A major electricity fault in South London has thrown Monday morning travel into turmoil, with trains between Clapham Junction and London Victoria delayed or cancelled.
The disruption, which kicked off early this morning, has stranded thousands of commuters and triggered cascading delays across Southern and Gatwick Express services.
London commuters face severe disruption
- Routes affected: Clapham Junction ↔ London Victoria
- Delays: Up to 30 minutes or cancellations
- Operators impacted: Southern, Gatwick Express
- Likely duration: Disruption expected until 10am
- Key routes hit: Services to East Grinstead, Horsham, Dorking, Sutton and Brighton
“The electricity failure is preventing trains from leaving the depot,” said National Rail early this morning. “As a result, services are severely limited.”
According to the operator, the issue lies with a power supply fault in the London Victoria area, paralysing key commuter lines and causing significant ripple effects on services running from Surrey and Sussex into Central London.
Why This Morning’s Commute Was a Nightmare for Many
The Monday blues just got worse for thousands of passengers trying to get to work. With many trains unable to leave the depot, services are either running with fewer coaches or being cancelled outright.
Among the hardest hit are those travelling on the Gatwick Express between London Victoria and Brighton, as well as services bound for East Grinstead, Dorking, and Sutton. Morning rush hour travellers from the Surrey and Sussex corridors have been left stranded or severely delayed.
Commuters are being urged to check live travel updates before heading out, as widespread delays continue to affect some of London’s busiest train routes.
Train operators have warned that journey plans may need to be adjusted, with revised timetables and fewer carriages on many lines.
Knock-On Effects Beyond the Southern Network
While the electricity fault has mainly impacted Southern and Gatwick Express services, the wider London network is not immune.
Elsewhere:
- Metropolitan Line services are suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to excessive leaf fall, a seasonal issue that affects rail traction and braking.
- Central Line trains in West London are experiencing minor delays following an earlier trespassing incident on the track.
These additional incidents have only added to the mounting frustration for those trying to navigate the capital’s public transport system this morning.
When Will Services Resume?
Although early estimates suggested things would return to normal by 8am, National Rail has since extended the disruption window to 10am. By then, the morning commute will be nearly over—but delays could still ripple into the early afternoon.
Passengers are urged to:
- Use live journey planners
- Check with train operators for revised timetables
- Consider alternative travel routes where possible
The Rail Delivery Group has said that a full investigation into the power supply fault will be carried out once normal services resume. Stay tuned with UK News Blog for the latest updates as this story develops.
