East Grinstead RRB delays - 10 January 2026

[Edvid]

Unfortunately for those travelling from London to Gatwick Airport / Three Bridges onwards via East Grinstead, the rail replacement buses were/are severely delayed all day today and likely tomorrow too owing to very heavy traffic to/from temporary South East Water bottled water stations in East Grinstead.

This is because of water supply issues caused by Storm Goretti's impact on SEW's main Sussex water treatment works and a post-cold-snap series of burst water mains.

AquAlerter Map by South East Water

aqualerter.southeastwater.co.uk

 

[physics34]

Yeh unfortunately the traffic queuing for the water stations in sainsburys car park clashed with the 5min frequency bus and coach service to Gatwick. Need better communication between all parties in the future.

 

[Hophead]

Just to give an idea of the problems, some local Metrobus services were delayed by around an hour getting through East Grinstead during the middle of the day, such was the scale of the gridlock.

Fortunately, South East Water didn't use the Sainsbury's car park (which is next to the station) today.

 

[ExRes]

Yeh unfortunately the traffic queuing for the water stations in sainsburys car park clashed with the 5min frequency bus and coach service to Gatwick. Need better communication between all parties in the future.

Unlikely to get any better communication as the water company won't / can't even tell us when we'll get our water supply back

 

[Recessio]

A third water station will apparently be announced tomorrow 9am, which will hopefully ease the traffic at the Sainsbury's location.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jan 2026 ==

Water stations are open at:

Kings Centre - Moat Rd, East Grinstead RH19 3LN
East Grinstead Sports Club - Saint Hill Rd, East Grinstead RH19 4JU
East Court, College Lane, East Grinstead RH19 3LT

Sainsbury's next to the station is no longer a water point. This will hopefully reduce the queue of traffic down the A22 and Station approach for the RRB services.

 

[Bikeman78]

In light of this, does anyone know if they released the doors on the Victoria to Gatwick trains at Horsham? That would have kept everyone from the Arun Valley away from the problem.

 

[Jan Mayen]

In light of this, does anyone know if they released the doors on the Victoria to Gatwick trains at Horsham? That would have kept everyone from the Arun Valley away from the problem.

On the couple of times I travelled Victoria to Gatwick during the diversions, doors were opened at all intermediate stops (Clapham Junction, Epsom, Horsham). However, of those three only Clapham Junction was advertised. They also stopped at Three Bridges, which had been added to the departure board at Victoria.

 

[ajp999]

In light of this, does anyone know if they released the doors on the Victoria to Gatwick trains at Horsham? That would have kept everyone from the Arun Valley away from the problem.

Last Saturday, the stops at Epsom and Horsham were advertised on the departure boards at Victoria, during the manual announcements on the train and doors were released at both locations.

 

[Bikeman78]

Last Saturday, the stops at Epsom and Horsham were advertised on the departure boards at Victoria, during the manual announcements on the train and doors were released at both locations.

Interesting. How busy were they? They are not offered on journey planners and RTT shows stops for staffing reasons. So the stops must have been added to the information systems on the day. Anyone heading up from Arundel etc would stay on the train to Three Bridges and expect to use the bus, unless specifically told to get off at Horsham.

 

[Jan Mayen]

On the two occassions I used the Victoria to Gatwick service, I'm sure only Clapham Junction and Three Bridges were the only intermediate stoos shown.

 

[ajp999]

Interesting. How busy were they? They are not offered on journey planners and RTT shows stops for staffing reasons. So the stops must have been added to the information systems on the day. Anyone heading up from Arundel etc would stay on the train to Three Bridges and expect to use the bus, unless specifically told to get off at Horsham.

Front two carriages of twelve were virtually empty leaving Victoria at 0940 last Saturday. Was probably 50% full towards the rear when I walked up with 10 minutes to departure time. Concourse not particularly busy. Quite a few got on at Clapham Junction but the front of the train remained fairly empty.

 

[Jan Mayen]

The joy of travelling on the diverted trains. Front two carriages to myself, and travelling on a different route.
Pity the infrastructure can't cope with having the stopper running as well.

 

[father_jack]

I travelled Victoria to Gatwick last Sunday. Screens at Victoria said calling Clapham Junction and Gatwick only but the OBS (onboard supervisor) announced calling Epsom and Horsham and the doors were opened. Realtimetrains.co.uk showed "staffing reasons only" https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:X23072/2026-01-11/detailed#allox_id=0

One thing I noted though- while at Gatwick I went for the (badly signposted) bus to Horley and rather than redirecting passengers with huge amounts of luggage back to (albeit slower) direct trains to Victoria the attendants were loading them on to buses to East Grinstead for London Bridge or East Croydon to get to Victoria !!!

 

[Bikeman78]

Thanks for the replies. It seems rather disorganised. It would be much simpler if the stops at Horsham were advertised. It sounds like there is plenty of spare capacity. Customer relations are unable to explain why the stops are not advertised. Indeed they don't even appear to understand the question.

 

[father_jack]

Thanks for the replies. It seems rather disorganised. It would be much simpler if the stops at Horsham were advertised. It sounds like there is plenty of spare capacity. Customer relations are unable to explain why the stops are not advertised. Indeed they don't even appear to understand the question.

Also- I couldn't get a ticket from Acton Main Line to Gatwick Airport with two changes (Paddington and Victoria) making it as easy a journey as could be done to work on any website anywhere so obviously there were no easements arranged ?

 

[MrJeeves]

Interesting. How busy were they?

My evening service last Saturday was standing room only when leaving Clapham Junction towards Gatwick.

The rear of the train leaving Victoria was already beyond comfortable standing room only when I boarded 15 mins before departure, meanwhile the front 4 coaches were virtually empty. My coach, number 2 or 3 from the front, was empty when I boarded, but a few more joined before we set off.

As others said, open calls at Epsom and Horsham, but nothing at Three Bridges for me. The stops were not advertised on real-time running data sources, including at Victoria.

 

[Horizon22]

Interesting. How busy were they? They are not offered on journey planners and RTT shows stops for staffing reasons. So the stops must have been added to the information systems on the day. Anyone heading up from Arundel etc would stay on the train to Three Bridges and expect to use the bus, unless specifically told to get off at Horsham.

Journey planners and CIS systems can be made to work quite independently of one and other, should you so wish.

 

[sot]

Exceedingly busy this morning at East Grinstead, even though water is back on in the area very slow road traffic in and around.

I can't imagine what it was like last weekend!

 

[Jan Mayen]

Due to a points failure, today's Victoria -Gatwick is terminating at Three Bridges.
It also called at Crawley.
The most passengers my carriage in was four, one of whom got out at Epsom.

 

[IslandDweller]

I flew into Gatwick this afternoon and was looking to catch the diversionary train to Victoria just after 1700. I read this forum so I knew I would not have a simple journey.
Oh dear me, the station was mayhem. Entry gates locked, big crowds, zero annoucements or information. The staff I saw looked as baffled as the folk trying to get updates. Looked for the rail replafement bus and that was also mayhem. An expensive Uber ride for me...
I accept that stuff goes wrong but the total absence of information is very poor form.

 

[DavyCrocket]

A failure has reoccurred this evening. Staff telling passengers for three bridges to get replacement buses, there were no replacement buses.
What was noticeable is that there was no one in overall charge. You would think that given the problems earlier, there would be some familiarity with solving how to move all passengers

 

[sot]

We're local Metrobus accepting tickets between Gatwick and Three Bridges?

 

[Hophead]

We're local Metrobus accepting tickets between Gatwick and Three Bridges?

According to National Rail, the Crawley stop was added to the diverted trains explicitly to allow interchange with local buses from the Bus Station across the road. Metrobus were accepting train tickets, as they seem to need to do at least once a week.

 

[father_jack]

A failure has reoccurred this evening. Staff telling passengers for three bridges to get replacement buses, there were no replacement buses.
What was noticeable is that there was no one in overall charge. You would think that given the problems earlier, there would be some familiarity with solving how to move all passengers

Ditto last Sunday as I said above. Agency staff with no clue- gatelines in operation causing chaos that would have "railway" experience just being gatelines.

 

[physics34]

On the two occassions I used the Victoria to Gatwick service, I'm sure only Clapham Junction and Three Bridges were the only intermediate stoos shown.

The epsom stop is usually for driver change over and Horsham is for driver changeover and changing ends. Drivers have been asked to open doors at both locations

 

[duncombec]

This may or may not be the right thread, as trains are also being discussed here, but Southern Rail is carrying a note this evening that a landslip has been identified at Ockley, which may cause problems for the diverted trains to Three Bridges.

 

[DavyCrocket]

Delete

 

[Thames99]

Also- I couldn't get a ticket from Acton Main Line to Gatwick Airport with two changes (Paddington and Victoria) making it as easy a journey as could be done to work on any website anywhere so obviously there were no easements arranged ?

I think Acton Mainline was closed at the weekend with Crossrail not stopping at a few stations, presumably related to Old Oak Common work. This might explain not being able to find a ticket.