Halloween special: The Boggart of Kitson Wood Tunnel
This Halloween, we’re diving into one of the North’s eeriest railway legends, courtesy of Dr Paul Salveson’s captivating new book The Loco Vanishes. Blending railway heritage with supernatural folklore, these stories are perfect for a chilly autumn evening and none more so than the tale of the Kitson Wood Boggart.
The Boggart of Kitson Wood Tunnel
In steam days, Kitson Wood Tunnel was a name to strike fear into the hearts of enginemen. Nestled between Todmorden and Burnley, it was short, just 290 yards, but approached by one of the steepest climbs in the North of England. Slippery rails, a tight curve, and dripping water from the tunnel roof made it a notorious spot for freight trains to stall, sometimes for hours, awaiting rescue. But for the crews of Rose Grove shed, there was another hazard, one not listed in any official railway manual.
Some drivers swore Kitson Wood Tunnel was haunted by a boggart, a mischievous spirit from Lancashire folklore. Legend had it that a platelayer, possibly drunk, was killed by a train in the tunnel and now roamed its damp interior, tapping on cab windows and creeping onto locomotives to curse the crew. Most treated it as a joke, especially when Fred Towneley, a joker from the shed, played tricks on rooky firemen by impersonating the boggart. But one night in 1968, a trainee from Leeds saw something that chilled him to the bone, a twisted face pressed against the cab window, screaming in agony.
The driver and fireman laughed it off, assuming it was Fred’s usual prank. But when they returned to the messroom, Fred was already there, claiming he hadn’t left the cabin all night. “Tha must’ve bin imagin’ things,” he said. Yet as they looked out toward the tunnel, a faint wisp of light flickered at the mouth, then vanished. Was it just steam and shadows, or something more? The Kitson Wood Boggart remains one of the North’s most enduring railway legends.
Want more spine-tingling tales from the tracks?
Pick up a copy of The Loco Vanishes by Dr Paul Salveson, featuring ten spooky railway-themed tales. The book is available now from Kents Bank Station Library and get a special discount when you arrive by train.
Kents Bank Station Library is located on the scenic Furness Line.
The Loco Vanishes is a must-read for railway lovers, folklore fans, and anyone who enjoys a good ghost story, especially around Halloween.
About the author
Dr Paul Salveson MBE is a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Bolton and Huddersfield. His academic work has explored Lancashire dialect and literature, and he is widely recognised for pioneering community rail initiatives across Britain, including helping to found Community Rail Network. Paul is the author of several acclaimed titles, such as With Walt Whitman in Bolton, Northern Rail Heritage, and his latest, The Loco Vanishes, a collection of uncanny railway tales inspired by Northern folklore and railway life.
