Trains

SINKHOLES found under a railway bridge have caused all trains to and from Gatwick airport to be suspended leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The holes near Purley Bridge in South London required “urgent repairs”, engineers from Network Rail have said and the line isn’t expected to open until tomorrow morning.

All services between Purley and East Croydon were closed while an inspection was carried out by a structural engineer.

This has put a stop to all trains heading to Gatwick Airport and Brighton from London Bridge or London Victoria and left thousands stranded.

Travellers lined the road outside the airport while others waited hours for a rail replacement bus service.

The rail disruption has forced many passengers to drive to the airport resulting in major congestion as hundreds of cars try to get to the terminals.

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Many have taken to social media to express their fury and fear as tempers in the gathering crowds start to flare.

One user said: “Absolute shambles at Gatwick airport! People queuing for over 2 hours to get network replacement coach into London. Tempers flaring amongst crowds. I’m scared!!!”

Others said they were having to fork out for inflated Uber fares back to London.

They posted: “@uber why on earth do you think it’s acceptable to charge people £250 to get from Gatwick Airport to Croydon with all the trains being cancelled? Absolutely criminal!,”

Network Rail explained: “Sinkholes were spotted on the bridge, meaning that ballast, the stones that the track sits on, was falling through the gap, making the track unstable.

“We’ve since carried out a thorough inspection of the bridge and are working to safely plug the gaps so that trains can safely run again.”

Sinkholes appear when rock at the surface collapses and leaves a big hole.

They are often saucer-shaped and can form for many reasons.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “There are currently no trains running between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria or London Bridge due to blocked rail lines at Purley.

“Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to consider alternative routes and allow extra time for their journey.

“For those travelling from Gatwick Airport into London, rail replacement bus services are operating between the airport and East Croydon. 

“Due to high demand, passengers at the airport may experience longer waiting times for rail replacement services, and we appreciate your patience while alternative transport is in place.”

Network Rail later took to X to apologise for the disruption and said the lines had to be closed “for the safety of passengers”.

“Over the course of the afternoon our engineers have carried out thorough inspections on the bridge and have worked to plug the sinkholes, allowing trains to safely run again,” they said.

“Though trains are now running we do expect there to be disruption into the night so we’re urging passengers to check before travelling.

“We will be accepting today’s tickets on tomorrow’s services due to the disruption today.”

However, Southern Rail still urged passengers not to travel, saying: “You are strongly advised to delay your journey. A very limited service is now able to run, however these services are expected to be full.”

A travel and food content creator called George Kimm has shared his experience of taking an overnight sleeper train from London to Cornwall – but the price left people shocked

Cornwall is widely regarded as one of the most breathtaking counties in the UK, boasting golden sandy beaches, a spectacular sweeping coastline, world-class surfing spots and jaw-dropping clifftop scenery. And it’s not just locals who are smitten with this South West gem — visitors from across the country regularly make the journey down.

One such traveller is George Kimm, a UK-based travel and food content creator. George made the trip from London to Cornwall aboard an overnight sleeper train, documenting his experience on Instagram. He hopped on the Great Western Railway (GWR) Night Riviera, which departs from London Paddington and pulls into Penzance the following morning, with the entire journey clocking in at just over eight hours.

The travel enthusiast gave his candid verdict on the experience, though one particular detail caught his Instagram followers off guard — the price. George booked a “very cosy” solo cabin, which came equipped with a single bed, a table that doubled up as a sink, a wardrobe and handy storage space beneath the bed, which he described as “very useful”. GWR also provided a selection of amenities, including soap.

George did point out that the toilets are located outside the cabins. However, aside from that, the train operator “really had thought of everything else”.

The London-based creator went on to say: “Before we left London Paddington I had a look in the onboard bar where you can sit down, relax. They also provide free tea and coffee with biscuits and when it comes to going to sleep, I actually had a really good experience.”

After getting settled and having a look around, George watched the train depart the station before heading off to bed. He revealed that he relished the sounds and motion of the train, as they lulled him off to sleep.

When George stirred the following morning, he tucked into breakfast, which came as part of his cabin fare. He opted for a cup of tea and a sausage bap, noting that it was “very delicious”.

The travel enthusiast added: “And it was so lovely to have my breakfast whilst watching the countryside whizz by.”

He wrapped up his Instagram reel by revealing what his trip and cabin had set him back, saying: “My ticket cost £119 and an additional £149 for the cabin.” George reckoned it was “such a cool experience” nodding off in London and coming round in Cornwall. He believed it was “honestly so worth it” and something he’d gladly repeat.

One commenter observed: “£75 return to Paris, just saying.” George responded: “Totally get it. This was a bucket list trip.” Another remarked: “Looks fun but the price is insane.”

A third astonished viewer queried: “Omg… how much?” Someone else went as far as branding the price “criminal.”

Despite the hefty price tag, some viewers still managed to see the bright side, with one commenting: “This looks like a great experience but it’s very costly for a return journey. I guess the benefit is both journeys are during the night so you aren’t losing out on any holiday time.”

A second chimed in: “Would love to do this!! Honestly would see the cost as part of the holiday, so special.”

For those travelling with Great Western Railway’s Night Riviera service, an airline-style seat is available at no additional cost when booking a ticket, with prices for a private cabin starting from £49 per person.

HOLIDAYMAKERS travelling to and from a major UK airport will now be able to catch overnight trains.

The airport welcomes over 40million passengers a year, making it the second busiest in the country.

Passengers commuting to London Gatwick can now travel on a new overnight rail service as part of a Great Western Rail (GWR) trial.

The service links Gatwick Airport with Reading along the North Downs Line, allowing travelers to arrive in time for early flights, and leave after late-night departures.

Along the North Downs Line, the service calls at Reading, Wokingham, Guildford, Dorking Deepdene, Reigate, Redhill, and Gatwick.

GWR started this overnight service on June 6 as part of a 12-week trial running throughout summer up until mid-September.

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The trial aims to test popularity of round-the-clock rail access between Reading and Gatwick.

The managing director of GWR, Mark Hopwood, said on the launch: “The trial will help us understand whether overnight services can work operationally and commercially on this route.

“We’ll monitor performance closely and will review feedback before considering options to improve services in the future.”

The trial operates two services from Reading to Gatwick at 2:28am and 3:30am on Saturday mornings, as well as three return journeys at 12:30am, 1:24am and 4am.

One service from Reading to Gatwick at 3:24am, and two returns from 12:24am and 4am, will take place on Monday mornings.

Historically, passengers travelling between the west and London Gatwick Airport faced difficulty because GWR services restricted between a 4:30am to 23:30pm window.

This largely cut commuting options for those on early departures and late arrivals – a group of Gatwick visitors that make up 20 per cent of its daily traffic.

Now, the service aims to sync with flights from major airlines such as easyJet, Jet2, and British Airways, bringing a sense of ease to travellers requiring this route.

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer at London Gatwick, said: “We’re delighted to work in partnership with Great Western Railway to introduce these new overnight services, which will make travelling to and from London Gatwick even easier for both passengers catching early flights and staff working at the airport.

“Strengthening sustainable, reliable public transport links is vital as our route network grows, and this trial represents a significant step in improving choice and convenience for our passengers across the region.”

If GWR’s trial is successful, overnight trains between Reading and Gatwick could become a permanent feature.

A 48-HOUR strike in Europe has already seen Eurostar trains cancelled – and more could follow.

Strikes across Italy and France today and tomorrow are impacting rail services including Eurostar trains to and from the UK.

Cancelled Eurostar trains include the 7:12am service from Paris to London and then the 3:31pm service from London to Paris, both today.

Tomorrow, the 7:12am service from Paris to London will also be cancelled.

A number of other Eurostar trains are facing delays as well including between Paris and Brussels, which will impact Brits changing trains at Paris.

According to the Eurostar website, the cancellations are due to “strike action on the French network” and that “local and national traffic in France will be heavily disrupted”.

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Passengers are being advised to keep an eye on Eurostar’s website and app for updates.

The Eurostar delays and cancellations aren’t the only trains impacted.

Across France and Italy there are nationwide strikes over the next 48 hours on rail services.

In France, strike action today is causing disruption across the entire country’s network including trains heading to Normandy, Brittany and Provence.

The action started at 7pm yesterday and will continue until 6am tomorrow.

According to Rail Europe, delays of between one-and-a-half hours and three hours can be expected on trains being run by TGV INOUI, OUIGO, and Eurostar.

On the other hand, in Italy, workers at state-owned rail companies such as Trenitalia, Trenord, and Trenitalia Tper will strike tomorrow from 3am until 2am on Friday.

Delays and cancellations are expected across the country including services to destinations such as Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples.

Though due to Italian laws, there will be services at peak times which include between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm.

According to RTL Today, train connections to Luxembourg are also being impacted.

For Brits on holiday in either Italy or France, if you are due to get on a train within the country or even on a Eurostar service, expect delays and cancellations, as well as busier train stations.

Sun Travel has contacted Eurostar for comment.