CaptainSpeaking
As you have come back with a more positive contribution, I will respond to some of your questions.
I will consider that you have no knowledge of the old Railway infrastructure and therefore will approach my response from there for that reason and by no means through a wish to denigrate.
I also have to ask you to accept that I myself am not given to flights of fantasy, neither do I immediately subscribe any and every happening to the supernatural. To do that within the Railway environment would be to become the laughing stock of the Industry, and would certainly deny one progression upwards.
Working in an environment whereby you can be alone in areas, and in weather conditions, that would do justice to any ghost or horror film one would not survive long if one was a fanciful or emotional person.
Looking for fatalities alone in the dark in a heavy thunderstorm, miles from anywhere with only a lamp to light the darkness is just one example.
Railwaymen do not talk lightly of strange occurrrences, believe me
For clarification, I have no fixed opinion as to what happened. We have a very definite report from two footplate men whom we know were trustworthy, and were convinced at what they had seen.
Could two men not expecting to see the signalbox lit up have had a mass illusion ? I don't know but I would put it at the far end of the unlikely scale.
Was it done for some sort of joke ? I think not judging by the response of the two men.
So addressing your points :
So they saw the lights were on, and when they arrived at the box, it was in darkness. In the flat fenland landscape described, I'd have thought they'd have had the box in sight all the time, and would have noted the change of status from lit to dark. Yet there is no mention of this.?
I thought I had made clear that we had to travel several miles in each direction to cross the dyke.
We both saw the signalbox alight from a distance. Neither the Policeman nor I had any doubt that the signalbox lights were on.
...To determine what was actually going on that night, we need to know more (other sources of light in the box, ladder marks in the ground suggesting entry though an unlatched window, footprints in the surrounding area - and about 10,000 more things SOC teams would check for). A full investigation by the police (obviously not thought worthwhile since there was no damage or danger to trains) was presumably not carried out.
I think that you have not read my post properly. When we arrived to find the signalbox in darkness we were expecting the miscreant(s) either to be hiding, or to have left. When we approached the box steps and there was obviously no way that anyone had passed up or down them, then we immediately concentrated on looking for alternative access egress through the windows and the outside platform.
All the windows were tightly closed, no windows were broken, and there was no evidence of anyone having walked along the point rodding boarding.
So in a matter of a minute or so we ruled out any entry to the signalbox within maybe an hour or maybe a couple of hours given the frost that had formed on the point rodding boarding, the steps and the handrails.
I had anticipated at this stage a rope or some other means of hurried exit. There was none.
....Torchlight can look like oil light from a moving train... ...
Sorry, but with respect that is not the case. Next time you are at a preserved railway at night that has a signalbox lit by oil, then take a look.
There is no way anyone can confuse a torch light, with the light we saw. I have worked in oil lit and electrically lit signalboxes, so I can assure you I know the difference. Again this was a question asked of the footplate crew who were quite clear on this. Their report is confirmed by my and the Policeman's opinions.
A full investigation by the police (obviously not thought worthwhile since there was no damage or danger to trains) was presumably not carried out.
The only investigation carried out was by me and the Policeman. Call it perfunctory if you wish, but both of us established that there had obviously been no entry into the signalbox. Had there been an entry then in view of the seriousness of the situation then we would have withdrawn and waited for the Railway Police team to come and investigate further. We could find no evidence and remember that we WERE expecting to find evidence and indeed were actively now trying to find evidence to back up what had been reported and what we had both seen.
...One could could construct many possible scenarios to explain what OT has posted...
PLease feel free. After nearly 30 years I have no logical explanation. I wish I did because it would be interesting to understand what it was. I have not (knowingly) ascribed this to be a ghostly occurrence, merely one that I cannot explain.
.... but we only have what he has posted. Doubtless there was a great deal more to this (no dissing of OT for that - every story has many aspects, and he gave us just one, as you'd expect).
I accept that you only have what I posted here, however I do expect the respect for my veracity and integrity in this matter. This is not something I posted to fill a void or to create speculation or entertainment. I am quite sure that it is possible to track down the Police records, maybe even the old Railway Control logs for the night.
Those on here who know me will vouch for my integrity I am sure.
Without knowing all the facts, it's impossible to say which one of many possible scenarios explained the happenings of that night. None of them supernatural.
I have given you all the facts that one can possibly give. Remember that when we were dealing with this we had our own preconception of finding someone or at least evidence of entry to the signalbox. There was none, and of course you then have to try to come to some sort of conclusion as to why. Neither of us could, and of course if the Police took the view that their time was being wasted, they would not be very happy. In those days we relied upon the Civil Police to help us out, and in the rural areas it was a regular occurrence for the Police to call in to boxes for a chat and a cup of tea, and we as Supervisors knew this was happening and welcomed it. Certainly we never stopped the practice whereas we would say something if we found others in a signalbox drinking tea and chatting.
You have to look beyond the facts presented in the ghost story, and realise that there may be far more stuff that's relevant that doesn't appear in the story.
I am not aware of any missing "facts" I guess only for the clarification that there was no street or other lighting anywhere that would have created any impression that the signalbox was lit when it was not. If you wish other facts then please do ask and what I remember I will post.
..Can you imagine the state of the justice system if sentence was passed on a suspect on the evidence of one person's account? The court will demand to hear all the facts, from many sources, many of which will be contradictory. It is then the court's job to find the truth. If such sources are not available, guilt would never be assumed on the evidence of one person's account.
We only have one account of this event, presented no doubt (in the interests of entertainment) to big-up the ghost story aspects. Why should our judgement of what is real and what is fantasy be any different here than a court of law would demand, if we really seek the truth rather just accept the story at face value as an unexplainable mystery?
Ain't this just common sense?
I have never purported this to be a ghost story, merely a strange occurrence that could not be explained at the time, or indeed since. I do take issue with the suggestion..."
presented no doubt (in the interests of entertainment) to big-up the ghost story aspects"
... which is both untrue and unfair.
As I have already said, those who know me on here, know my history and know my views on honesty and integrity. If they are reading this thread maybe they will give their opinion, and I believe they would do so honestly and without favour.
That said and with the greatest of respect, I have no interest in seeking out favour from others. What you read is what I am, and any thoughts of seeking popularity amongst a wide audience disappeared many, many years ago.