Lines reopened: disruption between Purley and East Croydon expected until 15:00 

Route(s) affected

Gatwick Express between Brighton and London Victoria

Southern between Portsmouth Harbour / Portsmouth & Southsea / Bognor Regis / Littlehampton / Ore / Eastbourne / Reigate and London Victoria, between Tattenham Corner and Purley, and also between Caterham and London Bridge

Thameslink between Brighton / Three Bridges and Bedford, between Brighton and Cambridge, and also between Horsham and Peterborough

Description

Following trespassers on the railway between Purley and East Croydon, all lines have now reopened.

Whilst service recovers, trains running between these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until 15:00.

Customer advice:

Trains can start to run as booked in the Purley Oaks area. There will be some residual disruption whilst services resume. Please allow at least an extra 30 minutes to reach your destination.

There will be following changes to services:

• Gatwick Express services are currently suspended. You will need to use alternative Southern or Thameslink trains to complete your journey. Your existing ticket will be accepted at no extra cost on these services.

• Services that normally run between Caterham and London Bridge, will run fast between Purley and East Croydon. If you require stations between Purley and East Croydon you will need to use an alternative route.

• Services that normally run between Littlehampton and London Victoria, may not call at Gatwick Airport or Haywards Heath. Please ensure you check station boards before departure.

• Services that normally run between Ore and London Victoria, may not call at Gatwick Airport or Haywards Heath. Please ensure you check station boards before departure.

These changes should help to congestion and return services to a normal timetable.

For the latest information, please check station boards or the online journey planners.

Planning your journey:

You can view live departure boards, and 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.

The Southern app will also help you plan your journey.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

A trespass incident has been reported in the Purley Oaks area.

In this case, trains have been stopped entirely, as it's not safe to run services past the person. Emergency services and Network Rail responders are attending to make sure the person is removed.

Trespassing on the railway is very dangerous. Trains run all day, every day - whether passenger trains, freight trains or specialist engineering work machines. It's not possible to be sure that you can hear when a train is coming, and in many cases, you won't see a train until it is very close to you.

In many areas, trains are powered by an electric third rail, which carries a dangerous electric current. There are also other electrical systems and cables, slippery surfaces, steep drops and other hazards.

Network Rail manage the railway infrastructure, and they're working hard to educate everyone about these dangers and prevent people from accessing the track. You can see their latest safety campaigns here.

As well as the dangers, trespassing on the railway is also illegal, and obstructing the railway can carry severe penalties.

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.