Passengers across south-east England are facing severe travel chaos this Wednesday morning, as major train operators have issued a stark "do not travel" warning. Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express, all part of the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise, are urging commuters to avoid journeys if possible due to multiple incidents causing significant disruption.
Root Causes of the Disruption
The disruption stems from two primary issues. Firstly, a train derailment has occurred inside a depot in Selhurst, located in south-east London. Secondly, a critical fault has been identified with the signalling system between London Blackfriars and Norwood Junction. These problems have combined to create a perfect storm for rail services in the region.
National Rail Enquiries has confirmed that the signalling fault is particularly impactful, as it reduces the number of available rail lines between Norwood Junction and London Blackfriars. Trains that are still operating on these lines must travel at significantly slower speeds than usual, exacerbating delays across the network.
Affected Routes and Service Changes
The consequences of these incidents are widespread, with numerous services suspended or altered. Key routes affected include:
- Services between London Bridge and East Grinstead are currently suspended.
- Trains running from Orpington to Luton are not operating.
- The route between Brighton and Cambridge is also suspended.
- Services from Bedford to Three Bridges are halted.
In addition to these suspensions, several services are operating on reduced routes. For instance, trains that typically run between Welwyn Garden City and Sevenoaks are now only operating between London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks. Similarly, services between Rainham and Luton are limited to running between Rainham and Dartford only.
Some trains, such as those between Horsham and Peterborough or Brighton and Bedford, may be rerouted via Selhurst instead of Norwood Junction to navigate around the signalling issues. Passengers are advised to check their specific journeys before travelling, as alternative routes may be necessary.
Advice for Passengers
Southern has issued clear guidance to those who must travel today. They recommend allowing an additional 60 minutes for journeys and checking train statuses in advance. If possible, passengers should consider delaying their travel until later in the day to avoid the worst of the disruption.
Govia Thameslink Railway, which also includes the Great Northern operator, is the largest railway franchise in the UK by passenger numbers, accounting for approximately 18% of all train journeys in the country. This scale means that the current issues are affecting a substantial portion of the nation's rail network, highlighting the severity of the situation.
As the day progresses, updates will be provided, but for now, the message remains clear: avoid travel if you can, and prepare for significant delays if you must venture out.
