Sinkholes near Purley bridge halt Gatwick rail services

Major rail services to and from Gatwick Airport were suspended on Sunday, June 14, after engineers discovered sinkholes near a railway bridge in Purley, south London. The discovery, made during planned engineering work, forced the closure of all lines between Purley and East Croydon, a critical section of the Brighton Main Line, stranding thousands of travelers and causing widespread disruption across Southern and Thameslink networks.

Network Rail stated that the closure was necessary for passenger safety. Engineers worked through the afternoon to inspect the bridge and plug the sinkholes, allowing limited services to resume later in the day. However, significant disruption was expected to continue into the night, and passengers were urged to check before traveling. The rail operator said it would accept Sunday's tickets on Monday's services due to the severe disruption.

The suspension severed all train connections between Gatwick Airport and London terminals at Victoria and London Bridge, halting the Gatwick Express and other Southern services. Rail replacement bus services were activated between the airport and East Croydon, but high demand led to long queues and waits...