Southern Rail has launched an investigation after two of its trains crashed into each other in a depot early on Tuesday morning.
The beleaguered operator was forced to cancel services and run trains with fewer coaches as a result of the “low speed collision”.
Passengers travelling between Brighton and London Victoria endured overcrowded carriages and delays throughout Tuesday morning, with the Gatwick Express the worst affected service.
In a service update, Southern announced that trains were unable to leave the depot to form passenger services following the crash.
Southern ticket holders were encouraged to travel on Thameslink services between London and Brighton and between Blackfriars and Sutton/Wimbledon instead.
Some passengers took to social media to vent their frustration at cancelled services, labelling it a “bit of a joke”.
A Southern Rail spokesperson told the Standard: "We apologise for the cancellations and delays this morning caused by a problem at one of our train care depots.
“Minor damage to two of our trains meant that we were unable to provide some Metro and Gatwick Express services while the depot was closed to investigate the circumstances. The depot re-opened at 6am.
"Train services have returned to normal, but the investigation into the incident continues."
It comes as a Southern strike planned for May 30 was called off by the RMT union in light of the suicide bomb attack in Manchester, which killed 22 people.
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