'She told us it was a lovely day - then she was hit by the train'

icNorthWales.com ^ | 2.18.03 | Hugo Duncan

[mhking]

'She told us it was a lovely day - then she was hit by the train'

Feb 18 2003
By Hugo Duncan Daily Post Staff

A YOUNG woman was killed by a train on a North Wales line yesterday just minutes after telling a passing couple it was "a lovely day".

The woman, in her 30s, died when she was hit by the 11.47am service from Llandudno to Manchester Piccadilly, just outside Deganwy station.

She had been sitting on the stile opposite Harbour View Restaurant and Takeaway on Glan y Môr Road, Deganwy, since about 9.30am, looking over the tracks towards Conwy castle.

Moments before the train hit her - the sixth to pass since 9.30am - she spoke to Nigel and Jane Bowler, owners of Harbour View, who were walking their dog.

Mrs Bowler, 37, said: "We took the dog for a walk at 10.50am and she was sat on the stile but moved off so we could get over. She had been there all morning.

"I thanked her for moving and she replied, 'It's a lovely day, isn't it?'. Then she moved for us again when we came back at about 11.30am.

"She seemed fine, like she was waiting for someone, enjoying her day and the view. But a few minutes later the train came out of Deganwy and hit her.

"I feel guilty now having spoken to her - you just don't know what people are thinking. She wasn't upset or crying or anything like that."

The woman has not been identified but is said to be local by British Transport Police, who reported the death to the coroner.

Mr Bowler, 43, said the stile was a popular place when the weather was good. He said: "Lots of people sit on that stile on a nice day and take in the sun and the view across the river.

"But this is terrible. It is an absolutely awful thing to happen and such a waste of a young life. She must have a family, and it must be devastating for them."

The couple, who have two children, said they did not recognise the woman.

Mrs Bowler said paramedics were reading a note which had been left by the woman.

North Wales Police Inspector David Williams said: "It seems she jumped out in front of the train. There are no suspicious circumstances."

The train, operated by First North Western, stopped fur-ther up the line before limping into Llandudno station, where it was taken out of service. Passengers were transferred onto coaches and the line was re-opened at 1.18pm.

[The KG9 Kid]

Heartbreaking.

[mhking]

No humor in this - it's just bizarrely ironic...

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[tubebender]

It doesn't sound like a accident...very sad.

[sinkspur]

What's a "stile"?

[chance33_98]

What's a "stile"?

It's one of those...you know..things like they have over there. BRB heading to google.

[deport]

Main Entry: ¹stile
Pronunciation: 'stI(&)l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English stigel; akin to Old English st[AE]ger stair -- more at STAIR
Date: before 12th century
: a step or set of steps for passing over a fence or wall; also : TURNSTILE

[AppyPappy]

Whoa, that will leave a mark.

[ChemistCat]

An online acquaintance (and good Republican father of two) suicided December 31st, and we found out a week ago. It's absolutely staggering, incredibly painful, and even though we couldn't have KNOWN, and couldn't have done anything even if we had known--it's an incredible shock to find that obituary when you finally can't stand not knowing any more and do a Google search.

I'm through the shock phase and I'm stuck in the anger phase. HOW DARE he DO THAT to the people who cared about him? How dare he leave his wife and babies alone in this uncertain time, without a protector? This woman dumped one heck of a load of guilt and horror on people she didn't even know, and on a lot of people she did. How DARE she.

If you're going to do this, please untangle yourself from all other humans and spend an entire decade living in such obscurity that nobody knows you or cares about you any more, let alone depends on you. Don't even have internet acquaintances. You must live as a total hermit until you are completely free of anyone who cares. Then do it in such a way that nobody has to clean up after you. No, I don't know how that can be done. Maybe some Goldberg device that involves a hole in the ground and some mechanism to dump the dirt over you. Make sure nobody is going to have to find you, fill out papers, throw up at the gore you've left behind. For God's sake don't do it where your own children might find your body. Don't do it so that your children might someday wonder if you left because they were "bad."

It's only fair. Don't do it to other people. Just don't. Because you are going to spend eternity sobbing into the flames how sorry you are, how sorry you are.

[TBall]

Very sad, but no real questions with this train accident. You ever read about the "boys on the tracks?" Arkansas coroner does autopsy on two boy and finds that both boys fell asleep in the middle of the tracks after smoking mary jane. Only a true WOD propagandist would argue such BS senerio. Anyway when pressured by the boys family, the governor choose not to question the findings.

[TBall]

Why don't you do a grammer check before posting?

[highpockets]

Me thinks TBall is being to hard on Tball. Live and learn. People make mistakes give the guy a break.

[sonserae]

You don't understand do you? You obviously don't think like someone who wants to do this. To someone who does this...sometimes....it's someone everyone relies on, who is strong, capable, always there...they have their happy face on because people rely on them....but way down deep...they realize that their needs have been discounted. That they have no safe place to go with their problems. They have taken on the world's problems and there's no peace or rest. They don't feel they REALLY matter to people. They only feel used. They truly don't think anyone will miss them when they are gone..that they will be replaced to "get the job done". Life is empty when your feelings don't matter.

[TBall]

Know i guess its knot.

[ChemistCat]

I know...intellectually...he was in so much pain he couldn't help it. I've been that depressed. Curiously, when I'm NOT that depressed, I can't really relate to it. Isn't that odd?

In time I'll come around and accept things for what they are. I'm just angry RIGHT NOW. And I can't judge his soul. I don't know a thing about his final destination or his state of mind--I'm just mad he did this to people who loved him just because they didn't show him "right."

His kids were 5 and 8.

[sonserae]

It is sad. I'm feeling depressed now so I can relate. I don't think I would ever reach that desperation point but I think I understand it...I mean...the fact that it is always who you least expect...They HAVE to be the strong one because all others around them are weak. After awhile, the pressure is just too much to take. Everyone needs nurturing...even the people who appear to be "strong and capable"...especially them because most of the time, they forgo their needs to cater to the weaker ones.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Did you ever think that, perhaps, people with mental illnesses would have difficulty following your eminently rational set of suicide pre-conditions?

[ChemistCat]

Yes, see my follow-up post above.

I'm going through the stages of grief, that's all, complicated by the rage I feel at the idea of little children finding their father after he's killed himself with a gun. He did it at home. I don't know who had to find him.

A friend of mine in junior high was going to kill himself. My mom talked him out of it by helping him understand that his little brother and sister might find his body and suffer a great deal as a result. He's alive and well and a very successful engineer now, by the way.

One thing that gets you through if the selfishness of it doesn't put you off is knowing you've gotten through it BEFORE. Whatever you're going through, you can get through it and it WILL get better.