Arnold Ridley's 'Ghost Train' cottage up for sale

Comes with its own Standard Gauge 1904 steam train and carriage

Alex Johnson
Friday 29 November 2013 10:05 EST
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The former railway station which inspired Arnold Ridley, famous for his role as Godfrey in 'Dad's Army', to write his play The Ghost Train comes up for auction next week.

Due to rail connection problems, Ridley was forced to spend a night at the four bedroom property in the 1920s when it was still the North Mangotsfield Railway Station and Dramway Toll House. He noticed that the placement of the railway tracks produced the effect of trains on the Bath to Gloucester line approaching and then leaving the station without being seen.

In his play, which was filmed in 1937 starring Arthur Askey and Richard 'Stinker' Murdoch, a group of wartime passengers are stranded at an isolated station which appears to be home to a ghostly train.

The Grade II listed four bedroom property in Shortwood, Bristol, on with David James and Partners at £550,000, was built in 1844 and is now known as Old Station Cottage and was renovated in 1998.

Among the various period features is a genuine Standard Gauge 1904 steam train with carriage.

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