roxyguy Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 As we settled into the long weekend and approach Halloween, has anyone any ghastly tails of ghouls or ghosts they'd like to share? Maybe even a few tales about ghost trains or the like?? BOOH! 1 Quote
jhb171achill Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 On the Killybegs - Donegal section of the CDR, shortly after closure, a couple who were recently retired gatekeepers and still lived in their CDR house, heard a locomotive whistling for the gates one very dark and stormy night. Services had ended and the track was in the process of being lifted; some track was still laid, but the bit past them had been taken up over recent days and weeks. But the old crossing gates were still there, and closed across the former railway for good, as you'd expect. They BOTH went out to investigate. As they opened their door, they heard a frantic whistling and a ghostly train rushed past, the lights in the several carriages visible, as well as the glow of the firebox. They could smell the steam and coal smoke. This was in 1960. Obviously, there was no train out that night. WooooooooooHHHHHHH Quote
jhb171achill Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 And, on the Achill line - between two of the MGWR's only two "proper" tunnels (as opposed to "cut'n'covers"),, which were outside Newport on the Westport side, and only a few hundred metres apart - there was a ghost. When you got the train to Westport from Newport, you crossed the viaduct (still there) and entered tunnel no. 1. After exiting this, only seconds passed until you were in the other. IF IT WAS DARK, and no lights in the carriage, once you got out of one, there was a man in old-fashioned undertaker's clothes sitting opposite you. After you came out of the second, he had gone. Quote
Broithe Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 Over here, we have lots of real ghost trains - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vhhcf - unfortunately, the recording is not currently available, but the gist of it is there in the summary. Quote
Glenderg Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 Excellent thread roxy! I did hear a story of a man who used to check the phoenix park tunnel late at night who heard the ballast crunching a few feet behind him every night. It never bothered him as his father did the same job before him. I heard a great story years ago in pallasgrean where they had the railway hotel. I worked behind the bar as an oik, and the lights would flicker at about 11 every Saturday. Locals always put it down to the ghost train. I put it down to bad wiring, but it still spooks me Quote
GSR 800 Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Some interesting stuff there JH,Westport has many ghosts. When my grandfather was young,he went down to an elderly lady's house,near the railway. He couldn't find her and walked around to see if he could find her. It was the middle of winter . He went to the shed, which had its door open.when he turned around he saw a white ghost. the wind howled, and the " ghost" moved towards him. To his horror the arms broke off. He ran straight home.turned out the old woman had some clothes out on the line.over night the clothes froze. When my grandfather came it was pitch dark and he was supersticous ( as many people were). When he turned he saw the jumper which was frozen and stiff it looked like a ghost . As the wind howled the ice broke off the arms. Edited October 23, 2015 by GSR 800 Quote
roxyguy Posted October 23, 2015 Author Posted October 23, 2015 Great stories guys! Im lovin it. Don't have any myself:( As a child I remember a movie called 'sometimes they come back' based on a stephen king novel. Had a ghost train in it - scared the bejesus out of me Quote
jhb171achill Posted October 23, 2015 Posted October 23, 2015 Probably the most famous is the man on the white horse in the Wellington Cutting between Bessbrook and Dundalk. My father remember a PW gang all running away scared from the, while on night time PW work, in 1947/8. Locomen had report sightings right back to the earliest days of the railway. Quote
GSR 800 Posted October 22, 2016 Posted October 22, 2016 Alright, I think it's time to clear the cobwebs from this"haunted" thread:p As its approaching Halloween again, has anyone got some more creepy stories? Quote
RANGERMOUSE Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 In the mid 80's my parent's myself and my sister were walking back into town (Mohill) after visiting my grandparents. About half way my sister, who was still in a pushchair started pointing saying "look at the train". She was pointing in the direction of the field where the C&L left Mohill heading for Dromad. Obviously there was nothing there as the line had been lifted 25 years beforehand. Being in a pushchair she would have been far too young to understand the line used to run there. I don't remember the incident myself as I was still young but even now my parents get chills when they remember it. Quote
jhb171achill Posted October 25, 2016 Posted October 25, 2016 Senior was involved in track repair surveys in the Wellington Cutting near Dundalk some time around 1950. A PW gang refused to work there (despite good money on offer) because of the haunted horseman there. This had been seen - through GNR history - by PW and milesmen, as well as drivers and fireman. A man on a horse would ride silently through the rock cutting. On at least one occasion, a driver slammed on the brakes as he thought there was a real horse there. On approaching the observer, the horseman and horse would just disappear. Nobody knows who he was / is, or when he was first seen. I wonder if any modern drivers have ever reported seeing him? Quote
GSR 800 Posted October 25, 2016 Posted October 25, 2016 Senior was involved in track repair surveys in the Wellington Cutting near Dundalk some time around 1950. A PW gang refused to work there (despite good money on offer) because of the haunted horseman there. This had been seen - through GNR history - by PW and milesmen, as well as drivers and fireman. A man on a horse would ride silently through the rock cutting. On at least one occasion, a driver slammed on the brakes as he thought there was a real horse there. On approaching the observer, the horseman and horse would just disappear. Nobody knows who he was / is, or when he was first seen. I wonder if any modern drivers have ever reported seeing him? certainly a strange one... i wonder if there are any from the West..the folk being quite superstitious Quote
roxyguy Posted October 24, 2017 Author Posted October 24, 2017 That time of the year again. FREE pint* to whoever spots the ghost. Quote
Broithe Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 There is ghostliness at Stradbally on Sunday - Quote
roxyguy Posted October 24, 2017 Author Posted October 24, 2017 That looks like fun! Wish I lived nearer. Quote
Broithe Posted October 31, 2017 Posted October 31, 2017 The Trainspotter's Guide to Dracula. 30 minutes - worth a listen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09byr3c Quote
Broithe Posted October 5, 2021 Posted October 5, 2021 Hazlehatch is ghoulish again at the moment. 1 Quote
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