Haywards Heath to Lewes railway is open following major repair programme  

Route(s) affected

Between London Victoria and Eastbourne / Ore, and also between Brighton and Seaford / Eastbourne / Ore

Description

The railway between Haywards Heath and Lewes is open for passenger services, following the successful completion of a major recovery operation and extensive repairs after the derailment near Lewes on Thursday 13 August.

Engineers have worked around the clock to recover the train, repair the railway and carry out extensive testing to ensure the route is safe and reliable for the return of passenger services.

The work has included:

• Recovering and removing the derailed train

• Rebuilding and stabilising the embankment

• Replacing damaged track and infrastructure

• Reinstating signalling equipment and railway systems

• Completing comprehensive testing and safety checks, including successful test train operations

The location of the derailment, close to the River Ouse and within a sensitive environmental area, made the recovery and repair operation particularly complex. Teams from across the railway industry have worked together throughout August to safely restore the railway as quickly as possible.

Customer travel information

• Services between Haywards Heath and Lewes have resumed

• Journey planners are updated and customers are advised to check before travelling

We recognise the significant impact this closure has had on customers, communities and schools across the area, and thank you for your patience and understanding while teams worked to safely reopen the railway.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey for today 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.