Signal failures have led to a second day if disruption to mainline railway services between Brighton and London.
The delays and disruption are also affecting passengers from other south coast stations as they try to reach the capital.
Rail bosses said that engineering work had overrun and the wet and windy weather had compounded things.
Several services to London – about one in two – were cancelled for the first few hours, according to the departure boards at Brighton station first thing this morning (Friday 20 October).
The train operator Southern said: “Due to a fault with the signalling system between Haywards Heath and Three Bridges, trains have to run at a reduced speed on the line towards Brighton and the coast.
“As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised.
“Disruption is expected until 7am.
“Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains will be severely disrupted by overrunning engineering work to resolve a signalling fault in the Balcombe area, between Haywards Heath and Three Bridges.
“No trains will run between Haywards Heath and Three Bridges in either direction, until roughly 7am this morning.
“If you intend to travel before this time on a train which runs between Brighton and London, we strongly advise you to delay your journey until later in the day.
“If you do travel before 7am, you will need to use an alternative route and it will take up to 60 minutes longer than usual to reach your destination.
“Thameslink trains which would run from Brighton or Haywards Heath will instead start from Three Bridges where possible, with a Thameslink shuttle service running between Brighton and Haywards Heath.
“Some Southern trains which run between Eastbourne or Ore and London Victoria will instead run between Eastbourne / Ore and Haywards Heath. Early morning trains between Brighton and Hastings / Ashford will be severely disrupted.”
Another day, another signal failure. Nothing new there, when it comes to Southern. Hardly a day goes by when there isn’t some form of disruption with that incompetent company.
Track and signals are the responsibility of Network Rail not Southern.
GTR shareholders laughing all the way to the bank with the compensation paid to them by the taxpayer (ahem, Network Rail) then……
Yet we are also continually told there is no financial case for Lewes to Uckfield re-opening to create an alternative diversion whilst at the same time restoring links which would take a lot of traffic off the A26 and A27.
How about setting up a Gatwick – Shoreham air shuttle with an A380, probably pay for itself given the amount that has been spent on closures to “upgrade”?
Don’t forget if you have been ripped off by the big GTR fares swindle to register online at https://www.gtrclaim.co.uk/Home/portalid/0?portalid=0