Lewes train derailment repairs expected to cost £5.4m

The crash on August 13, about one mile north of Lewes station, saw three of the train's eight carriages derailed and overturned on the embankment.

The train, a Southern service from London Victoria to Eastbourne, was travelling on the East Coastway line between Cooksbridge and Lewes Tunnel.

It was carrying about 150 people. Thirty were injured and twenty were taken to hospital, including two who suffered serious injuries.

Eighteen passengers were discharged the following day.

The route between Haywards Heath and Lewes was closed for more than two weeks after the incident.

In its response to a Freedom of Information request, Network Rail said the “anticipated final cost” of repairs was £5.4m.

The letter said: “These costs will cover a range of activities associated with recovery after an event like this, including hiring heavy plant machinery and infrastructure renewal and repair.”

Sim Harris, managing editor of industry newspaper Railnews, said the sum was “a lot of money”, but added there was relevant context behind the bill.

Mr Harris said: “The reality is all kinds of costs will have arisen, it was a derailment involving three coaches which turned over on an embankment.

“They will have been damaged to some extent. They had to be retrieved, they had to get special cranes in.

“The line was closed for quite a while, that means disruption, and that means at the moment delay attribution charges which Network Rail has to pay to the operators.”

An interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch in August said a rail track defect existed where the train derailed.

CCTV images from services that travelled along the line before the crash showed what investigators described as a “track geometry irregularity”.

The RAIB also published an image that appeared to show the track had buckled, which it can do during high temperatures.

Several passengers are taking legal action against Southern Rail over physical and psychological injuries.

Claire Hutchinson, partner and head of serious injury at Fletchers Solicitors, who are assisting people with claims connected to the incident, said: “We've seen passengers as young as six, up to 57-years-old affected by this incident, many of whom have been left psychologically affected as well as suffering physical injuries.

“This was a deeply distressing experience for all the passengers involved, and we would encourage anyone who has been affected to get in touch with Fletchers to see how we can support you.”

A joint spokesperson for Southern and Network Rail said: “All our thoughts continue to be with our passengers who were affected by the derailment in Lewes on August 13. We understand how distressing this incident will have been for them.

“The duty of care we hold towards our customers and their wellbeing is something which we take very seriously, and we’ll always aim to do the right thing by them.”