Two people seriously injured as London train derails near Lewes
A Southern Rail train derailed in East Sussex, leaving two people with serious injuries and causing major travel disruption.
Two people sustained serious injuries after a Southern Rail train derailed in East Sussex on Thursday, 13 August 2026. The incident prompted the British Transport Police to declare a major incident.
The derailment occurred shortly before 4pm in the area between Haywards Heath and Lewes. The affected stretch lies between Landport Road and the River Ouse, approximately a mile north of the town's railway station. Online photographs showed multiple carriages lying on their sides, with passengers clambering out and standing on top of the wreckage to escape.
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Passengers inside the carriages described terrifying scenes as the vehicle began to sway and rock before coming to a sudden halt. Yana Ludwig, a passenger on board, told reporters that the carriage went topsy-turvy during the ordeal. Another traveller, Rob Bradley, who was on the train with his young daughter, recalled feeling the train speed up, rock, and jump vertically upwards before emergency brakes activated and smoke and dust filled the cabin. Witnesses reported that the train skidded for quite a while before stopping, leaving the rear carriage completely on its side at the bottom of a small embankment.
Emergency responders rushed to the location, deploying a significant multi-agency rescue operation. The British Transport Police responded alongside paramedics and fire crews. According to East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, 10 fire engines were deployed to the scene alongside a command support unit, technical rescue teams, and officers. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust also responded to the major incident. While some passengers were initially trapped in overturned carriages, authorities confirmed that all individuals had been successfully evacuated.
Medical personnel treated numerous patients at the site, where a large emergency response included helicopters waiting in a field. The South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that two individuals suffered serious injuries and were transported to major trauma centres. Differing figures emerged regarding less subsequent casualties: one report noted that nine patients sustained less severe injuries, whereas another emergency update put the number of less seriously injured people higher. Uninjured passengers were taken to a local community centre, where partner agencies provided support.
Politicians and transport officials expressed deep concern over the crash. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated on social media that she was working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to assist those affected. Local representatives, including Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde and Lewes MP James MacCleary, also monitored the unfolding situation, with Babarinde noting that a constituent had suffered rib injuries.
The exact cause of the derailment remains under investigation. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch deployed a team of inspectors to the site to gather evidence. Speculation regarding infrastructure integrity arose after photographs appeared to show buckled tracks, though specialists will investigate whether the warped rails caused the derailment or resulted from it. Observers noted that the incident occurred on a very hot day, raising questions regarding how extreme temperatures can affect steel tracks.
Impact and Travel Disruptions
- No trains are running between Lewes and Haywards Heath, Brighton, Seaford, or Eastbourne.
- Cooksbridge and Plumpton stations remain unserved.
- Passengers travelling to Gatwick Airport have been advised to allow at least an extra 150 minutes for their journeys.
- Replacement bus services have been requested from Haywards Heath and Lewes stations.
- Southern Rail issued a do-not-travel instruction for the affected area for the remainder of the day and urged the public to avoid the location.
Investigators will continue examining the site in the coming days to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the derailment, while network operators work to clear the wreckage and restore services to the affected lines.
