Pensioner 'abandoned' at Shifnal railway station

David Bown, from Leicestershire says he was left without a way home from Shifnal station, after the last train was cancelled by London Midland.

The train company has now apologised to Mr Bown and says it will be looking at improving signage on the station.

Mr Bown was travelling home from Shifnal on May 19, and was due to catch the last train heading to Birmingham New Street that evening, scheduled at 9.13pm.

He said: " When I arrived at the station at 9pm I found that the train had been cancelled. Shifnal station is an unmanned station situated some 300 feet above ground level and not in sight of the town below.

"The overhead display eventually told me that alternative road transport would be available, but did not say where. The station has a small car park and a service road, but is nowhere near a main road.

"I eventually read a notice that advised me that alternative transport arrangements could be found on the poster near to this poster.

"Unfortunately there were no alternative travel arrangements near to the poster. I phoned the number for travel enquiries and was told that road transport would arrive at Aston Street.

"Not being conversant with the area I had no idea where this was. I presumed that station approach was the small unlit, uninhabited service road that led to the car park."

He said while waiting at the station, there were a crowd of youths, which made him feel uncomfortable, so he went to head towards the main road to look for his transport, but none could be found.

He said: "By this time my phone was getting low so I texted my wife to phone me and asked her to phone the enquiries number. I felt unsafe at the station and decided to walk down the opposite entrance to the station, long underground passages to the street below, as the transport could be there.

"When my wife phoned back she said she had been told I was to catch the next train to Wolverhampton where I might be able to get a train to New Street.

"By the time I hurried back up the passages, the train was just pulling out of the station.

"I again phoned the enquiries and was told that 'all the people at Shifnal had been picked up'.

"I was furious at this as I said I was the only person there and no transport had come to the station. I told the enquiries person to phone me back. Eventually the last message I received said 'You will have to make your own way to New Street station'.

"I was in a small town I did not know, with no bus service or any means of getting to Birmingham, a distance of 25 miles.

"I had to find overnight accommodation in Shifnal and travel back the next day. I had not eaten that night as I was expecting to do so when I got home. I did not have my blood pressure tablets on me.

"I feel this situation is unacceptable from a responsible train company and asking people to walk down a dark, unlit service road shrouded in trees and bushes late at night is a recipe for disaster."

The train company has now apologised to Mr Bown, and said it will be looking to make its signs more prominent.

Francis Thomas, a spokesman for London Midland, said: " We are sorry Mr and Mrs Bown had a less than satisfactory journey with us.

"We have apologised to the Bowns and compensated them for the disruption to their journey.

"We have also checked Shifnal station. The information about where to find the replacement bus service was properly displayed however we will look again at how we could make this even more prominent.”