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24/12/2024

A fault with the signalling system at Norwood Junction means trains running through the station may be delayed by up to 15 minutes, cancelled or diverted via Tulse Hill.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

London Overground Customer Advice

Tickets will be accepted on local buses via any reasonable route.

Southern and Thameslink Customer Advice

Services that run through Norwood Junction will be subject to delays of up to 15 minutes.

Thameslink services that run from Three Bridges Cambridge / Bedford will be diverted via Tulse Hill which means London Bridge will not be served. Thameslink services that leave London towards Three Bridges will be unaffected and can run as normal.

Alternative travel methods:

  • If you are requiring London Bridge you can change at East Croydon and use a Southern service towards London Bridge.
  • If you are at London Bridge and require journeys towards Bedford and Cambridge you can use your ticket on the London Underground and travel towards London Blackfriars where you will be able to catch a Thameslink service and continue your journey.

Planning your journey:

Live departure boards can be found here.

You can view a live map of the network here.

You can also see an alternative route guide here.

You can also use the app to find up-to-date information.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

A track circuit failure will disrupt your journey in the Norwood Junction area which is effecting services between East Croydon and London Blackfriars.

This part of the network uses track circuits to detect the position of trains. These are electrical systems which monitor whether a train is on a section of track. They operate as part of the signalling system, which is designed to be "fail safe".

When a track circuit fails, the signalling system will interpret this as a train remaining in place, even though there may not be a train present at all, or the previous service may have long since left the area.

As a result, further trains cannot be automatically allowed onto the relevant section of track. Train drivers will be stopped by red signals on approach. They will then get verbal permission from the signaller so that they can proceed, and will run at a heavily-reduced speed as far as the next signal. This is so that the drivers will stop safely if they see anything ahead of them.

In some areas, the sections between signals can be several miles long, so this can result in delays building up. Even with shorter sections of track affected, there would still be a delay of at least a few minutes to each journey.

Track circuit faults can be caused by a number of different issues, including electronic faults or obstructions on the track. Network Rail manage the signalling system, including track circuits, and their staff will be investigating as quickly as possible.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.

Affected operators
London Overground, Southern, Thameslink
Nationalrail link
Last updated: 26/11/24 - 06:12