Planning for derailed train recovery under way

Planning to remove the damaged train which derailed near Lewes is under way after investigators completed their inquiries into the incident.

Three carriages of a passenger train came off the track at Lewes on Thursday which left two people with serious but not life-threatening injuries and another 18 taken to hospital.

The line between Lewes and Haywards Heath remains closed with disruption set to continue "until further notice", Southern Railway says.

Lucy McAuliffe, route director for Sussex at Network Rail, said the site had been formally handed back to Network Rail after the Rail Accident Investigation Branch completed its inquiry.

"This allows us to start the next phase of this recovery operation," she explains.

"Engineers, operations teams and industry partners are working together to keep the site safe and plan the next phase."

She says their priority is to recover the derailed carriages, assess the infrastructure and reopen the railway line as soon as possible.

Network Rail said more details of this recovery process would be announced in due course.

Details of the investigation are yet to be released by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

The train left the tracks in Lewes at about 15:44 BST on Thursday 13 August.

The incident occurred as the Eastbourne-bound Southern service approached the East Sussex town from London Victoria.

About 150 people were on the train - the 14:24 service from London Victoria to Eastbourne - when it derailed.

All the passengers were evacuated from the carriages with the help of the emergency services.

Passengers are being advised to check their journey before travelling and allow extra time.

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