On a cowd Saturday afternoon in January 1887 Mr. William Heath, a local councilor and coal merchant from Hadnal, was sitting in his horse drawn carriage awaiting a train to arrive at platform three. There had bin a heavy snowfall, the weight of which was too much for the cast iron and glass canopy that he was parked under causing it too collapse and sadly Mr. Heath was crushed to jeth (death) in his carriage. His ‘oss (horse) and a young boy were slightly injured but it could have bin much worse. Fortunately the collapse occurred at 3.30 when most of the horses were away being fed, otherwise there could have bin 30 or 40 folks sheltering there. One mon who also had a lucky escape was Mr. John Clews who had moments earlier been talking to his friend Mr. Heath, another lucky escapee was the carriage owner, Mr. David Rees who ran from under the cover as it started to collapse.
People have sin the ghostly figure of Mr Heath, near to the entrance of platform three, anxiously checking his pocket watch and looking for his train that will never come. One member of our Memories of Shropshire FB group described briefly seeing a mon in a long black overcoat and bowler hat, carrying an umbrella afore he disappeared.
I have seen in some books the victim named as Mr Thomas Thomas, MP but a newspaper article from the time definitely names him as Mr Heath.
I have also bin towd of two postal workers who were killed by a passing train as they tried to remove their postal truck off the track after it had rolled there due to brake failure. A cowd chill is said to still mark the spot.
Pop back in tomorrow if you can for the Castle and the gruesome tale of Bloody Jack, oh! and dunna have nightmares.