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Investigators cite heat-buckled track before Lewes derailment
An interim Rail Accident Investigation Branch report says rear-facing CCTV showed a “track geometry irregularity” already present when the incident occurred near Lewes on Aug. 13.
A UK train derailment near Lewes, East Sussex, that injured 30 people is being linked to a track defect that appeared to have existed before the incident, according to an interim investigation published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. The watchdog said rear-facing CCTV images showed a “track geometry irregularity” on the approach to where the train derailed, and that track buckling can occur in high temperatures.
The report attributed the apparent defect to conditions that included a sustained period of hot and dry weather, with the ambient air temperature at the time estimated at about 27C based on the nearest weather station. The incident involved a train passing the location at 14:04 on Aug. 13, 2026, with the irregularity visible in the CCTV view.
Network Rail and the company that operates Southern, GTR, apologized in a joint statement. Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, and John Whitehurst, GTR’s chief executive, said safety remains their top priority and that they are focused on understanding what happened and identifying lessons.
The line between Lewes and Haywards Heath is expected to remain closed until at least the end of service on Aug. 26, the operators said. The closure is intended to allow recovery work, including lifting derailed carriages by crane, and to ensure evidence preservation for the investigation.