Rail services 'return to normal' after signal fault

Rail services on a route between Kent and East Sussex were disrupted by a signalling system fault earlier, a rail operator said.

Southern said services travelling between Ashford International and Hastings/Eastbourne were delayed by up to 30 minutes while engineers carried out repairs.

The incident was first reported shortly after 07:00 GMT by the company, which said the issue was with with track circuits used to detect trains.

It said some trains on the single-track route might have to a revised calling pattern or terminate/restart at Hastings.

Just after 14:30 Southern said the fault had been rectified and services were returning to normal.

Engineering works are also taking place elsewhere on the Southern network over the weekend.

From the end of service on 27 December until 08:15 on 28 December, trains will be replaced by buses between Brighton and Lewes, and Brighton and Haywards Heath.

Services between London Victoria and Brighton will be diverted via Hove and will run to an amended timetable between Preston Park and Brighton, with extended journey times, said Southern.

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