RICK HALE rides the haunted rails, bringing us the 5 most haunted railway stations in England
In 1825, travel in the United Kingdom was forever changed when the first steam locomotive took to the countryside.
The first locomotive was the Stockton and Darlington and was used for hauling minerals.
It wouldn’t be until five years later, 1830, when the Liverpool and Manchester Railway began transporting people.
Since that time, millions have made use of trains and travel has never been the same.
As with any place with a long and illustrious history, many stops along the nation’s tracks have gained a reputation for being haunted.
Reportedly, everything from spectral black dogs growling in the night. To sinister hooded ghouls lurking among the shadows, many stations are among some of the most haunted places in Britain.
So, pay the fair and all aboard to ride the haunted rails into the unknown.
Haunted Railway Stations in England
King’s Cross, London
Our first stop along our haunted railway tour brings us to King’s Cross in the heart of London.
It’s a tube station where a raging inferno resulted in a terrifying haunting.
On the night of 18 November 1987, a small fire went unnoticed at the King’s Cross St. Pancras station under a wooden escalator.
In a matter of 15 minutes, the fire quickly spread into the underground ticket hall, trapping hundreds of people in the flames and smoke.
When the fire was finally brought under control, 100 people were injured and 31 were killed.
Upon investigating, it was determined a carelessly discarded cigarette more than likely ignited the blaze.
Two outcomes happened due to the fire, 1, smoking was banned at all tube stations. And 2. King’s Cross gained a reputation for being haunted.
Since 1988, the unnerving spectre of a young woman in modern clothing has been witnessed at the stop.
She is said to smell of smoke as she holds out her arms and lets out an anguished, unearthly scream.
When people go to see if she needs help, she reportedly vanishes before their eyes.
The frightening ghost is believed to be a young woman who perished in the 1987 fire.
Discover London’s 15 Most Haunted Underground Stations here.
Moulsecoomb Station, Brighton, Sussex
Giant black dogs, or hounds of hell, have been a staple of British folklore stretching back beyond the most of time.
One of these nightmarish beasts is said to stalk Moulsecoomb Station in Brighton & Hove in Sussex causing many passengers to run for their lives.
For decades, people waiting for the train have reported hearing a large dog panting and growling viciously from the shadows.
Whenever someone is brave enough to look around for a dog, they find nothing.
Although mostly heard, a handful of people have reported seeing the shadow of a large dog wandering around the station as if it’s on patrol.
Some have theorised the ghostly canine may be the spirit of a dog that wandered onto the track and was struck by an oncoming train.
Bury Bolton Street Station, Bury, Lancashire
Bury Bolton Street station in Greater Manchester, is one of the country’s oldest railway stations.
Built in 1846, it was originally the headquarters for the East Lancashire Railway until 1866 when it was given its current name.
The waiting room, while seemingly a warm and inviting place to await a train, is said to be home to a terrifying ghoulish entity.
For decades, the ghostly figure of a tall man in a hooded cloak has been seen lurking in the shadows of the station at night.
He appears to keep to himself, except for an incident in 2007, when a man took a picture of his grandson as they waited for a train.
When he had the snapshot developed, he discovered to his dismay, the sinister figure was standing near his grandson.
Since then, the hooded ghost has been witnessed several times and is avoided at all costs.
Carlisle Railway Station, Cumbria
Travelling north to the England/Scotland border, we come to Cumbria and the Carlisle Railway Station.
This imposing Grade II listed station was built in the gothic and neo-Tudor style.
Since September 1847, the station has served this area of northern England faithfully. And it was the site of two train collisions that may have sparked the haunting said to happen there.
The first collision occurred in June 1961, when a light engine and a freight train crashed beneath Caldewgate Bridge.
The second happened 23 years later in May 1984, when a freight train ran headlong into the Caldew bridge completely destroying it.
Since these two accidents, station staff and commuters have reported encounters with three separate entities.
The first, the frightening figure of a man with no head had been seen walking around platform 8.
The second is a woman in a Victorian era gown with a veil covering her face.
And lastly, a young boy wanders the station with tears in his eyes. It’s possible he and his family were victims of one of the collisions and he is forever searching for his parents.
Over the years, investigations by paranormal groups have been conducted at the station and each time they walk away with evidence backing up the claims of eyewitnesses.
New Street Station, Birmingham
Our last and final stop brings us to Birmingham’s New Street Station, a railway station with a gruesome history of grave desecration and suicide. This has led many to believe the train station may be haunted and even cursed.
In 1848, when Birmingham went about constructing the station, they desecrated dozens of graves at a Jewish cemetery.
The disrespect must have angered the people buried there, as the ghosts of people in Orthodox Jewish garb has been seen throughout the station.
Platform 4 at the station has been home to tragedy over the years. Reportedly four people have committed suicide on the platform in recent history.
One of those suicides was an elderly man who put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger as the train pulled into the station.
His body fell onto the track and was run over by the oncoming locomotive.
The ghost of the elderly man has been seen standing quietly on the platform only to vanish as the train pulls up to the platform.
The last ghost seen in the station is that of a handsome, debonair man dressed in fancy Victorian garb.
The staff have come to call him Claude and he’s been seen throughout the station and appears to be just as solid as any living person.
Claude wanders the station curiously watching passengers as they get on and off trains.
If you have ever experienced anything paranormal at these railway stations, we invite you to tell us about them.
Have you seen a ghost at a haunted railway station? Tell us about it in the comment section below!
