A major incident was declared in East Sussex on Thursday after a passenger train derailed near Lewes railway station, resulting in 20 injuries, two of which are considered serious. The 14:24 BST Southern service, which was traveling from London Victoria to Eastbourne, left the tracks shortly before 16:00 BST. British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed that three carriages derailed during the incident. While some passengers were initially trapped, all 150 individuals on board have now been safely evacuated.
Photographs from the scene showed people standing on top of overturned carriages, with passengers describing “pandemonium” on board and screaming. Chief Superintendent Dominique Ioannou stated that emergency crews worked to rescue those trapped before assessing and treating patients at the scene, with some individuals subsequently transported to local hospitals. She said while two people sustained serious injuries, a further 18 suffered less serious injuries.
“The train started rocking violently and then I remember clocking eyes with this guy and then there was a lot of screaming,” passenger Rachel Heath said. She noted that “everyone had jelly legs” following the impact. Another passenger, Rob Bradley, who was traveling with his six-year-old daughter, described the experience as “pandemonium,” noting that his carriage jumped upwards before the derailment occurred.
“There was a mum who was bleeding from her mouth and a dad and his son who had cuts. It was like a movie,” one witness recounted. Passengers described the carriage landing on its side and sliding, with many fearing the train would flip over completely. The emergency brakes were activated, throwing passengers forward as the train skidded before coming to a halt, leaving the rear of the train exposed to smoke and dust.
Yana Ludwig, a 56-year-old passenger, described the moments leading up to the crash as “topsy turvy,” noting that the air conditioning failed, making the environment inside the train incredibly hot. Despite the fear, she noted that passengers pulled together to check on one another. John May, another passenger, stated the service was packed and that he felt fortunate his carriage remained on the embankment while the last three carriages rolled into a field.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed she was “deeply concerned” and confirmed the government is working with the rail industry to assist those affected. Local MPs Josh Babarinde and James MacCleary also issued statements, with MacCleary describing the situation as a “serious and developing incident” and confirming he is in contact with the relevant authorities.
The emergency response involved 10 fire engines, a command support unit, and technical rescue teams from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Police and ambulance services were stationed on Landport Road to coordinate the evacuation and medical triage. University Hospitals Sussex NHS confirmed it was responding to the major incident as patients were brought in for treatment.
Network Rail stated it would be “inappropriate” to comment on the cause of the derailment at this stage. The company is working closely with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to conduct a thorough inquiry. BTP assistant chief constable Ian Drummond-Smith confirmed that the scene remains a complex, ongoing multi-agency operation as investigators examine the wreckage.
The incident caused significant disruption to rail routes in the area, with authorities advising the public to avoid the vicinity of Lewes station. South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that passengers who did not require hospital treatment were transported to a designated reception center for further support and assessment.
As the investigation continues, officials are gathering witness accounts to piece together the timeline of the derailment. The focus remains on the welfare of the passengers and the stabilization of the site. Authorities have encouraged anyone with information or those who were on the train to contact the relevant channels for support and to provide statements.
The scale of the response highlights the severity of the derailment, which saw carriages tumble into a field adjacent to the tracks. Emergency personnel worked through the evening to ensure all passengers were accounted for and that the site was safe. The rail industry is expected to provide further updates as the recovery phase progresses over the coming days.
The incident remains under active investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, which has deployed teams to the site to analyze the track conditions and the train’s mechanical systems. Further details regarding the cause of the derailment will be released once the preliminary findings are concluded by the investigators.
“Only then, when we turned around, did we see the whole back of the train was open and smoke and dust were pouring into the carriage.”
Everything just went topsy turvy,” the 56-year-old from the United States said.
“It seemed like a really long time but it probably was 10 seconds of that before the carriage actually fell on the side.”
She said she was “pretty banged up”, adding that everyone in the train was checking on their fellow passengers.
“These moments everybody kind of pulls together,” she said.
Oriana Evans, who lives nearby, said she and her son helped passengers as they were led off the train towards the community centre.
“I walked and chatted to some of them in shock really,” the 54-year-old jewellery maker said.
She said they were “really bruised”.
Network Rail said the derailment had closed all lines running through the station, with major disruption expected until 22:00.
A spokesperson said: “Trains are currently unable to run through the area to allow the emergency services to attend the incident.”
Carriages came off the tracks and ended up on their sides
Tickets were being accepted on alternative Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services with rail replacement buses arranged for travel to Lewes and to Haywards Heath.
The railway operator advised those travelling to Gatwick to allow “at least an extra 150 minutes for your journey” or use an alternative route.
Follow Sussex on Facebook, external, X, external, and on Instagram, external and listen to Radio Sussex on Sounds.
Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@.co.uk, external or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
