Disruption between Selhurst / Streatham Hill and Clapham Junction expected until 12:30 

Route(s) affected

Between Selhurst / Streatham Hill and Clapham Junction

Description

There is a fault with the signalling system between Balham and Clapham Junction meaning the line is disrupted. As a result, Southern services running between Selhurst / Streatham Hill and Clapham Junction may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised.

Gatwick Express services running between Selhurst and Clapham Junction have been suspended.

Disruption is expected until 12:30.

Customer advice:

If you are travelling between Clapham Junction and Balham you can travel on your normal route, but services will be disrupted.

You will need to allow at least an additional 30 minutes to complete your journey.

Please talk to station staff, look at the information boards or check your journey planner for the most recent information.

How are we changing our service?

While this disruption is ongoing, we will be making the following changes to services:

Trains that normally run between London Victoria and Eastbourne will be cancelled. You can still get between these stations but you will have to change more than normal.

Trains that normally run between East Croydon and Watford Junction are cancelled.

Gatwick Express services will be cancelled.

The following stations will not be served by Southern services towards Clapham Junction until further notice:

• Thornton Heath

• Norbury

• Streatham Common

• Balham

If you are travelling to or from these stations

You will need to use your ticket on London Buses. This will take up to an additional 25 minutes to complete your journey.

Alternatively you can catch a train to Clapham Junction and then travel back on a service that will stop at these stops.

The following stations will not be served by Southern services until further notice:

• Wandsworth Common

• Battersea Park

• Imperial Wharf

• West Brompton

• Kensington (Olympia)

• Shepherds Bush

• Wembley Central

• Harrow & Wealdstone

• Watford Junction

How do I get from Clapham junction to Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone or Watford Junction?

If you are travelling to one of these stations the quickest way from Clapham Junction is to travel to London Victoria on an alternative Southern service. From there you can get the direct Victoria line to London Euston. At London Euston you can catch either a London Overground or London Northwestern Railway service to reach your destination.

Please be aware that this will take up to an additional 30 minutes to your journey today.

How do I get from Clapham junction towards Shepherds Bush?

If require any of the stops from Clapham Junction towards Shepherds Bush then you should catch a London Overground service direct to your destination.

Please be aware this will take up to an additional 30 minutes longer than usual.

How do I get from London Victoria to Eastbourne?

To get to Eastbourne from London Victoria you will need to wait an additional 30 minutes for a service heading towards Ore.

Can I use my ticket with another operator?

You can travel on the following services at no additional cost:

• Southern services between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria

• Thameslink services between Gatwick Airport and London Bridge

• London Northwestern Railway between London Euston and Watford Junction

• London Buses between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction

• London Underground services across London (including between London Victoria and London Euston)

• London Overground between Clapham Junction, Willesden Junction and Watford Junction

• London Trams between Mitcham Junction and Beckenham Junction

Planning your journey

You can check your journey using the Live Departure Boards, and you can view a live map of the network.

You can also see an alternative route guide.

If you're travelling in the London area, you can plan journeys on alternative routes by using the TfL Journey Planner.

Can you tell me more about this incident?

An axle counter failure will disrupt your journey in the Balham area.

This part of the network uses axle counters to detect whether trains are in the area. These are electrical systems which check the passage of train wheels and monitor whether a train is on a section of track. They operate as part of the signalling system, which is designed to be "fail safe".

When an axle counter fails, the signalling system will interpret this as a train remaining in place, even though there may not be a train present at all, or the previous service may have long since left the area.

As a result, further trains cannot be automatically allowed onto the relevant section of track. Train drivers will be stopped by red signals on approach. They will then get verbal permission from the signaller so that they can proceed, and will run at a heavily-reduced speed as far as the next signal. This is so that the drivers will stop safely if they see anything ahead of them.

In some areas, the sections between signals can be several miles long, so this can result in delays building up. Even with shorter sections of track affected, there would still be a delay of at least a few minutes to each journey.

Axle counter faults can be caused by a number of different issues, including electronic faults and debris coming into contact with them. Network Rail manage the signalling system, including axle counters, and their staff will be investigating as quickly as possible.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.