Real-life ghost trains haunted by 'headless man' and screaming victims of railway tragedy
There are ghost trains and haunted stations all over the UK - including a headless man, screaming woman and phantom dog. And don't forget the phantom crashes at the level crossings!
This month marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, with festivities planned to commemorate the opening of the Stockton and Darlington line to the public on September 27, 1825.
From those early days of steam locomotives, rail transport has become a staple of everyday life. But it's not all sunshine and roses - and we're not just talking about those stale British Rail sandwiches!
There are countless eerie stories tied to the network's stations, tunnels, and passengers. We hopped aboard the ultimate spectral locomotive to dig deeper....The Ghost of William Huskisson. On September 15, 1830, former cabinet minister William Huskisson was tragically struck by George Stephenson's Rocket, an early steam locomotive, reports the Daily Star.
The 60-year-old found himself in the path of the train while attending the inauguration of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. His leg was horrifically crushed, and the local MP succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Visitors to St James' Cemetery in Liverpool have reported sightings of Huskisson's limping specter emerging from the mausoleum where he is interred. There are even claims that his apparition was captured on film.
King's Cross Station
Constructed in 1852, King's Cross station is perhaps most famous for its connections to the Harry Potter series and its fictional platform 93⁄4.
There are some chilling tales associated with the London terminus. A woman in jeans, arms outstretched and screaming, has been reported to vanish when approached.
She was first seen in 1988, a year after the infamous King's Cross fire that claimed 31 lives.
King's Cross is also rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Boudicca, an ancient British queen who battled the Romans. Some believe her final resting place is beneath platform 8.
Haunted Hubs
Carlisle station in Cumbria is said to be home to several spirits, including a headless man and a veiled woman.
Leamington Spa Station is known for its haunted basement, where staff have reported unexplained incidents of doors slamming and electrical equipment switching on and off. The station once had a Supernatural Liaison Officer on staff.
A young boy who died during World War One is said to haunt Entwistle station in Lancashire. Meanwhile, Birmingham's New Street station's platform 4 is believed to be haunted by the spirit of former train driver Walter Hartles, who took his own life there in 1936 and now waits eternally for a train that never arrives.
At Moulsecoomb station in Sussex, a spectral dog is said to growl at solitary travelers.
Cursed Crossing
Over the years, Connington level crossing in Cambridgeshire has been the site of numerous accidents. In the 1940s, Colonel Arthur Mellows, the former mayor of Peterborough, was killed at this remote location when his car was struck by a train.
In the same decade, six people lost their lives in a similar collision involving a truck.
Since then, railway workers and locals have reported eerie sightings of ghostly figures and phantom cars attempting to cross, along with unexplained gate openings and even the sounds of invisible crashes.
Tunnel Horrors
On August 25, 1861, a train collided into another inside Clayton Tunnel near Brighton, resulting in 23 fatalities. This tragic event inspired author Charles Dickens to write his spooky story The Signalman.
Today, chilling screams and the sounds of grinding metal can be heard emanating from the grand north portal.
But it's not the only haunted railway tunnel. In 2011, a group of track workers at Box Tunnel, near Bath, reported hearing cries coming from its east exit - they then saw the apparition of a woman in a nightdress staring at them, before she abruptly disappeared.
Eerie screams have also been reported at the abandoned Woodhead Tunnels on the line linking Manchester and Sheffield - believed to be from the spirits of laborers who died during their construction.
Train of Terror
One of the most devastating rail disasters in history occurred on December 28, 1879, when a violent storm caused the Tay Rail Bridge in Scotland to collapse as a passenger steam train was crossing it.
The locomotive and carriages plummeted into the water, claiming the lives of all 75 passengers onboard.
Legend has it that on each anniversary of the catastrophe, a spectral train crosses over – and the agonizing screams of the deceased can still be heard.
In 2023, two police officers in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, reported hearing the sound of a phantom train on a line that no longer exists through the town, even claiming to hear its horn.
Spooky Subway Stories
The London tube system seems to be riddled with ghost stories.
A spectral man dressed in a hat, coat, and gloves has been spotted at Covent Garden station. He bears a striking resemblance to actor William Terris, who was murdered nearby in 1897.
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Farringdon station is also rumored to be haunted by the screams of a murder victim, 13 year old Victorian girl Anne Naylor.
Meanwhile, a closed station serving the British Museum, which shut down in 1933, is believed to be haunted by the ghost of ancient Egyptian princess Amen Ra, whose eerie wailing can be heard echoing through the tunnels.