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The railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath will remain closed for “at least another ten days” after a train derailment that seriously injured two passengers on Thursday.
The Southern Rail train, which had around 150 people on board, derailed near Lewes in East Sussex.
British Transport Police (BTP) said on Friday that two people who sustained serious injuries were not deemed to be in a life-threatening condition and 18 other passengers had been discharged from hospital.
The Rail Accident and Investigation Branch (RAIB) completed its work on site on Saturday and has now handed the site back to Network Rail.
Network Rail and Southern Rail have now issued a joint statement, confirming that the line will be closed until at least the end of the day Wednesday 26 August while teams recover the derailed train and begin repairs to the railway.
In the statement, they said that three carriages “derailed and slid part-way down the embankment” and that these will “need to be carefully lifted away by crane”.
They added that the location of the derailed train, being close to a river, in a site of special scientific interest, and with restricted road access makes the recovery “particularly difficult”.
Specialist equipment is being brought to the site by rail given the access challenges, and engineers are preparing the site for two 125-tonne rail-mounted cranes, among the largest cranes available for use on the railway.
Once the train has been removed, engineers will be able to fully assess the damage to the railway and understand the scale of the repair work needed before services can resume safely.
Network Rail and Southern Rail on Sunday said that customers travelling in the weeks ahead are advised to check before they travel and to use alternative train services via Brighton where possible.
Some rail replacement buses will run between Lewes and Haywards Heath, serving Cooksbridge and Plumpton, but will have limited capacity.
Tickets will be accepted on relevant alternative Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern services as well as Brighton & Hove Buses and London Underground services between London terminal stations.
John Whitehurst, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern Railway, said: “It has been an incredibly difficult time for our customers and colleagues, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this, particularly the family and friends of those who have been injured.
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