Rail passengers told not to travel amid 'extreme disruption' to SWR services following derailment

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Network Rail says early investigations show the front wheels of the train have derailed. Credit: Network Rail Wessex

Passengers are being warned not to travel on South Western Railway services to London Waterloo following a train derailment.

The incident happened after a train struck an object in the Walton-on-Thames area on Monday (4 March) morning.

The lines are currently closed between Woking and Surbiton, while Network Rail carry out a safety inspection of the track from Walton-On-Thames to Weybridge.

Network Rail Wessex say early investigations show the front wheels of a train derailed.

No one was injured and all passengers were safely escorted from the carriages.

Train services from London Waterloo have been suspended until further notice while investigations are carried out. Credit: Facebook

South Western Railway is asking people not to attempt to travel on services which run between Woking and London Waterloo.

This is having a knock-on impact on services further down the SWR network, including from Bournemouth, Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton, Winchester and Basingstoke.

Services from Reading are still running, albeit with delays and cancellations due to the impact of the closure.

The rail company has apologised for the disruption, which is expected until the end of the day.

Advice issued by South Western Railway following the derailment on Monday morning. Credit: South Western Railway

In order to get the front wheels of the train back on the running rails, Network Rail Wessex say its 'rerailing' team will use hydraulic jacks and airbags inflated.

These will be placed underneath the front wheels of the train, to lift it back onto the track before it's towed away.

Engineers will then replace a 60m section of the third rail and some damaged signalling and high-voltage power cables.

Network Rail say it will be 'working very closely' with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to understand what happened.

Network Rail is working alongside the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to understand why the train derailed. Credit: Network Rail Wessex

In a statement, Stuart Meek, Chief Operating Officer, SWR said: "Incidents such as these are thankfully rare and we are all grateful nobody was hurt, in part due to the quick actions of our driver in bringing the train to a safe stop and the calm and professional way my SWR colleagues guided our customers to safety.

"It has been a difficult day for customers across our network though, and l'm sorry for the disruption this morning's partial train derailment near Walton-on-Thames has caused to their journeys and plans.

"We are working incredibly hard with our colleagues at Network Rail to safely reopen the railway in time for the first trains on Tuesday, but given the uncertainty, please check journey planners before you set off."

South Western Railway says although complex repair works are ongoing, there is 'some risk' that they won't be completed before rush hour on Tuesday 5 March.

The rail company says tickets for Monday's services can be used on trains on Tuesday, providing services are running.

Tickets will be accepted on the following services:

  • London Underground

  • Great Western Railway

  • Elizabeth Line between London Paddington and Reading

  • Southern Railway between London Victoria and Portsmouth and Southampton

  • TfL buses to cover all reasonable routes

  • Cross Country services between Reading and Bournemouth in both directions

Bournemouth to Weymouth:

  • Morebus M1 and M2 between Bournemouth - Branksome - Parkstone - Poole

  • Morebus 16 and 17 between Bournemouth - Parkstone - Poole

  • Morebus 20 between Bournemouth - Branksome - Parkstone - Poole

  • Morebus 40 between Poole and Wareham

  • Morebus 8 and 9 between Poole and Hamworthy

  • First Bus X51 between Weymouth and Dorchester South

  • First Bus X54 between Poole - Hamworthy - Wareham - Wool - Weymouth

  • First Bus 10 between Weymouth - Upwey - Dorchester