Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

Built in the Victorian era, the Brighton Main Line is one of busiest railway routes in the UK.

It connects the capital with the Sussex coast via Gatwick Airport, serving 37 stations through Sussex, Surrey and south London. It has one terminus station in Sussex – Brighton – and two terminus stations in the capital – London Victoria and London Bridge.

Both of these London branches join up with the full Brighton Main Line just outside the Selhurst depot.

That is why this morning’s disruption is so significant as the volume of trains normally using the Brighton Main Line have no other alternative to keep the same flow of services running.

The trains that have come to a standstill cannot reach their destination and that means drivers and crew are displaced. This has a knock-on impact for further services, leading to the delays and cancellations we are now seeing.