London Waterloo station
People are being told to avoid Waterloo station all day Getty

London commuters have been told to avoid Waterloo station all day following a train derailed during morning rush hour on 15 August. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) confirmed no one required hospital treatment after a train left the track, but the incident is causing severe travel disruption in the capital.

National Rail are warning the points problem between Vauxhall and London Waterloo will cause disruption to several services for the rest for the day and to seek alternative travel.

London Waterloo, one of the busiest train stations in Europe, has already seen disruption to services as result of refurbishment requiring the closure of several platforms, which is expected to continue until the end of August.

A statement from National Rail said: "Queuing systems may be put in place at stations affected in order to keep you safe and manage the number of customers on platform. Queuing is likely to be in place at London Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Surbiton, Esher, Woking, Wandsworth Town and Putney.

"South West Trains have significantly reduced the number of trains running to and from London Waterloo to ensure that delayed trains do not approach London Waterloo at the same time.

"When this happens, trains have to wait for platforms to become free, occupying the track outside Waterloo and making it more difficult to get trains moving. The effect of this situation occurring quickly leads to vastly increased disruption"

Customer Advice:

  • Trains departing from Exeter St David's, Yeovil and Salisbury towards London Waterloo will now divert and terminate at Reading, no longer call at Woking, Clapham Junction or London Waterloo. You may use Great Western Railway services into London Paddington to complete your journey.
  • Trains from London Waterloo to Exeter St David's will start from Reading.
  • Trains departing from the Salisbury, Yeovil and Honiton towards Reading will now terminate at Farnborough calling additionally at Hook, Winchfield and Fleet. They will not call at Reading. If you are travelling to Woking change at Basingstoke, if you are you are travelling to London travel on Great Western Railway, CrossCountry or South West Train services to Reading for onward travel to London Paddington.
  • Trains departing Reading towards the West of England will start at Farnborough.
  • Trains departing from Portsmouth Harbour will call additionally at Witley, Milford, Godalming and Farncombe, terminating at Woking. South West Trains are advising that if you are travelling onwards to London Waterloo that you do not travel at this time.
  • Trains departing London Waterloo towards Portsmouth Harbour will be starting from Woking.
  • Trains on the Portsmouth line departing from Haslemere, Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea may be cancelled.
  • Trains from London Waterloo to Haslemere will be cancelled.
  • Trains between Basingstoke (via Surbiton) and Portsmouth Harbour (via Eastleigh) and London Waterloo will now start / terminate at Woking no longer calling at Surbiton, Clapham Junction or London Waterloo.
  • Should you be travelling to London then please take a train towards Basingstoke and change for connections to London Paddington via Reading on Great Western Railway.
  • Trains from Southampton Central (via Winchester) and Basingstoke (via Farnborough) towards London Waterloo will be cancelled.
  • Trains departing from Alton and Farnham to London Waterloo will now terminate at Surbiton, calling additionally at West Byfleet, Byfleet & New Haw, Weybridge, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham and Esher.
  • Trains departing London Waterloo towards Alton will start from Surbiton.
  • Trains departing from Weymouth, Poole and Bournemouth will terminate at Basingstoke.
  • Trains departing from London Waterloo towards Weymouth will start from Basingstoke.
  • Trains departing from Guildford at xx:03 and xx:33 towards London Waterloo will be cancelled.
  • Trains departing London Waterloo towards Woking at xx:17 and xx:47 will also be cancelled.
  • Trains between Hampton Court and London Waterloo will be cancelled in both directions.
  • Trains between Guildford and London Waterloo (via Cobham) will terminate at and start from Wimbledon.
  • Trains between Guildford and London Waterloo (via Epsom) will terminate at Epsom.