Are our railways haunted? (ghost stories)

[Kernowfem]

Started the J.A Brooks 'Railway Ghosts' but quite disappointed in really. Not so much railway related as it is ghost death and stories :/

Try the ghost now standing at platform one. Jam packed full of fiction and none fiction stories. A great read!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Albrighton station is haunted by a dark shadow that brushes past people, according to one WW2-era account in THP's 'Haunted Telford'

 

[berob91]

Try the ghost now standing at platform one. Jam packed full of fiction and none fiction stories. A great read!

Thanks

I have ordered Haunted Railways Shadows in the Steam...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/Shadows-in-The-Steam-The-Haunted-Railways-of-Britain.aspx

A brand new book on British railway hauntings is in the link above. Looks good!

 

[berob91]

http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/Shadows-in-The-Steam-The-Haunted-Railways-of-Britain.aspx

A brand new book on British railway hauntings is in the link above. Looks good!

Currently reading it. It's good but dosen't match Railway Ghosts & Phantoms. But all the same, a good book

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Currently reading it. It's good but dosen't match Railway Ghosts & Phantoms. But all the same, a good book

I as well. Some stories either don't relate to the railways, or aren't really paranormal . Good book nonetheless.

 

[berob91]

I as well. Some stories either don't relate to the railways, or aren't really paranormal . Good book nonetheless.

Yes, your very right. Most start out with the entire history of the particular line with a tiny bit on the end about the haunting etc. It's very disappointing actually but some stories are new to me.

What I will recommend is 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens. It was televised in the 80's I think and it's really good. The main charachter was the professor from Indiana Jones.

 

[tirphil]

I remember reading this thread sometime ago (Old Timers recollection of the phantom bell and the tank train being a great account)

Didn't realise it was still going. Fabulous thread.

Kingmush - I have been told the tale of the accident at Macclesfield too. My father (an ex 9C Maccman as it happens) told me this when I was younger. Although I recall my dad saying it happened near Hibel Road tunnel. There was a station there in those days. I am sure he said that it was the Pines Express that was involved in the incident. Does that help anyone identify what the traction may have been?

As for ghosts that I have been told about. Well an old plate layers hut on the Kirkby Stephen side of Aisgill summit is supposed to be haunted by a trackworker who hung himself. There are supposed to be phantom platelayers and navvies in Blea Moor tunnel. The line between Garsdale station and Risehill tunnel is frequented by a spectral monk from time to time. A WW1 soldier seemingly smoking a cigarette apparently haunts Lunds viaduct. If a member of traincrew see this ghost then by all accounts that service will come off the road. (I actually thought I had seen this ghost one night whilst working 6E92. I was all ready for hitting the emergency brake until I realised it was the grey relay box for Garsdales up distant!!) And finally the tunnel (very wide bridge) between Donny station and Carr Loco is supposed to be haunted by traincrew killed there during a bad smash in steam days.

 

[berob91]

Thanks for that tirphil. I recall said haunting in a book I've read.

I must now say that the 'Shadow in Steam - Haunted Railways of Britiain' is not what i expected. More on the railways with about 3 lines of a haunting. I want to read about ghost storys and not the entire history of a railway. Very disappointing.

 

[tirphil]

Which book is that berob91? I'm interested in that.

 

[AndyJB]

Found this whilst reading up on the history of Twerton station, Bath:

Between 1960 and 1975, Adrian Vaughan worked as a signalman at Clink Road junction, Frome and then at Witham a bit further west. During his time there, he met lots of ancient railwaymen who told him their stories. Adrian writes,

“Concerning Twerton, back in the 1880s, there was a station master and his wife living above the offices and he made his wife very unhappy by spending so much time most nights, patrolling about the signal boxes on hs patch and just not being with her. He came back home after a patrol and saw something hanging from the platform canopy. It was his wife. She had hung herself while he’d been out. Her ghost is said to haunt the station building.”

 

[DJC_158]

Good to see this thread still going.. I have enjoyed reading accounts and stories from the various posts.

 

[The Informer]

I remember reading this thread sometime ago (Old Timers recollection of the phantom bell and the tank train being a great account)

Didn't realise it was still going. Fabulous thread.

Kingmush - I have been told the tale of the accident at Macclesfield too. My father (an ex 9C Maccman as it happens) told me this when I was younger. Although I recall my dad saying it happened near Hibel Road tunnel. There was a station there in those days. I am sure he said that it was the Pines Express that was involved in the incident. Does that help anyone identify what the traction may have been?

As for ghosts that I have been told about. Well an old plate layers hut on the Kirkby Stephen side of Aisgill summit is supposed to be haunted by a trackworker who hung himself. There are supposed to be phantom platelayers and navvies in Blea Moor tunnel. The line between Garsdale station and Risehill tunnel is frequented by a spectral monk from time to time. A WW1 soldier seemingly smoking a cigarette apparently haunts Lunds viaduct. If a member of traincrew see this ghost then by all accounts that service will come off the road. (I actually thought I had seen this ghost one night whilst working 6E92. I was all ready for hitting the emergency brake until I realised it was the grey relay box for Garsdales up distant!!) And finally the tunnel (very wide bridge) between Donny station and Carr Loco is supposed to be haunted by traincrew killed there during a bad smash in steam days.

I worked in blea moor tunnel and the old boys say the ghost is named knock-knock. Apparantley if you hear knocking then bloody run! As it happens me and my mate had to walk nearly a mile from inside blea moor back to the van for tools. We seen or heard nothing!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Interesting story...thankyou for sharing it. I have heard that an old deltic 'nimbus' can still be seen on a certain part of the railway network even though it was scrapped in 1980. My grandfather was a midland man, and he used to tell me about the sightings of it. Apparently its appearences were reported 9 times, lets face it, a deltic would now stick out like a sore thumb, and unless a special, would be widely talked about...

Even I would sit in the dark on my own to witness that!!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

As I understand it, the "Nimbus" story relates to Hadley wood, but the sighting has only been reported once?

That it was sighted before the final withdrawal of the rest of the class does make me wonder sometimes whether some wag at Doncaster Works simply had a bit of a laugh with the nameplates and some number stickers??

From memory, the bloke who reported seeing 55 020 after it had been cut up didn't realise until later the significance of the number and name he had seen - to me that strongly suggests he really did see a Deltic hauling a train that day.

Just not the one it was purporting to be!

Anyone agree?

 

[tirphil]

I worked in blea moor tunnel and the old boys say the ghost is named knock-knock. Apparantley if you hear knocking then bloody run! As it happens me and my mate had to walk nearly a mile from inside blea moor back to the van for tools. We seen or heard nothing!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You must have been near the middle then!! Tough luck that. Wouldn't fancy trying to run on ballast in there though.


[

 

[deltic1989]

As I understand it, the "Nimbus" story relates to Hadley wood, but the sighting has only been reported once?

That it was sighted before the final withdrawal of the rest of the class does make me wonder sometimes whether some wag at Doncaster Works simply had a bit of a laugh with the nameplates and some number stickers??

From memory, the bloke who reported seeing 55 020 after it had been cut up didn't realise until later the significance of the number and name he had seen - to me that strongly suggests he really did see a Deltic hauling a train that day.

Just not the one it was purporting to be!

Anyone agree?

I've read a similar story, the version i read said that at on the day that the fella reported seeing 'Nimbus' working an up express i seem to remember, saw her on the day that she was cut up and at about the time the scrappies were removing the power units (the heart).
I think i've read a similar story relating to a 'Western' ('Western Princess' IIRC)

 

[tirphil]

This was posted by 'Welshman' on the Did the Bournemouth/Manchester service exist pre-diesel?

Peter Smith's "Mendips Enginemen" [1972] and "Footplate over the Mendips" [1978] [both Oxford Publishing Co], give interesting reminiscences of the workings of traffic over the S & D, including the "Pines Express" until it was diverted away in September 1962.

The "Pines" itself seems to have been hauled on this section by a variety of locomotives at various times, including Class 2's, Black Fives, West Country Pacifics, an occasional Horwich "Crab" and settling-down with BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0s from 1954 to 1962.

Towards its latter days on the S & D Class 9F 2-10-0s were even seen on this train, removing the need for double-heading on busy summer Saturdays. Indeed, No. 92220 Evening Star, hauled the last up and down "Pines" on 8th September 1962.

Also told of another haunting today. Apparently the former station house at Llwyngwril on The Cambrian is haunted by the traincrew of a locomotive which crashed off the Friog. It seems the bodies of driver and fireman were recovered from the sea and laid out in the station house before been returned to their families for burial. Unfortunately I was not told any further details on this.

 

[BlythPower]

As I understand it, the "Nimbus" story relates to Hadley wood, but the sighting has only been reported once?

That it was sighted before the final withdrawal of the rest of the class does make me wonder sometimes whether some wag at Doncaster Works simply had a bit of a laugh with the nameplates and some number stickers??

From memory, the bloke who reported seeing 55 020 after it had been cut up didn't realise until later the significance of the number and name he had seen - to me that strongly suggests he really did see a Deltic hauling a train that day.

Just not the one it was purporting to be!

Anyone agree?

Oh dear god. Not this turnip again...

Head back to post #115, the Nimbus story was a DPS creation to bolster their preservation aims and later looted by the dubious Herbert.

 

[Kernowfem]

Oh dear god. Not this turnip again...

Head back to post #115, the Nimbus story was a DPS creation to bolster their preservation aims and later looted by the dubious Herbert.

From what i heard Herbert was well aware the whole Nimbus tale was false too, but went ahead and printed it anyway.

Still i have to say his Railway ghosts and phantoms book is one of the best books i own.

 

[BestWestern]

I've read this thread end to end, fascinating! Who'd have thought the thread on here that I'd devote the most time to would be one which has naff all to do with trains! Thanks to all those with creepy tales, provided some very interesting late-night reading!

I'm strictly on the fence with all of this stuff, I'd have to see something myself I think to truly believe it. However, I'm hoping to love a happy life without ever doing so, as I know without a doubt I'd be scared witless if I ever did!

One obvious point which crops up in the non-believer camp, is how very convenient the 'no proof' argument is. What form of evidence I wonder would actually be accepted as the magical 'proof' that is so often said to be lacking? Certainly nothing so mundane as a photograph or video; with the digital cameras and computer editing readily available now, you could have the most genuine video or pic in the world and it would immediately be discounted as a hoax. Movies and SFX have numbed our senses to the point where anything which can't be reasonably explained must obviously be the work of a computer! Shame really. How about scientific evidence then? People with lots of gadgetry tell us they have recorded strange atmospheric goings on, like temperatures fluctuating and energy levels going up the wall etc, but again it is immediately explained away as being possibly this or that or the other. It quickly becomes clear that the only evidence many sceptics would truly accept is if a ghosty chap, head firmly tucked under his arm, popped through the nearest wall and said Boo! I guess with that in mind, this is one debate that will rage forever!

 

[AndyJB]

Another one that sends a shiver down my spine (from the paranormal database):

Grinning Man

Location: E15 (Greater London) - Channelsea Depot, Stratford
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: June - December 1994
Further Comments: A former British Rail employee reported seeing a tall man wearing a cape and top hat standing by a hanger. He had a terrible grin and a mouth full of white teeth, and immediately vanished, leaving the witness very cold and apprehensive. A few months later, in the same area, the witness felt a strong tug at her bag that almost pulled her over; she spun around expecting to see a colleague, but no one was in sight.

 

[Southern]

Another one that sends a shiver down my spine (from the paranormal database):

Grinning Man

Location: E15 (Greater London) - Channelsea Depot, Stratford
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: June - December 1994
Further Comments: A former British Rail employee reported seeing a tall man wearing a cape and top hat standing by a hanger. He had a terrible grin and a mouth full of white teeth, and immediately vanished, leaving the witness very cold and apprehensive. A few months later, in the same area, the witness felt a strong tug at her bag that almost pulled her over; she spun around expecting to see a colleague, but no one was in sight.

This one always makes me think of Jack the Ripper. I seem to remember reading a theory somewhere that he may have made his getaway using public transport!

Another story I heard was of a train travelling through the Sevenoaks tunnel, driver reported hitting something but when they went to check, there was nothing there...

 

[DiscoStu]

I've read this thread end to end, fascinating! Who'd have thought the thread on here that I'd devote the most time to would be one which has naff all to do with trains! Thanks to all those with creepy tales, provided some very interesting late-night reading!

I'm strictly on the fence with all of this stuff, I'd have to see something myself I think to truly believe it. However, I'm hoping to love a happy life without ever doing so, as I know without a doubt I'd be scared witless if I ever did!

One obvious point which crops up in the non-believer camp, is how very convenient the 'no proof' argument is. What form of evidence I wonder would actually be accepted as the magical 'proof' that is so often said to be lacking? Certainly nothing so mundane as a photograph or video; with the digital cameras and computer editing readily available now, you could have the most genuine video or pic in the world and it would immediately be discounted as a hoax. Movies and SFX have numbed our senses to the point where anything which can't be reasonably explained must obviously be the work of a computer! Shame really. How about scientific evidence then? People with lots of gadgetry tell us they have recorded strange atmospheric goings on, like temperatures fluctuating and energy levels going up the wall etc, but again it is immediately explained away as being possibly this or that or the other. It quickly becomes clear that the only evidence many sceptics would truly accept is if a ghosty chap, head firmly tucked under his arm, popped through the nearest wall and said Boo! I guess with that in mind, this is one debate that will rage forever!

I have to agree with this. People who want evidence always ask for "physical proof", but ghosts by their very nature arn't physical beings, so what proof can possibly be gathered that will satisfy the sceptics?

 

[oattam09]

From the stories, it seems that people tend to see these things subconciously, and whenever they become 'concious' of what it could be they are seeing / have seen it disappears? Could this suggest we sense these things with our subconcious (part of the brain we don't know how to access).

I used to live near the end of Sevenoaks tunnel and once saw a grey form being dragged out of the tunnel silently, with many sad faced passengers. It was a broken down Eurostar!

Great thread, had me riveted.

 

[tirphil]

I used to live near the end of Sevenoaks tunnel and once saw a grey form being dragged out of the tunnel silently, with many sad faced passengers. It was a broken down Eurostar!

Great thread, had me riveted.

Absolutely priceless! Love it!

 

[The 158 Man]

Another one that sends a shiver down my spine (from the paranormal database):

Grinning Man

Location: E15 (Greater London) - Channelsea Depot, Stratford
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: June - December 1994
Further Comments: A former British Rail employee reported seeing a tall man wearing a cape and top hat standing by a hanger. He had a terrible grin and a mouth full of white teeth, and immediately vanished, leaving the witness very cold and apprehensive. A few months later, in the same area, the witness felt a strong tug at her bag that almost pulled her over; she spun around expecting to see a colleague, but no one was in sight.

This story has intrigued me. What exactly is a 'terrible grin' do we think? Are we talking a lopsided cheeky smile, or a 'I'm going to stab you to death' evil sort of grin?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

This story has intrigued me. What exactly is a 'terrible grin' do we think? Are we talking a lopsided cheeky smile, or a 'I'm going to stab you to death' evil sort of grin?

When I read it, I thought the latter. Kind of an evil smirk, an intimidating smile.

 

[The 158 Man]

Yeah me too. *Shudders*

 

[Tracked]

This story has intrigued me. What exactly is a 'terrible grin' do we think? Are we talking a lopsided cheeky smile, or a 'I'm going to stab you to death' evil sort of grin?

Did you see that Youtube video with Gordon Brown smiling in it? I'd imagine something like that.


I have a copy of that Ghost Now Standing at Platform 1, a bit patchy iirc & the ghost train details are fairly brief

 

[Kernowfem]

Another story from Derbyshire. A volunteer with Peak rail was recently asked by a camper who was staying at the square and compass camp site (approx 900 yards from darley dale station) if they had run any trains on the night of saturday August 6th, around 2 am.

He was able to answer no. When he asked the camper why, he said that he and many others on the same site had been chatting about the steam engine that head gone thundering through that morning, waking a few of the occupants in the process.

True? Or just a few drunken campers hearing things...who knows.