Overview
- Network Rail engineers discovered multiple sinkholes under a bridge near Purley during planned weekend works, triggering an immediate safety closure of all lines between Purley and East Croydon.
- The closure suspended services to and from Gatwick Airport, including the Gatwick Express, and operators advised passengers not to travel because trains cannot run through the affected section.
- Rail-replacement buses have been put in place and many operators are accepting alternative tickets, but demand has left travellers queuing for hours with reports of long waits, high taxi fares and local road congestion.
- Engineers have carried out structural inspections and are working to 'plug the gaps' in the ballast so trains can run again, and operators say disruption is expected to continue into Monday morning while repairs and safety sign-off proceed.
- The blocked section sits on the Brighton Main Line, a key artery linking London termini with Gatwick and the Sussex coast, so the closure has caused knock-on cancellations and delays across Southern and Thameslink services and may affect travel plans beyond the immediate area.