Track 'irregularity' found at site of Lewes train derailment, report says

Wednesday, 19 August 2026 13:38

Train investigators looking into last week's derailment in Lewes have said an "irregularity" existed on the approach to the site where the accident took place.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) says the "track geometry irregularity" was visible in CCTV images taken immediately before the derailment in East Sussex.

It attached an image to the report taken from a train moving in the opposite direction showing the irregularity.

Around 150 people were on the train when it derailed, the report says, adding that 30 people were injured in the accident, with 20 people requiring hospital treatment, some with serious injuries.

Significant damage was also caused to the train and to railway infrastructure.

Since the incident, RAIB says it has received "several reports of rough riding" at the same location from passengers on other trains.

Did hot weather play a role?

The report says the accident took place "during a sustained period of hot and dry weather" and that the ambient air temperature in the area was around 27C at the time of the derailment.

It also says that the ⁠railway embankment at the site was constructed of material that can be sensitive to changes in water content.

The RAIB said that, at this stage, there is no evidence that a significant embankment slip occurred before the accident but there "is evidence that some movement had previously taken place".

The ongoing investigation will consider factors including "the effectiveness of any hot weather mitigation and the condition of the train, track and embankment".

A full report will be published once the investigation is complete.

Sky News