The Author
Arnold Ridley (1896-1984) had the rare distinction of achieving fame twice: the first time was in November 1925 when The Ghost Train, the play he wrote in a week, transferred from Brighton via Golders Green to St. Martin’s theatre and ran to packed houses for two years. There followed decades of steady, if inconspicuous industry, in which he wrote more that 30 plays, then in the late 1960’s at the age of 72, he became a household name as the doubtfully continent figure of Private Godfrey. Having already played parts in The Archers, Crossroads and yes – The Avengers!

The Story
A party of railway travellers find themselves marooned in an out of the way station on a Cornish line, and have to spend the night in the waiting-room. To add to their physical discomfort, they learn from the station-master that the place is haunted. Ever since a bad accident there some years ago, a phantom train is believed by the superstitious Cornish folk to dash through the station at the dead of night. The arrival of a distraught maiden who tells the company the Ghost Train is sure to run that very night does not help to relieve the general anxiety. This having been said, this Arnold Ridley play has been described variously as “A Comedy Thriller”, “A Farce with a Thrill” or “A Jolly and Genuine Thriller”




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