In 1899, a mysterious event shook the town of Weymouth, Dorset, involving a train driver who seemingly vanished from his locomotive while it was in motion. The train line in question ran from Weymouth station, crossing an iron girder bridge over the Backwater and on to Portland, a route familiar to many in the area. This routine journey, however, turned into a local legend when Percy Frank Nutman, the train’s driver, disappeared in the middle of his shift.
The Disappearance of Percy Frank Nutman
On the 18th of December, 1899, Percy Frank Nutman, a 33-year-old driver employed by the Great Western Railway (GWR), was in charge of a train bound for Portland. Percy was an experienced and trusted employee, making his sudden disappearance all the more perplexing. As the train slowly crossed the bridge over the Backwater, Percy vanished without a trace, leaving behind nothing but confusion and speculation.
The only other person on board the locomotive at the time was Frank William Willis, an 18-year-old fireman who had only recently started working for the GWR. Willis was responsible for stoking the locomotive’s fire, a job that required constant attention. As the train approached Littlefield Crossing, it was routine to sound the whistle. When Willis didn’t hear the familiar sound, he turned to ask Percy why—but Percy was nowhere to be seen. The young fireman was suddenly alone in the locomotive.
Showing remarkable composure for someone of his age and experience, Willis managed to bring the train to a halt at Rodwell station, the next stop on the line. It was here that authorities were alerted to the incident.
The Search for Nutman
Immediately, speculation arose that Percy had somehow fallen into the Backwater as the train crossed the bridge. A search party was quickly organised. Investigators scoured the tracks, the surrounding areas, and the waters below the bridge. All that was found was Percy’s hat, lying on the track ballast over the bridge. For weeks, local authorities, divers, and volunteers dragged the waters of the Backwater, hoping to recover Nutman’s body. They searched tirelessly through December and into the new year, but there was no sign of Percy.
In the absence of a body, it was assumed that Percy had died in some tragic accident. The belief was that his body would eventually surface in the Backwater or Portland Harbour. His wife, Mary Nutman, heartbroken and left to care for their three children—and another on the way—began to come to terms with her husband’s presumed death. Mary even offered a £5 reward for the recovery of his body, a significant sum for a family in financial distress. Now destitute, Mary had to rely on parish relief to support her family.
Meanwhile, she began legal proceedings against the Great Western Railway, filing a lawsuit under the Employer’s Liability Act, seeking compensation for the loss of her husband.
A Shocking Twist
By February 1900, nearly two months after Percy’s disappearance, the case took an astonishing turn. A letter reached Mary Nutman, claiming that Percy had been seen alive in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. At first, the tip seemed unlikely—after all, how could a man who had vanished from a moving train now be spotted in a different county?
However, suspicions grew. The Great Western Railway’s detective department, led by Chief Inspector Benton, decided to investigate further. Their persistence paid off, and soon the shocking truth was uncovered: Percy Frank Nutman had not died at all. In fact, he had deliberately staged his disappearance to escape his responsibilities and begin a new life.
Nutman had fled to Leatherhead, Surrey, where he was living under an assumed identity with his sister-in-law, whom he had made pregnant. The revelation stunned everyone, not least Mary, who had been left to fend for herself and her children in Weymouth, believing her husband to be dead.
Arrest and Trial
Once found, Percy was swiftly arrested and brought back to Weymouth to face justice. His return did not go unnoticed by the local community. When Percy arrived by train, he was met with a hostile crowd of around 300 angry residents. Men, women, and children gathered at the station, ready to express their outrage. The atmosphere was so volatile that Percy had to be escorted quickly to the local lock-up for his own protection.
Percy Frank Nutman was charged with “unlawfully and wilfully leaving an engine belonging to the GWR company, whereby the lives and limbs of persons passing along the Weymouth and Portland Railway might have been endangered.” The charge was serious, as abandoning a moving train could have resulted in a major accident.
The trial took place on the 4th of July, 1900, at the Dorchester Quarter Sessions. Percy’s actions were seen not only as reckless but also as a betrayal of his responsibilities as a railway employee. His disappearance had put passengers and the public at risk, and his deceitful escape had caused great harm to his family. In court, Nutman’s defence was weak in the face of the overwhelming evidence and the public outcry against him.
In the end, Percy was sentenced to six months of hard labour for his crime. His attempted escape from his responsibilities had ended in disgrace, and he had to face the consequences of abandoning his family and endangering the lives of others.
Aftermath
The case of Percy Frank Nutman became a local legend, a tale that resonated in Weymouth and beyond. It was a story that combined mystery, betrayal, and scandal—an ordinary train driver who had attempted to disappear from his life, only to be found out in dramatic fashion. The fact that he had abandoned his post while driving a train made the story all the more shocking.
For Mary Nutman and her children, life was forever changed. Percy’s betrayal left them without a husband and father, and they had to rely on the charity of the parish to survive. Although Percy was punished for his actions, the damage he had caused to his family and his reputation was irreparable.
The railway line from Weymouth to Portland continued to operate for many years before eventually being closed, but the story of Percy Frank Nutman’s disappearance and reappearance remains part of the local folklore. It serves as a reminder of the sometimes strange and unpredictable events that can occur in ordinary lives.
Percy Frank Nutman’s case may have ended in a courtroom, but the mystery of how and why he thought he could escape his life by vanishing from a moving train continues to captivate those who hear his story.
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