Rail passengers in south-east England faced significant disruptions on Wednesday following a train derailment and a signal failure that affected services across the Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express networks. The issues prompted Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to issue a "do not travel" alert early in the morning, urging passengers to avoid using the network if possible.

The derailment occurred at the Selhurst depot, blocking other trains from departing, while a signal fault between London Blackfriars and Norwood Junction further compounded the chaos. Although the "do not travel" alert was lifted by 10am, services remained severely disrupted, with delays of up to 60 minutes and several routes suspended, including the Brighton to Cambridge line and services between London Bridge and East Grinstead.

GTR, which carries about 18% of UK train passengers, expressed regret over the inconvenience caused. "We’re very sorry for the disruption that customers have experienced this morning," a spokesperson said. "We’re working with Network Rail to resolve these issues as quickly as possible."

Commuters shared their frustrations as overcrowded platforms and delayed trains became the norm. Liz Wells, a passenger, described her extended journey from East Croydon to London Bridge, which took 90 minutes instead of the usual 20. "The platforms were dangerously overcrowded," she noted. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Harry experienced an hour-long delay on his way to school, while his friend Adi observed growing frustration among fellow passengers.

GTR's engineering director, Steve Lammin, confirmed that a full investigation into the derailment was underway. "The train is now re-railed, but we need to clear the train from the track and then look at the infrastructure to ensure safe operations," he stated. The company anticipates some disruption to continue into Thursday morning as displaced trains and drivers adjust to new schedules.