An inquest was held at Leeds on Monday on Dr. Malcolm Macleod Nicolson, Outwood Lane, Horsforth, a Lecturer in the Department of Physics at Leeds University, whose body was found on the railway line at Newlay station on Friday night.
He was 33 years of age and had been on the staff of the University for three years. He was a graduate of Manchester University, and after war service in the Royal Navy did research work at Cambridge. where he received his Ph.D. His main interest at Leeds University was mathematical physics, and he had almost completed a book on mathematics for the physicist. He also had special interests in nuclear physics and optics.
He leaves a widow, a son and daughter. [2 sons, 0 daughters, would have been more accurate. DMN]
A verdict of "Accidental death" was recorded at the inquest.
Phyllis Nicolson, widow, told the Coroner, Dr. A. J. Swanton, that her husband was a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Science. They were expecting friends for Christmas and her husband left the house to meet them.
Edward Lloyd, Belmont Avenue, Liverpool lecturer in physics at Liverpool University, said that at 9.40 p.m. on Friday, after he had waited for Dr. Nicolson at his home, he went to Newlay station and found him lying dead between the rails. Witness said he had arrived at Horsforth station with his family and not at Newlay station.
Dr. C. J. E. Wright said death was due to multiple injuries which included a fractured skull, lacerations of the brain and a fractured pelvis. He did not think Dr. Nicolson had been run over by a train but had been probably struck by one.
William James, a porter at Newlay station, said he told Dr. Nicolson the train he was waiting for would arrive at No. 1 platform. Dr. Nicolson had then crossed over to the No. 1 platform by the proper public crossing.
Witness said there was another crossing which was for the use of railway employees only. It was a very foggy night, he added.
Police Sergt. N. Burton said Dr. Nicolson's body was found on No. 4 line. It was quite possible he had been knocked on to that line by a train passing along one of the other lines.
Sergt. Burton added that there were two notices warning people not to use the railway employees' crossing.
The Coroner said Dr. Nicolson was "a brilliant man.” “This is a sad and untimely end to a promising career," he said.
He thought Dr. Nicolson had made his first mistake in going to the wrong station to look for his friends.
"Then, on leaving the platform, he made a second and fatal mistake, by walking across the crossing which was solely reserved for railway workers," the Coroner added.
The fog, he said, might have been a contributory factor.
The funeral took place on Monday at Horsforth Cemetery.