Southern and Network Rail have released an update after the derailment last week near Lewes railway station.

On the 13th August, a train from London derailed near Lewes, with three carriages sliding down an embankment.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have completed its on-site work, with the line being handed back to Network Rail.

The RAIB investigation work is ongoing, but they say an update is due this week.

Recovery work is complex, with the railway being near a river in a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with restricted road access.

Engineers are preparing for two rail-mounted cranes to arrive to help lift the carriages away from the railway so that repair work can commence.

Network Rail has thanked the local community for their support, especially with the incident taking place near to homes and wildlife.

The line between Lewes and Haywards Heath will be closed for at least another 10 days whilst recovery and repair work takes place.

Rail replacement buses will continue to run between Lewes and Haywards Heath via Cooksbridge and Plumpton, though these have limited capacity, and passengers travelling elsewhere should travel via Brighton.

Ticket acceptance is in place with Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern rail services, as well as Brighton and Hove buses and London Underground.

“This is a complex recovery operation in a very difficult location, and our teams are working hard to recover the carriages and repair the railway, to resume services safely as soon as we can.

“We know the closure is disruptive and the recovery work also affects people living close to the railway. I’m grateful for the support and understanding of the local community while we carry out this work, and for the patience of our customers during this time. We are working around the clock to get this done. We will share more updates as the recovery work progresses.”

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex Route Director