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Train Boss Says Railway Is Safe in Hot Weather After ‘Rare’ Derailment
British Transport Police declared a major incident after three carriages derailed, and 20 people were taken to hospital.
- On Thursday, a Southern train carrying 150 passengers derailed near Lewes, East Sussex, as three carriages tipped off the tracks during the service from London Victoria to Eastbourne.
- Temperatures soared past 38C on the hottest day of 2026, and Prof William Powrie, a professor of geotechnical engineering at the University of Southampton, noted extreme heat can cause welded rails to expand and buckle.
- Two passengers sustained "severe" injuries among 20 people hospitalized; passenger Rachel Heath described the experience as "absolutely terrifying" while trapped in incredibly hot carriages.
- The Rail Accident Investigation Branch launched an investigation as major disruption between Lewes and Haywards Heath is expected until further notice, with Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail's route director for Sussex, confirming specialist teams are assessing the infrastructure.
- Greater Thameslink Railway chief executive John Whitehurst said derailments are "incredibly rare," emphasizing that control processes including inspections and temporary speed restrictions remain in place to manage heatwave risks.
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14 Articles
14 Articles
Police have confirmed that two people have suffered serious injuries while the other nine have a slight pattern of injuries.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left3Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Center
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources are Center
55% Center
L 27%
C 55%
R 18%
Factuality
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