton: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:07718/2026-08-19/detailed
0Z57 Brighton to Haywards Heath: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:07721/2026-08-20/detailed

 

[JonathanH]

I guess they can haul a unit using the emergency coupler between locomotive and unit, but can't haul a locomotive on the back using an emergency coupler between the unit and locomotive, or can't get the air brake through to the second locomotive.

 

[zwk500]

I guess they can haul a unit using the emergency coupler between locomotive and unit, but can't haul a locomotive on the back using an emergency coupler between the unit and locomotive, or can't get the air brake through to the second locomotive.

The air brake being unavailable would make a lot of sense as the ECS is also timed with a lot of pathing/engineering in it.

0Z55 has shunted from platform 1 to platform 5 at Lewes ready for 5Z55 to leave.

 

[king_walnut]

This guy on Tiktok captured footage of the equipment being sent to the site last night

Quite interesting.

 

[Horizon22]

Difficult to tell but could the appearance of distortion on the up line be due to the effects of heat haze, it being hot and sunny at the time?

Sure it could, but I doubt RAIB would have come out and said this without being sure about what they are reporting. They don't tend to deal in "maybes" and take great care in their statements.

 

[mickey]

Out the front or back would probably be my first thought, if your carriage is separated a gangway corridor would be open.
or yes climbing out the top is an option (you could use the emergency door open rather than breaking a window), but obviously climbing requires strength plenty would not have.

Doesn’t every unit carry a ladder for this purpose? Some definitely have it visible to the public, am assuming others do but in a cupboard somewhere.