A passenger train derailed close to Lewes railway station on Thursday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency emergency response and travel disruption across the locality.
Emergency teams on site
British Transport Police (BTP), East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service were among the emergency services attending the incident after it was reported at 15:54 BST.
"Officers are currently on scene close to Lewes railway station following reports of a derailed train at 3.54pm today (13 August). We’re responding alongside paramedics and the fire service and will provide more information as soon as we can."
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it was called to an incident near the station and said other emergency services had been alerted. The service advised: "Please avoid the area."
A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance Service said they were notified shortly before 16:00 BST and had deployed a number of ambulance resources, including specialist teams. The service said it was working alongside other emergency responders and would provide updates when able.
Officials and operators responding
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “deeply concerned” by reports of the derailment and thanked emergency workers on the scene. She said the Department for Transport and the rail industry were working with local partners to assist passengers.
National Rail and Southern — the operator named in initial reports — have issued updates to customers following the incident. At the time of writing, the official cause of the derailment had not been confirmed.
What is known so far
- Time reported: 15:54 BST on 13 August.
- Location: Near Lewes railway station, East Sussex.
- Agencies attending: BTP, fire service, ambulance service and local partners.
- Cause: Unconfirmed — social media reports suggested a landslide but this has not been verified officially.
Images circulated on social media, including posts by passengers, appear to show interior scenes of the train after the incident. One user online attributed the derailment to a landslide; however, emergency services and rail authorities have not confirmed this as the cause.
Impact and advice for the public
People living and working near Lewes have been urged to avoid the immediate area to allow crews to operate and to keep local roads and rail approaches clear. Commuters should expect significant disruption on routes serving Lewes while operators assess the site and any infrastructure damage.
At this stage there has been no official statement detailing injuries or the number of people involved. The ambulance service said it would share further information as it became available.
Timeline (confirmed)
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 15:54 BST | Derailment reported near Lewes railway station |
| Shortly before 16:00 BST | South East Coast Ambulance Service called and deployed resources |
Further updates are expected from British Transport Police, rail operators and local emergency services as they continue work at the scene. Drivers and rail passengers are advised to check National Rail and operator channels for the latest travel information.
I am at the periphery of the cordon and will bring further verified details as emergency services release them. For now, authorities’ priority appears to be scene safety, casualty care where required and establishing what caused the train to leave the tracks.
Anyone with information about the incident, or with footage that could assist the investigation, should contact British Transport Police through the force’s official channels rather than sharing unverified material across social media.
