Chaos as train breaks down

The knock-on effect of the 6.54am from Brighton grinding to a halt at Newhaven left some commuters facing 30 minute delays.

Others were forced to make alternative arrangements as services were cancelled. The timetable was resumed at around 10am.

A South Central spokesman said the faulty train blocked the line. 'The train broke down at Newhaven Town and in that position we could not get another train past and the train behind was delayed for half an hour,' he added.

South Central bosses were left red- faced on the first day of the introduction of the hi-tech trains in December last year when one broke down at Seaford. Then in January travellers were stranded at Bishopstone for more than an hour after an Electrostar train broke down just after it left Seaford.

The company has ordered 182 of the new trains, at a cost of 856 million, to replace all the old slam-door rolling stock.