The Platform Edge: Uncanny Tales of the Railways

by Mike Ashley (Editor), Victor L. Whitechurch, Zoe Dana Underhill

The Platform Edge is a collection of the greatest stories of strange happenings on the tracks.

In this express service into the unknown, passengers join the jostling of the daily commute, a subway car disappears into another dimension without a trace, while a tragic derailment on a lonely hillside in the Alps torments the locals with its nightly repetition.

From the open railways of Europe and America to the pressing dark of the London Underground, The Platform Edge is the perfect travelling companion for unforgettable journeys into the supernatural.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Gothic, Classics, Weird Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 17, 2019

About the author

Michael Raymond Donald Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
‘’Our love affair with trains – especially steam trains – is matched by our fear of them. Who amongst us has not, at one time or another, been ultra-cautious about standing too close to the edge of the platform as the train thunders in, or has hurried over a level-crossing just in case the train might appear at any second, or has found themselves alone in the labyrinth of the tunnels underground leading to a possibly deserted station. And who has not wondered who will sit next to them in a carriage, especially the older carriages where you could be trapped in a compartment.’’
This may be one for the trainspotters: a collection of ghost/weird stories which focuses on trains: above and under the ground. Ashley has managed to find a number of more obscure writers as well as the usual suspects. There are stories from W G Kelly, L G Moberly, Victor Whitechurch, Huan Mee, Mary Louisa Molesworth, Zoe Dana Underhill, Perceval Landon, Edgar Wallace, Dinah Castle, T G Jackson, Rosemary Timperley, E F Benson, A J Deutsch, Michael Vincent, R Chetwynd-Hayes, F Scott Fitzgerald, Ramsey Campbell and one anonymous.
There are some very effective stories; a piece of classic 1950s science fiction with a different dimension and the usual ghostly trains and premonitions of disaster. The last story is set on a ghost train in a run-down funfair and works very well. There’s also a locked room story and disconnected communication devices which suddenly start to work.
As I said, the usual suspects with a couple that stand out. Another solid collection.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

the full post (no spoilers) is here:
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...

So far there are thirteen books in the British Library Tales of the Weird series, making me wonder if we've come to the end because of the supernatural association with the number thirteen. I hope not, since the editors of these books have put together stories I've never seen before, ranging from Victorian times through I'd say mainly mid-20th century, and so far, these books have brought me many hours of pleasure. The blurb at the back of the book where the other titles are given says that

"British Library Tales of the Weird collects a thrilling array of uncanny storytelling from the realms of gothic, supernatural, and horror fiction..."

and

"revives long-lost material from the Library's vaults to thrill again alongside beloved classics of the weird fiction genre." While not all of the stories I've read so far in this series have necessarily been "thrilling," they are beyond fun to read and for me at least, have served as a stepping stone into the work of authors whose work I've never read. In my case, it's not just the stories themselves but more importantly, the discovery of these previously-unknown-to-me writers that has been the draw. This time around there were only six, but that's okay -- it's six more than I knew of before.

The stories in this volume range from 1878 to 1985, thus covering over a century of railway-related weird/ghostly/supernatural and other types of tales. In his short but informative introduction, Mike Ashley explains the rise of stories about "haunted stations and phantom trains" that hearken back to the early nineteenth century. By 1860, as he writes, there had been "over thirteen hundred accidents in the UK alone," and that there is "little surprise" that with the mounting death toll, these sorts of tales "started to circulate." The earliest story in this volume in fact, the anonymously-written "Desperate Run," not only reflects the sort of anxieties felt about the trains at the time, or as Ashley puts it, the contradictory idea of the train as "sinister as it is remarkable," but also the dedication of those whose duty it is to see that all runs smoothly, two themes that carry most strongly through a number of these tales in different variations. As we move forward in time here, it's not surprising to see a number of stories in this book reflecting many of these same concerns about the subway.

It's difficult to describe what I look for while reading the weird or while reading strange/supernatural tales in general, but I know it when I find it, and I think appreciation of this sort of thing reflects more of a personal, internal aesthetic. Most readers (if you can go by the few ratings/reader reviews here on Goodreads) seemed to enjoy this book, minus the one reader who referred to it as "pedestrian," an opinion I don't happen to share, but to each his or her own. Overall, I have to say that my investment of time and money in the British Library Tales of the Weird series has paid off handsomely; the same is certainly true of this book. While there were a few I didn't particularly bond with as is common in most anthologies, the majority of the stories here will delight any true-blue fan of older supernatural or weird tales. It certainly delighted me.

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

“The Strange Story of Engine Number 651”, Victor L. Whitechurch (1902) ✭✭✭
“The Conductor’s Story”, Zoe Dana Underhill (1889) ✭✭✭
“A Desperate Run”, Anonymous (1878) ✭✭
“A Smoking Ghost”, W. G. Kelly (1885) ✭✭✭
“A Strange Night”, L. G. Moberly (1897) ✭✭✭
“The Tragedy in the Train”, Charles Mansfield & Walter Mansfield (as by Huan Mee) (1905) ✭✭
“The Man with the Cough”, Mary Louisa Molesworth (1894) ✭✭✭
“Railhead”, Perceval Landon (1908) ✭✭✭
“The Barford Snake”, Edgar Wallace (1909) ✭✭½
“A Ghost on the Train”, Dinah Castle (1968) ✭✭✭✭
“The Underground People”, Rosemary Timperley (1955) ✭✭✭
“A Romance of the Piccadilly Tube”, T. G. Jackson (1919) ✭✭✭
“In the Tube”, E. F. Benson (1922) ✭½
“A Subway Named Möbius”, A. J. Deutsch (1950) ✭✭✭✭
“The Last Train”, Michael Vincent (1964) ✭✭✭½
“The Underground”, R. Chetwynd-Hayes (1985) ✭✭✭½
“A Short Trip Home”, F. Scott Fitzgerald (1927) ✭✭✭
“The Companion”, Ramsey Campbell (1976) ✭✭✭✭

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of short horror stories, set around the world of railways & the underground network, seemed like an exciting book for me to read. Unfortunately, it wasn't. There are a few good tales within the pages, but most of them are quite pedestrian.
Credit to editor Mike Ashley for finding some obscure entries, but for a far superior anthology I humbly suggest you read The End of the Line, edited by Jonathan Oliver.

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

La antología "The Platform Edge: Uncanny Tales of the Railways" es una cuidada selección de cuentos, editada e introducida por Mike Ashley, que explora la dualidad inherente a la experiencia ferroviaria: el progreso vertiginoso y la ineludible amenaza. El ferrocarril, desde sus albores en el siglo XIX, simbolizó la modernidad, pero también se erigió como un espacio de confinamiento, velocidad descontrolada y tragedia recurrente, engendrando inevitablemente un nuevo folclore de fantasmas y sucesos extraños.

El volumen está estructurado temáticamente en tres grandes secciones que trazan un recorrido geográfico y cronológico.

Departures in the Light (Partidas en la luz): Esta primera sección se centra en los ferrocarriles de superficie y la época dorada de las locomotoras de vapor. Recopila historias victorianas y eduardianas, muchas de ellas recuperadas tras décadas de olvido, que capturan el terror gótico de la cabina aislada y la vía solitaria. Aquí encontramos narraciones sobre trenes y máquinas embrujadas, como «The Strange Story of Engine Number 651» (1902) de Victor L. Whitechurch, donde la protagonista es una locomotora poseída por un espíritu vengativo, o relatos de terror psicológico como «The Man with the Cough» (1894) de Mary Louisa Molesworth. El misterio se entrelaza con lo sobrenatural, destacando piezas como «The Tragedy in the Train» (1905) de Huan Mee, que opera como un intrigante enigma de habitación cerrada sobre raíles. La tragedia se repite noche tras noche, torturando a los lugareños, como en un relato de descarrilamiento en los Alpes.

Approaches in the Dark (Aproximaciones en la oscuridad): El foco se traslada a la claustrofobia y la negrura de los sistemas de metro, principalmente el Tube de Londres. En estos túneles, el horror adquiere un matiz más moderno, urbano y a menudo cósmico o psicológico. Se incluyen piezas icónicas de la ficción extraña como «A Subway Named Möbius» (1950) de A.J. Deutsch, donde un vagón desaparece sin dejar rastro en una dimensión alternativa, o historias de terror subterráneo más directo, como «The Underground People» (1955) de Rosemary Timperley.

Return to the Light? (¿Regreso a la luz?): El epílogo temático de la obra presenta un par de relatos que expanden la temática ferroviaria a nuevos horizontes. El volumen concluye con contribuciones significativas de autores contemporáneos del género, incluyendo a F. Scott Fitzgerald con la novelette «A Short Trip Home» (1927) y la incursión en la feria de atracciones con «The Companion» (1976) de Ramsey Campbell, donde los mayores temores de un hombre se materializan en un tren fantasma de carnaval.

El terror, como disciplina literaria, ha encontrado en la tecnología un aliado tan prolífico como aterrador. La antología "The Platform Edge" es la prueba irrefutable de que el tren no es solo un medio de transporte, sino un escenario gótico en movimiento, un laberinto de hierro y humo donde las normas de la realidad se suspenden.

Mike Ashley, con su erudita introducción, sienta las bases para esta tesis. Al rememorar la fascinación inicial, pero también el horror por la velocidad y los accidentes (como el que casi le cuesta la vida a Charles Dickens en Staplehurst en 1865), el editor nos recuerda que el mito del tren fantasma nació casi simultáneamente a la propia invención del ferrocarril. El tren, con su estruendo y su implacable horario, introduce la fatalidad y la precariedad de la vida humana en un mundo en rápida industrialización, un eco sombrío de la máquina de progreso.

Lo que distingue a esta colección, en línea con el mérito de la serie «British Library Tales of the Weird», es su labor de arqueología literaria. Ashley no se limita a los textos canónicos (aunque el espíritu de "The Signalman" de Dickens planea sobre toda la obra), sino que rescata rarezas y gemas olvidadas que cubren más de un siglo de escritura. La cronología de los relatos, desde finales del siglo XIX hasta casi el final del siglo XX, permite apreciar la evolución del género de lo insólito.

En las secciones de trenes de superficie, predomina la atmósfera del cuento de fantasmas tradicional, con su suspense de alcoba de tren y la niebla que rodea la estación desierta, como en «A Strange Night» (1897) de L.G. Moberly. Sin embargo, Ashley intercala "rarezas refrescantes", demostrando que no todo es terror fantasmagórico puro: «A Smoking Ghost» (1885) de W.G. Kelly, por ejemplo, ofrece una perspectiva más irónica sobre la adicción y el más allá. La inclusión de «The Tragedy in the Train» de Huan Mee (1905), un misterio sin elementos sobrenaturales, subraya la capacidad del tren para convertirse, en sí mismo, en el escenario perfecto de un crimen inescrutable.

El cambio de paisaje a la oscuridad del metro en Approaches in the Dark marca un giro estilístico hacia el horror moderno. En este entorno, el fantasma gótico cede paso a lo psíquico, la ciencia ficción y el horror corporal o conceptual.

El cuento «A Subway Named Möbius» (1950) de A. J. Deutsch, por ejemplo, es una pieza fundamental de la ciencia ficción especulativa, que utiliza la red de metro como metáfora de la complejidad topológica, uniendo la ingeniería a la lógica del caos y la desaparición.

"The Platform Edge" es mucho más que una simple recopilación de historias de trenes; es un estudio de facto sobre la geografía del miedo en la era industrial y post-industrial. Mike Ashley ofrece un equilibrio entre nombres canónicos (Wallace, Benson, Fitzgerald, Campbell) y la restauración de voces olvidadas (Underhill, Whitechurch). Esta antología es una lectura esencial para cualquier aficionado a la literatura de lo insólito y un recordatorio literario de por qué, incluso hoy, no podemos evitar sentir una punzada de cautela al mirar el borde del andén.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really think this is for ghost-story completists only. I admire the research and effort that's gone into digging out obscure tales from long-forgotten Victorian periodicals (though them being mostly out-of-copyright may be a factor) but I can't say I was personally enthused by the selection herein. The obscure tales, in my opinion, weren't very much deserving of resurrection. They strike me as what were termed, in their day, "fillers". Fair enough, there is the excellent Ramsey Campbell to contend with, amongst the near-contemporary and still-in-copyright stories, but even his story feels rather shoe-horned into the mix (it being set on a funfair ghost-train rather than on the railways). The R. Chetwynd-Hayes tale is not one of his best and, alas, even the particular E.F. Benson story chosen rather showcases his unfortunate habit of descending into occult/psychical babble.

I'm sure there remains room for a mass-market, representative, comprehensive, and truly amazing anthology of weird tales set on the railways which might usefully enthuse the new generation of weird fiction readers; but it would instead feature the likes of Stefan Grabinski (take your pick from his collection The Motion Demon), Dino Buzzati's "Catastrophe" and Robert Aickman's "The Trains". And I could certainly list a good number of further, equally worthy, examples of weird tales set on the railways.

An opportunity missed.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

They really missed a trick not subtitling this "Uncanny Tales of the Rails"

[Evan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

An engaging dive into Victorian era existential dread and fear of new technology as well as the uncomfortable power dynamic of industrialisation. Several stories explore experiences of trains and railways as the manifestation of a person's own psychological horror and unease.


"A Smoking Ghost" being the stand out story

[Ronald Schoedel III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Some great “Twilight Zone”-ish short stories in here. Will have to pick up the rest of the series. As always, some stories in a collection are always going to hit home better than others, but all of them in this collection were 5 or 4 star-worthy.

[Alex Sarll]

I had suspected some of the British Library's Tales Of The Weird collection might be a little bit too specific in their focus – yes, the whole book about spooky tattoos, I am looking at you – but it had never occurred to me that one of the ones I liked the look of might have that problem. Part of the issue is that I'd forgotten that, while I like trains*, some people *really* like trains. I once got up early to see a steam train going past the end of my road; there's a significant number of people who do that sort of thing most weekends, and more than five minutes' walk away. And some of the writers here definitely fall into that category, like the first contributor, Victor L Whitechurch, who apparently is "best known for his railway detective stories", but occasionally branched out into railway ghost stories such as this, the key bit clearly being the railway. And if you're like me, the idea of reading train ghost stories at home when you regularly get trains is anathema, so you'll chuck this in your bag or pocket when headed out, and then because the stories are quite short, you'll end up reading two or three of an evening, and even if they're individually good, which they mostly are, it will be brought home to you that there are only so many ways to haunt a railway. The train is a ghost, or else someone on it is. The driver sees something he shouldn't – or doesn't see something he ought. A ghost averts an accident, or causes one. Yeah, I know Joseph Campbell and his many pale imitations would say that went for every story, but sometimes it's more noticeable than others, isn't it? To the extent that this one set me talking with the spouse one night about other excessively niche anthologies the series might have in store:
The Devil's Dairy: Eerie Stories Which All Somehow Include An Unexpectedly Prominent Role For Cheese
Geoff By Misadventure: Strange Tales In All Of Which At Least One Character Is Known By A Diminutive Of Geoffrey
Tulse Hell: Classic Ghost Stories Somehow Related To London's Seeming Inability Not To Dig Up Our Local Bus Routes For Five Fucking Minutes

But by making sure to leave it home for longer gaps, I did gradually warm to it. This was further helped by going hardline, only reading Underground stories on the Tube and non-Underground ones not on the Tube; yes, I did manage something similar with the woods volume, and the London one, and obviously the festive hauntings, but I think I may have to be more lenient with the Cornwall volume, never mind if I ever attempt the polar one. Enough of the writers find enough interesting wrinkles, and trains are strange enough spaces, especially at night, that I ended up mostly glad I'd persevered. The final pair aren't the highlight, granted; F Scott Fitzgerald's A Short Trip Home works much better in a collection of his work, where you're not expecting a spectre, than here where you've warning. And for my money the fairground ghost train of the closing The Companion would be cheating even if I didn't find Ramsey Campbell overrated in general. All told, if they ever do a second collection on the same theme, I think I'll probably stay on the platform myself.

*Indeed, I also like I Like Trains, though I remain baffled that they could play a gig at the height of the Partygate revelations, while being one of the very few bands to have released a single about the assassination of a British Prime Minister, and not include that in the set. Odd guys.

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2018, the British Library launched their own imprint of ghost story anthologies. These featured ghost stories from their collection and the reaction from 2 recipients on having received one anthology each as Christmas presents was how much they’d enjoyed them. The anthologies contain lesser known stories from forgotten writers and one has a brief biographical note on the author. The only story that I had read previously was Ramsay Campbell’s The Companion which takes place in an abandoned fairground ghost train.
They must have sold well as the British Library has published 3 more themed anthologies: Railways, Tattoos and Botanical
The Platform Edge is an anthology of stories based, as you might expect on railway and subway spooks. It could also be subtitled Spooks on the tracks. I’ve always found railways creepy especially a lonely platform at night as the lights of as train bear down on me – is the train I’ve been expecting or one that might be going somewhere else?
There is a good introduction by the book’s editor, Mike Ashley, in which he discusses
how these stories play on our fears. He also reveals that the first recorded rumour of a ghost on the railways was in 1856 on the Corpar-Dundee line near Aberdeen.
The book has 3 sections: Departures in the Light, Approached in the Dark and Return to the light.

As in previous volumes in the series lesser known authors are to the fore and one of my favourite tales was The Last Train by Michael Vincent. This features ghost stations on the London Underground which are disused stations that the tube no longer stops at and if you know where to look as the train careers by they can still be seen. In this a tube driver makes a fatal mistake of stopping at one….The author only appears to have had one story published which is a shame as this is so good
In The Underground by R Chetwynd Hayes a ghostly World War 1 soldier reveals to a fellow traveller the truth behind a family secret.

These collections are amazing value for money and ideal for winter train journeys as the train rushes along. But be careful if you look up at a carriage window while in a tube tunnel as you may find that you’re not alone….a reminder of how eerie the London Underground can be even during the day.

[tara bomp · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those books of short stories I like reading to spend time but averages out to 2.5 because it's nothing more than a time waster. I find it interesting reading stuff that was made in older time for things like newspapers and magazines but you can also tell a lot of these were thought of as disposable when written. The real reason I picked it up is the train angle, which also adds to my interest but it's notable how many add details that would probably put off a modern reader but that also don't really make much sense. The longer ones here often feel like they're spinning their wheels and should really be shorter. The most effective are a few of the shorter ones - "The Underground People" is a short one questioning the agency of the crowds on the underground, "A Smoking Ghost" is a kind of goofy one about the lengths dead people will go to to experience tobacco. Even the F Scott Fitzgerald one is a bit of a damp squip.

[T.S.C. Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love a collection of spooky ghost stories to start off the year.
Chilling, some even humorous, with ideas that are so wild...
I loved them all; I cannot recommend the smoking ghost story enough.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I struggled a bit with some of the first stories, as not familiar with USA slang etc from that era, and found them a bit dull too! However, things picked up speed as we got to the more modern train stories! Some of these were quite good, my fave being ‘ A Subway Named Möbius’ .

[Sadie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, don't ask me why I picked this book up, but I did and surprisingly loved it. Well written weird stories that kept you riveted to your seat, I couldn't put the book down. Stories cleverly written by different authors about different trains, stations and places during the 19th and 20th centuries makes and interesting book with many twists and turns.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb collection of tales of weird and strange stories of all things rail related. As ever each story is superbly chosen and the collection works together beautifully despite, or maybe even because of, the different styles and approaches.

The Strange Story of Engine Number 651 is a chilling tale of jealousy and revenge and how guilt can leave its mark on the world. The Conductor's Story is another that shows how guilt can eat away at a person and make them question their every decision. A Desperate Run is a short story that shows that not all spirits have ill intentions and many aim to help albeit in slightly chilling terms. A Smoking Ghost is quite an amusing story that tells of how smoking requests work in the afterlife, let's just say I'm glad I don't have that vice! A Strange Night tells of two men on a rambling holiday that find themselves in a small abandoned hamlet that has a dark dark secret, one that drove the previous residents away (and it was published in the South Wales Echo which makes me a little bit proud). The Tragedy in the Train tells of a conspiracy based on greed that is devious beyond belief. The Man with the Cough is a story of industrial intrigue and theft that can only be foiled by one man. Railhead is a tale of greed and robbery that one man can prevent, with the help of some non-earthly beings. The Barford Snake is a clever story of revenge and supernatural power that has devastating and chilling consequences. A Ghost on the Train follows a young gentleman as he converses with his fellow passengers only to discover that one of them is not really present, and is not really as pleasant as they appear. The Underground People is a chilling tale warning against getting too comfortable on the underground (quite glad I don't live in London). A Romance of the Piccadilly Tube is a sad tale of two brothers one of whom finds himself in the position to gain what he should not and the mental battle that follows. In The Tube is a disturbing tale of a man who foresees some terrible event while riding the tube but finds himself unable to prevent it and his companion who questions whether he truly tried. A Subway Named Mobius is a strange dimension bending tale that follows the Boston underground trains as they jump between worlds and the confusion this causes. The Last Train is a superbly chilling tale that tells of subway drivers coming up to their retirement and seeing things that they should not see. The Underground is a sad and disturbing tale that follows Laura Munro as she uncovers the identity of a young soldier she sees on the underground and her realisation that she already knows him and why he is there. A Short Trip Home tells of a pleasant fellow who finds himself in the midst of a disturbing story that has one of his oldest and most beloved friends in the grasp of a chilling and other worldly situation. The Companion is a chilling story that moves from the rail to a ghost train in every sense of the word.

[Alex Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent, if unspectacular, addition to the series.

The Strange Story of Engine Number 651 ***
The Conductor’s Story ***
A Desperate Run **
A Smoking Ghost **** - Very original.
A Strange Night ***
The Tragedy in the Train **** - A fun murder mystery.
The Man with the Cough *** - A fantastic concept but the execution left much to be desired.
Railhead **
The Barford Snake ***
A Ghost on the Train ***
The Underground People ***** -I know I'll be reminded of this story whenever I take the tube.
A Romance of the Piccadilly Tube **
In the Tube **
A Subway Named Mobius **** - Perhaps a little complicated for my maths deprived brain, but unique and unsettling.
The Last Train ***** - This genuinely creeped me out.
The Underground ***
A Short Trip Home * - For some reason F. Scott Fitzgerald decided to write a ghost story? Awful.
The Companion *** - I've never taken to Ramsey Campbell as much as I feel like I should. I've read this story before in his collection 'Alone with the Horrors', and remember it being alright.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like the theme and you like ghost/strange stories, this is a no brainer.

There are no new stories here, rather a range of stories collected from Victorian times to modern day
and from a variety of authors. It looks like the editor has gone out of his way to collect rare stories that you're unlikely to have read before. Each is preceded by a brief introduction.

As always with such a collection, some stories you will enjoy more than others, but on the whole a strong collection and I it recommend to anyone that likes ghost stories.

[Alasdair · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good stories were great:
-A Smoking Ghost - Always enjoy the token daft one
-A Subway Named Möbius - Maths isn't real, it can't hurt you
-The Last Train
-The Companion

The bad stories were awful:
-The Tragedy in the Train
-Railhead - Ghost narcs are the worst ghosts
-A Short Trip Home - F. Scott Fitzgerald. Please. Just stop.

The rest were mostly decent, but overall not as consistent as some of the other British Library Tales of the Weird anthologies

[p. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5☆

this was a fun summer afternoon read. i must admit, however, that i think i enjoyed the stories about the subway / tube a little more than the old classic trains.

favourite stories: "the conductor's story" by zoe dana undehill, "a strange night" by l.g. moberley, "the tragedy in the train" by huan mee, "the man with the cough" by mary louisa molesworth, "the barford snake" by edgar wallace, "the underground people" by rosemary timperley, "a romance of the piccadilly tube" by t.g. jackson, "the last train " by michael vincent and "the underground" by r. chetwynd-hayes

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2019, 'The Platform Edge - Uncanny Tales of the Railways' is a collection of 18 short stories and forms part of the 'Tales of the Weird' series by publishers British Library. The tales are a mix of Ghost, Macabre and SF stories and were originally published over the years 1878-1985 and I found all enjoyable. I had only encountered two of the tales before, including the much anthologised sf tale 'A Subway Named Mobius' by AJ Deutsch. My persona favourite was 'The Barford Snake' by Edgar Wallace, much to my surprise, but opinions will vary.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of train and railway horror (who knew that was a subgenre?) full of haunted trains and platforms, and passengers who are ghosts or apparitions of a dead passenger. Most stories are in the public domain, so they are tamer and at times a bit boring. Akin to reading the ghost stories that exploded once Charles Dickens invented the yearly Christmas ghost story. Could serve to introduce a tepid reader to horror but not much bite for a horror aficionado.

[Em Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of ghost stories set on or around trains. I thoroughly enjoyed reading almost all of them, and enjoyed that you get a nice overview of rail travel through time as well as some excellent ghost stories.

My favourite was probably "The Smoking Ghost"

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag but enjoyed more than I thought I would as not my chosen genre . Weird and occasionally unsettling but not particularly scary. My highlights were A Subway Named Mobius, A Smoking Ghost and The Underground

[Darren Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories in here. The Underground People by Rosemary Timberly was my favorite

[Michael John Paul McManus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read of ghostly goings on in tube stations, trains and stations. I'd already read two of the stories included but read them again. Some good chilling tales indeed.

[Novalynda Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always with short story collections, some stories were good, some not so good, and some were great.

[Joe Pappalardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Some great stories here!
Old time chills.
Not a dud in the bunch.
I'll be looking at other anthologies in this series.

[Jonathan Tabreham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant collection 👏

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

just ok

I don’t know what I expected. A couple of the stories were very good. If you like ghosts a good one for you