RAIB Finds Track Defect in Lewes Derailment That Injured 30 as Heat Hit 33C
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19
RAIB Finds Track Defect in Lewes Derailment That Injured 30 as Heat Hit 33C
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 19
Summary
RAIB said an initial investigation found a track "irregularity" near Lewes where a Southern Rail train derailed last Thursday, sending three carriages down an embankment and injuring 30 people.
CCTV from a train that passed the site at 14:04 BST showed the defect just before the derailment point; the London Victoria-Eastbourne service later came off the tracks at about 15:54 BST while traveling around 65 mph.
Several passengers on earlier trains had reported rough riding at the same location, and investigators are now examining how that stretch of track and the embankment were inspected and maintained.
Temperatures reached 33C shortly before the crash, and RAIB said the clay embankment and underlying material can shift as moisture levels change, putting hot-weather mitigation at the center of the inquiry.
Network Rail and Greater Thameslink Railway apologized and said they would consider any recommendations, while the Department for Transport said rail safety remains the top priority.