Fatality at Taplow (25/09/2008)

[whole diary]

[pewseycommuter]

I am new to this forum and am rather surprised to see no mention of this incident last month.

I was on the 08.09 from Pewsey (05.35 from Plymouth) when it suddenly ground to a halt just after Taplow. An automated annoucement said "Will the train manager please contact the driver immediately". A couple of minutes later, the train manager announced that the train had hit someone. We were then delayed by 2hr 50mins.

Subsequently I found out that the person who sadly decided to take their life in this way was a city financier called Kirk Stephenson who worked for a private equity company - Do a google search on the name for more info.

[Ollie]

Unfortunately it wasn't covered in it's own topic, as there were a variety of problems that day, but it was discussed here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3499.0

[Chris from Nailsea]

A wealthy financier who threw himself in front of a train in Buckinghamshire was wracked with fear about the economic downturn, an inquest heard.
Kirk Stephenson, chief operating officer at private equity firm Olivant, faced "considerable financial loss" in the global banking crisis.
The 47-year-old, also known as Ross, was hit by a train travelling at 125mph through Taplow station in September.
A jury at Amersham Coroners Court recorded a verdict of suicide.
The inquest heard Mr Stephenson became "tense and very worried" and had raised the subject of killing himself during a dinner with his wife.
Three days later he leapt out from the station's platform in front of the express train, dying instantly.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/7761500.stm

[eightf48544]

Today's Maidenhead Advertiser has a report on the inquest. Jury recorded a verdict of suicide the coroner did not comment.