Tracks of Trouble The Lewes derailment has exposed a long standing issue with Britain's rail infrastructure: its inability to withstand extreme weather conditions.
The interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) confirms that a track defect, likely caused by high temperatures, contributed to the incident on August 13th.
The RAIB's findings are consistent with the frequency of heatwaves in recent summers, including five this year alone, with temperatures exceeding 27C on the day of the Lewes derailment.