Lewes derailment - possible service alterations until the line has reopened?

SECR 65 · 13 Aug 2026

Moderator note: Split from

Lewes derailment thread - Thursday 13th August

Seeing early reports of a derailment in the Lewes area. 1F36 hasn't moved in some time Edited to comply with rules Sources: Company log Traksy

www.railforums.co.uk

Looking at the diagram, it seems Brighton-Seaford/Eastbourne via Lewes services are running to some extent. London-Eastbourne/Ore trains are pretty stuffed up. One seems to be starting from Brighton and heading to London from there. Another seems to have run between Ore and Eastbourne only.

I can't imagine that running London-Ore trains via Brighton would be particularly practical in the medium term.

I suspect it'll be London to Haywards Heath or Brighton and then the Ore end of the service cancelled.

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Class15 · 13 Aug 2026

SECR 65 said:
Looking at the diagram, it seems Brighton-Seaford/Eastbourne via Lewes services are running to some extent. London-Eastbourne/Ore trains are pretty stuffed up. One seems to be starting from Brighton and heading to London from there. Another seems to have run between Ore and Eastbourne only.

I can't imagine that running London-Ore trains via Brighton would be particularly practical in the medium term.

I suspect it'll be London to Haywards Heath or Brighton and then the Ore end of the service cancelled.

Could there be 1tph London - Ore via Brighton?

SECR 65 · 13 Aug 2026

Class15 said:
Could there be 1tph London - Ore via Brighton?

In theory, yes, provided platforms at Brighton are available.

In reality, I suspect people will be expected to change at Brighton. There is 4tph between Brighton and Lewes anyway.

martin butler · 15 Aug 2026

I would imagine the line between Lewes and Haywards Heath will remain closed for some time, until the cause has been found, and rectified. But what impact will this have on train services in the area?

With the existing services along the Lewes to Brighton route, there can't be much in the way of spare paths to accommodate an extra 2 trains per hour unless some services are turned round short of their intended designation, to create paths, between Lewes and Brighton, and Brighton and Haywards Heath,

hwl · 15 Aug 2026

martin butler said:
But what impact will this have on train services in the area?

Lengthen services as most aren't at max length.

martin butler · 15 Aug 2026

SECR 65 said:
In theory, yes, provided platforms at Brighton are available.

In reality, I suspect people will be expected to change at Brighton. There is 4tph between Brighton and Lewes anyway.

I would expect Ore to London Victoria services to only run between Ore and Brighton it becomes a fast Eastbourne to Brighton, service after Eastbourne, then passengers transfer over to a Gatwick express service calling at Gatwick Clapham junction and London Victoria.

London Trains · 15 Aug 2026

martin butler said:
With the existing services along the Lewes to Brighton route, there can't be much in the way of spare paths to accommodate an extra 2 trains per hour unless some services are turned round short of their intended designation, to create paths, between Lewes and Brighton, and Brighton and Haywards Heath,

Didn't there used to be 6tph between Brighton and Lewes? The Victoria to Eastbourne/Ore services also run in the path of the old Brighton service, so it shouldn't be impossible to path the services through Brighton, but platforming at Brighton could definitely pose issues, as well as the need to link the available paths.

SECR 65 · 15 Aug 2026

London Trains said:
Didn't there used to be 6tph between Brighton and Lewes? The Victoria to Eastbourne/Ore services also run in the path of the old Brighton service, so it shouldn't be impossible to path the services through Brighton, but platforming at Brighton could definitely pose issues, as well as the need to link the available paths.

I seem to remember there used to be regular Lewes terminators. I was too young to really remember what happened. For as long as I can remember it's been 4tph between Lewes and Brighton. But in pre-covid 313 days I think there were regular Brighton to Lewes shuttles.

London Trains · 15 Aug 2026

SECR 65 said:
I seem to remember there used to be regular Lewes terminators. I was too young to really remember what happened. For as long as I can remember it's been 4tph between Lewes and Brighton. But in pre-covid 313 days I think there were regular Brighton to Lewes shuttles.

I believe the pre-Covid pattern was 2tph Brighton to Ore (or was it Hastings?), 2tph Brighton to Seaford and 2tph Brighton to Lewes shuttles.

peterinlewes · 16 Aug 2026

Duplicates another users post. Mods please delete

martin butler · 17 Aug 2026

I walked past Warrior Square Station today, but didn't have time to look at what Southern services were doing,

So, can anyone tell what the services running are? , Is the Ore to Victoria services operating throughout, but running via Brighton, or are they only working now as an Ore to Brighton service with people wanting London having to change?

Mcr Warrior · 17 Aug 2026

I'd say Southern services from St Leonards Warrior Square to London Victoria/Brighton via Lewes are, to the most part, only running as far as Eastbourne. Maybe one or two exceptions.

SECR 65 · 17 Aug 2026

As I understand it, the 1F London Victoria to Eastbourne/Ore trains are completely cancelled in their entirety.

2C Brighton to Seaford trains are running normally, potentially strengthened with extra coaches.

It seems that there is disruption to 2U and 1U Brighton to Eastbourne/Ore services. I believe an hourly service is being run between Brighton and Eastbourne as 2Z due to the landslip near Polegate.

By my reckoning this means there may be only 3tph between Brighton and Lewes.

EDIT: Looking again, it seems that 2Z VSTP Brighton to Eastbourne services are running half hourly, giving 4tph Brighton-Lewes.

London Trains · 20 Aug 2026

All GatEx services seem to have been increased to 12 coaches now.

SECR 65 · 20 Aug 2026

There must be loads of units (especially 387) kicking around given that 1F Victoria-Ore services have been cancelled between London and Eastbourne. Service near Polegate also reduced due to landslip I believe.

The other day I saw a pair of 387s on a 1H Littlehampton-Victoria service which are usually booked 377.

It's good that these extra units are being put to some use on GatEx.

It is slightly dissapointing in my opinion that no services are being run between Haywards Heath and London in what should be the Ore train paths.

Lewes derailment - possible service alterations until the line has reopened?

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Lewes derailment thread - Thursday 13th August

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