Mass evacuation of passengers 'trapped' on broken-down train on hottest day of the year so far

21 June 2025, 19:25 | Updated: 21 June 2025, 19:39

1,500 passengers were evacuated onto the tracks in South London after being stuck on a broken-down train for several hours without air conditioning.

The morning service from Bedford to Brighton came to a halt this morning between Elephant and Castle and Loughborough.

Passengers were forced to wait inside carriages with no air conditioning for several hours on the hottest day of the year so far.

The incident began at about 10:40 BST with the evacuations of the first two trains completed at about 12:20 and the third at about 13:10, a spokesperson said.

Footage posted on social media shows passengers helping each other to climb down from the stranded train onto the tracks.

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One passenger said passengers had to open the emergency doors to get some air and once rescued were "left to find their own way back" to the station.

One passenger posted on X: "Stuck on train to Brighton between Elephant & Castle & Loughborough junction past 20 minutes, rammed with people, hottest day of the year why are there no aircon and no windows that can be opened? there is no ventilation."

Another said: "It was very hot inside the train. Please pass our thank you to the driver and emergency service. Driver tried his best to keep the situation calm , it wasn't easy. Also thanks to those passengers for helping others."

A spokesperson for the train operator initially wrote: "Due to a fault on a train between London Blackfriars and Herne Hill, some lines are blocked. We're working to gather more information on this incident."

In an X reply to a stranded passenger, they said: "We are aware of your location (and the lack of working A/C on the train) and are working with response teams to get you moving as soon as possible."

"Please do not attempt to self evacuate as the tracks are still live."

Thameslink and Network Rail confirmed that a fault on a train near Loughborough Junction brought all services in the area to a halt.

"Without power and air conditioning on such a hot day, we pulled all resources from across Sussex and Kent to get personnel on site to safely evacuate passengers as quickly as possible along the track."

"This would have been a difficult and uncomfortable experience for our passengers and we are truly sorry."

"With safety our top priority, the safest place was to remain on the trains while we worked our hardest to get help to those on board."

"There is engineering work taking place today, which means this is the only route Thameslink trains can take south out of London and severe disruption is expected for the rest of the afternoon."

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "We were called at 11.46am today to assist around 1,500 railway passengers who are on board two trains which are stranded near Loughborough Junction station."

"The power to the railway line has been isolated and crews are currently working alongside staff from Network Rail to lead the passengers from the trains to the station."

"Around 25 firefighters are currently in attendance."

British Transport Police added: “Officers were called to Loughborough Junction Railway Station at just before 11am today (21 June) to reports of a train broken down nearby."

"Officers assisted Thameslink and Network Rail and all passengers have been evacuated safely.”

The incident comes as the UK has recorded the hottest day of the year so far as the Met Office said there was a provisional temperature of 33.2C measured in Charlwood, Surrey.

As well as the 33.2C high in Charlwood, temperatures of 26.9C were provisionally recorded in Bute Park in Cardiff and 27.2C in Aviemore in the Highlands, the weather service said on Saturday afternoon.