Now Reading: West London’s Phantom Number 7 Bus Predates Fatal 1934 Crash
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West London’s Phantom Number 7 Bus Predates Fatal 1934 Crash
A phantom Number 7 bus legend in North Kensington, West London, appears to predate the fatal 1934 road crash often linked to it. On June 12, 1934, 25-year-old Beaton died after his…
The Story in Brief
A phantom Number 7 bus legend in North Kensington, West London, appears to predate the fatal 1934 road crash often linked to it. On June 12, 1934, 25-year-old Beaton died after his car collided with a Rolls-Royce at the junction of Cambridge Gardens and St Mark’s Road. His passenger, Margaret Sim, was injured. An inquest recorded accidental death and cleared the Rolls-Royce’s chauffeur, George Pink.
Research by historian Jonathan Miles suggests the ghost-bus tale began around 1931 or 1932. Later accounts described a brightly lit, empty double-decker appearing late at night before vanishing. There is no solid contemporary evidence that Beaton swerved to avoid such a bus. The real Number 7 route adds plausibility, but its historical route may not have matched later claims.
The Indian Opinion
The dramatic version turns an old road accident into proof of a supernatural warning, while the dismissive version may ignore how local stories evolve. The available record supports a crash and an earlier rumour, not a ghostly cause. Even the bus number is less certain than folklore suggests because routes changed. The useful test is simple: find a contemporary witness who actually saw the bus before or during the 1934 crash.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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