Train derailments occur in southern and eastern England

On Thursday, August 13, 2026, a passenger train operated by Southern Rail derailed near Lewes in East Sussex, England, shortly before 16:00 local time. The train, which was traveling from London with approximately 150 passengers on board, saw at least three of its carriages overturn. Emergency services, including police, firefighters, and paramedics, arrived promptly at the scene. Twenty people were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment; while two suffered serious injuries, authorities confirmed their lives are not in danger, and all passengers were safely evacuated from the wreckage.

A second, separate incident occurred the following day, Friday, August 14, when a Greater Anglia train derailed near Wickford in Essex. Unlike the Lewes incident, the train remained upright on the tracks, and authorities reported no injuries among the passengers. The cause of both derailments remains under investigation, and rail services in the affected areas were temporarily suspended as crews worked to secure the sites and restore transit operations.