Train Chaos Hits South-East England After Selhurst Derailment

Commuters across south-east England woke up to a travel nightmare on February 4, 2026, as a cascade of rail incidents brought the region’s busiest train networks to a grinding halt. From the early hours, passengers on Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and the London Overground’s Windrush line faced severe delays, cancellations, and a blunt warning: unless absolutely necessary, don’t travel.

According to BBC News, the chaos began when a Southern train derailed inside the Selhurst depot in south-east London. At almost the same time, a critical signalling fault struck between London Blackfriars and Norwood Junction, a key artery for commuters heading into and out of the capital. The combination of these two incidents triggered a chain reaction across the rail network, forcing operators to issue a rare “do not travel” alert just as the morning rush hour began.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the UK’s largest railway franchise and operator of Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express, scrambled to contain the fallout. In a statement cited by Express.co.uk, GTR explained, “A fault with the signalling system between Norwood Junction and London Bridge, along with a train derailment at Selhurst depot are causing the disruption.” The company apologized for the upheaval, saying it was “very sorry for the disruption” that passengers experienced.

For those who braved the journey, the reality was grim. Commuters reported scenes of “carnage” at stations, with platforms packed and information boards flashing delay after delay. One frustrated traveler vented on social media, “It’s the morning rush hour, most of us can’t simply ‘not travel’. We have to go to work. And for lots of us, that means using the ONLY RAIL NETWORK THAT RUNS THROUGH OUR STATION. We can’t choose another one. We can’t choose another rail route. And the fact that, once again, the entire Thameslink line is down, is a god damn disgrace. It is utterly unreliable.”

The impact was widespread. As Sussex Express reported, the disruption rippled across Sussex and the wider south-east, with major lines from Brighton to Bedford and Cambridge particularly hard-hit. London Overground’s Windrush line also suffered, with disruption expected to last until midday on Thursday, February 5. The affected operators urged passengers to allow at least an extra 45 minutes for their journeys, and in many cases, an additional hour—especially for those traveling to airports like Gatwick or Luton, where missing a connection could mean a missed flight.

National Rail, working in tandem with GTR, implemented a ticket acceptance scheme to ease the pressure. Passengers could use their tickets on alternative Thameslink and Great Northern trains, East Midlands Railway services, London buses, the Tube, the Elizabeth line, and even local bus networks in Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. “To assist you with your journey, you can use your ticket on the below alternative services at no extra cost,” Southern advised on social media, listing a slew of alternative routes and modes of transport.

Despite the scale of the disruption, there was one small mercy: no injuries were reported from the Selhurst derailment. Southern confirmed, “There were no injuries regarding the Selhurst Depot derailment. However, the derailment means that trains are unable to leave the depot, leading to cancellations and altered services.” Network Rail’s Kent and Sussex division posted, “Our teams are on site and specialist staff are supporting the response while the incident is investigated. We’ll provide further updates as soon as possible.”

As engineers worked tirelessly to clear the derailed train and restore the crippled signalling systems, the knock-on effects continued. According to National Rail Enquiries, the fault meant fewer rail lines were available between Norwood Junction and London Blackfriars, forcing trains to run at slower speeds and resulting in suspended services on several major routes. These included London Bridge to East Grinstead, Orpington to Luton, Brighton to Cambridge, and Bedford to Three Bridges. Trains that usually ran between Welwyn Garden City and Sevenoaks were only operating between London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks, while others were rerouted or suspended entirely.

For some, the alternative was to travel to London Victoria instead of London Bridge, as advised by Southern: “If you are looking to travel to/from London Bridge, there is a significantly reduced service. You may be best to travel to London Victoria as an alternative.”

By midday, some signs of improvement emerged. The “do not travel” alert was officially lifted, but operators warned that significant disruption would persist through the evening peak and, for certain lines, into the next day. As BBC News noted, “Trains are mostly running again but Govia Thameslink Railway is warning customers that delays and disruption will remain in place until the end of the day across its services on the Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express routes.” The Windrush line was expected to remain disrupted until at least midday Thursday.

Rail unions, meanwhile, called for answers. The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) demanded a full explanation for the “severe rail chaos” that paralyzed the network. General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said, “As ever our brilliant Network Rail members were at the heart of the operation to get services running again and they should be praised for their hard work in doing so. Our union looks at this through the lens of safety on the railways, that is and will always be the number one priority.”

For passengers caught up in the disruption, some solace came in the form of compensation. Both National Rail and the affected operators reminded travelers to keep their tickets and make note of their journeys, as they may be entitled to refunds for delays or cancellations. “You might want to see if you can get compensation—check our handy guide,” BBC News suggested, pointing to resources for affected commuters.

As the evening drew near, the region’s railways were slowly returning to life, but the day’s events left a lasting impression on the thousands who rely on them. The incident was a stark reminder of how quickly a single derailment and a technical fault can bring a vast, interconnected network to its knees—and how, for all the contingency plans and ticket swaps, sometimes there’s just no substitute for a train that runs on time.