Southern Rail: Points failure adds to train disruption amid essential travel only advice during heatwave
Passengers travelling on trains in West Sussex have faced disruption, after a points failure blocked some lines and affected services between Ford, Arundel and Worthing.
The incident came as passengers using Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern services were already being urged to travel only if absolutely necessary, because of extreme heat conditions across parts of the rail network.
In an update posted at 8.35am on Wednesday (June 24), Southern advised that the fault was impacting eastbound services between Ford and Arundel/Worthing, warning passengers that journeys could be delayed and advising them to check before travelling.
The operator later said trains could not run from Ford towards Arundel and London or towards Angmering and Brighton, while services from Horsham and Arundel to Ford and Bognor Regis were also unable to operate.
Some routes remained open, including services from Ford towards Littlehampton and westbound trains from Brighton towards Ford and Chichester.
Southern arranged ticket acceptance on alternative rail routes, including Thameslink, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway services, as well as several Stagecoach bus routes serving destinations including Brighton, Worthing, Littlehampton and Chichester.
Passengers travelling between Barnham and Worthing or Horsham were warned they might need to change trains more often than usual and were advised to allow at least 45 minutes of extra travel time.
At 10.45am, Southern announced that Network Rail had fixed the fault at Arundel Junction.
The operator said it was working to restore services to normal but warned that some delays and cancellations would continue while the timetable recovered.
Rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway warned customers ahead of Wednesday and Thursday that a rare Met Office red extreme heat warning covering large parts of its network could affect services, with speed restrictions and delays possible as temperatures rise.
Jenny Saunders, customer service director at Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink, said: “I’m sorry for the disruption this is going to cause but with such extreme temperatures forecast, we have to run fewer trains, more slowly to keep services safe.
“I’d really urge our customers to think about what’s best for them and to travel only if absolutely necessary on Wednesday and Thursday.
“If you do have to catch a train, then consider travelling earlier or later in the day when it is cooler, or delaying your trip to later in the week.
“Please bring lots of water, wear sunscreen and a hat, and have a backup plan in case of disruption.
“And please do check before you travel on one of our websites as the situation could change along with the forecast.”
Passengers have been advised to continue checking travel information before setting off and to allow extra time for their journeys.