A man who died after apparently putting his head out of a train window was a rail professional who loved trains, friends and colleagues have said.
Simon Brown, 24, originally from East Grinstead, Sussex, had moved to Bristol with his girlfriend and recently started a job with Hitachi Rail Europe.
The accident occurred at 5.30pm on Sunday at Wandsworth Common station in south-west London while Brown was travelling on a Gatwick Express service.
Brown’s family paid tribute to the “railway fanatic”. His father, Mike, told the Evening Standard: “As soon as he could toddle, Simon was into trains. At nine he volunteered with the Bluebell Railway in West Sussex and became a station master.
“He worked on a Great Northern restoration project and left school at 18 to start an apprenticeship with Southern trains. He’d only got the job with Hitachi a couple of months ago and had moved to Stoke Gifford [near Bristol] to be with his girlfriend.”
Brown’s girlfriend Missy Wilson, a student education leader at the University of the West of England, was being comforted by her family at her home in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire.
In joint tribute with Simon’s family, Wilson said: “Simon was a warm, loving individual whose unbounded passion and enthusiasm for life and all things related to trains of any kind - from model railways through steam to modern-day rail transport - infected everyone he met.
“He will be sorely missed not only by his partner, his family and his friends but also by his many colleagues throughout the rail industry.”
Brown’s friends, who have launched a fundraising page to raise money for a memorial, said he was a “real light in the railway world”.
Reuben Smith wrote on the page: “He was always smiling, cheerful and would bend over backwards to help anyone. There’s now a massive hole in our close-knit community.”
A spokesperson for Hitachi said: “Simon’s death comes as a great shock to everyone and, in particular, to people who knew him and worked with him. Our thoughts and sincerest condolences are with his family and girlfriend.
“Simon joined us as a team technician at our train maintenance centre in west London in June this year and brought a clear passion for the railways to his work. He will be greatly missed.”
British transport police said he appeared to have been leaning out of a train door window when he suffered a fatal blow to the head.
A BTP spokesman said: “The death is being treated as non-suspicious and the circumstances, including what caused the head injuries, are still being investigated.”
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch will begin an inquiry while a file is prepared for the coroner.
A Gatwick Express spokesman said the train had been travelling to London Victoria station from Gatwick airport.
“The emergency services attended the scene at Wandsworth Common station and, despite their best efforts, they were unable to save him. We send our condolences to his family,” the spokesman said.
“We are cooperating fully with British transport police and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, who are investigating this incident.”
