Lineside fire disrupts Southern Thameslink and Gatwick Express for rest of day

Damage to both running and power rails as a result of the fire

Passengers on the Brighton Mainline are warned to expect disruption on their journeys today after a lineside fire in the Gatwick area this morning.

The fire, caused by a problem with the power supply means that two out of the four tracks in the area will be out of use for the rest of the day.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: ‘We’re really sorry for the delays that passengers are experiencing today. Our engineers are onsite working to repair the damage caused by the fire.

“The damage is quite extensive, so it’s difficult to give a firm estimate as to when the railway will return to normal.

“In the meantime we are advising passengers to check before they travel on either www.southernrailway.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk.”

Dyan Crowther, Chief Operating Officer for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “Our passengers on Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express were all disrupted this morning and will continue to be for the rest of the day with delays of up to 35 minutes. Anyone who is held up by 30 minutes or more should claim compensation at any one of our websites or ask station staff for a form.”

The fire melted electrical cables and the conductor rail which provides power to trains.

See the video on twitter,courtesy of Richie @RICHIPRODUCTION here.