Rail commuters have been stranded at this time amid main disruption on varied routes throughout Britain because of a mix of sign failures, landslides, fallen timber and factors points.
Passengers utilizing Thameslink have been worst-hit as a ‘don’t journey’ warning was issued on a number of routes because of a significant signalling drawback throughout the entire community.
The fault affected Thameslink trains between Cambridge, Bedford and Brighton –whereas additionally impacting Gatwick Specific between London Victoria and Brighton, and Southern providers between London, Littlehampton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ore.
Individually there have been additionally main issues throughout London’s Elizabeth line and on Nice Western Railway routes between Paddington and Studying because of a landslip.
Engineers advised of a difficulty with the timber ‘in conjunction with a chopping between Twyford and Studying the place an unstable space of surrounding earth has been noticed’.
They added that two of the 4 operating strains within the space needed to be taken out of use, with the remaining line capability unable to hold the total marketed prepare service.
Timber have been additionally blocking strains between Maidenhead and Bourne Finish in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire; and between Axminster and Yeovil in Devon and Somerset.
Commuters at Brighton station ready for an announcement about their trains this morning
![The main areas affected between Three Bridges, Brighton and Littlehampton this morning](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/10/81720455-13125649-image-a-9_1708942731229.jpg?resize=634%2C295&ssl=1)
The principle areas affected between Three Bridges, Brighton and Littlehampton this morning
![People wait for updates at Brighton rail station this morning amid major chaos on the network](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/07/81716001-13125649-image-a-27_1708932721951.jpg?resize=634%2C423&ssl=1)
Folks look forward to updates at Brighton rail station this morning amid main chaos on the community
Community Rail mentioned the problems on Thameslink have been brought on by a ‘substantial fault’ in a single day, affecting tools between Three Bridges and the south coast.
It added that Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Specific have been attempting to run as many trains as potential, however ‘regardless of a lot of the tools being restored, there are nonetheless issues with varied units of factors’.
Officers mentioned there have been ‘nonetheless solely a really restricted variety of strains accessible to run trains by way of Hove, Preston Park and Haywards Heath’, and the ‘discount within the capability for trains means we’re having to cancel numerous them’.
Individually, Thameslink additionally reported points between Luton and Rainham because of a factors failure between London Bridge and Charlton.
This meant all strains have been disrupted, with fewer Thameslink trains will be capable to run on the road in the direction of Dartford – and providers having to be diverted by way of Lewisham as a substitute of Greenwich.
Folks took to social media this morning to precise their frustration on the chaos.
One social media consumer wrote: ‘Ridiculous, been engaged on this observe all weekend – and as so typically occurs, then create new issues for rush hour Monday! Unhealthy planning, poor engineering?’
One other individual wrote: ‘This isn’t what we wish to learn on a Monday morning! Travelling with Southern Rail is exhausting! There’s by no means ever a clean service!’
Southern providers between Littlehampton and London Victoria have been suspended till additional discover.
Anybody travelling on this route was suggested to journey by way of Horsham or use Stagecoach 700 buses to journey to Brighton for various providers from there.
![A rail worker speaks to a woman at Brighton station this morning amid mass travel chaos](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/07/81715885-13125649-image-a-10_1708931682243.jpg?resize=634%2C423&ssl=1)
A rail employee speaks to a girl at Brighton station this morning amid mass journey chaos
![Train cancellations at Brighton station towards Southampton, Hove and London Victoria today](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/07/81715893-13125649-image-a-12_1708931698112.jpg?resize=634%2C423&ssl=1)
Prepare cancellations at Brighton station in the direction of Southampton, Hove and London Victoria at this time
![An empty station at Brighton this morning as trains have been cancelled by Southern Rail](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/07/81715887-13125649-image-a-11_1708931684222.jpg?resize=634%2C423&ssl=1)
An empty station at Brighton this morning as trains have been cancelled by Southern Rail
Providers to and from Brighton have been anticipated to be very busy this morning because of this.
Southern Rail supplied an inventory of different providers that folks can use their tickets on, this consists of buses and Stagecoach providers.
Passengers seeking to journey on this route at this time can use tickets on Nice Northern Trains or another Thameslink service.
Trains are nonetheless operating between Brighton , Hastings and Eastbourne. Community Rail is analyzing the observe and shall be offering updates.
A Southern Rail spokesperson mentioned this morning: ‘As a result of a significant signalling fault throughout the entire Southern community, no trains shall be operating till additional discover.
‘Don’t journey on any Southern route till additional discover. We’re at present monitoring the state of affairs and can present updates as quickly as potential.’
Thameslink issued an identical message.
![](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/26/07/81715705-13125649-image-a-9_1708930810749.jpg?resize=634%2C348&ssl=1)
There was a decreased service between Brighton and Three Bridges and Brighton and Chichester, that means providers which have been operating have been anticipated to be busier than standard and queuing methods have been in place at some stations.
Thameslink trains is not going to cease at Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill or Westcombe Park.
A Community Rail spokesperson mentioned: ‘At 3.04am there was a lack of energy throughout some the UK Energy Networks which considerably impacted our Three Bridges signalling centre which controls the signalling throughout nearly all of our Sussex route.
‘All signalling was restored at 6.30am and whereas some Southern providers have resumed working throughout the Sussex route, various Southern and Thameslink providers stay considerably disrupted and there are at present no Gatwick Specific providers in operation till additional discover.
‘We’re actually sorry to any passengers disrupted this morning and we encourage passengers to examine with their prepare operator earlier than travelling for the most recent data and updates.’