A TRAIN which hit and killed a man near Little Bedwyn last September had no chance to stop, although the driver saw there was a person on the line, an inquest has heard.

Charles Moodie, 52, of Suffolk Close, Slough, died when he was struck by the train heading towards London Paddington on September 10, 2016, near Fairfield Crossing just after 10pm.

The train was travelling at the line’s 90mph speed limit at the time and Mr Moodie died instantly.

At an inquest at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court in Salisbury last Thursday, Mr Moodie’s death was recorded as suicide.

In a statement read to the court, train driver Paul Musko said he had passed through Great Bedwyn when he saw Mr Moodie on the tracks. He applied the emergency brake, coming to a stop shortly after.

A statement read out to the court from Mr Moodie’s twin brother Joseph said occasionally Mr Moodie would talk to him about a court case where he was owed money, “but he didn’t go into much detail”.

The case was eventually thrown out, costing Mr Moodie £50,000, and “the whole situation was hard for him to deal with”.

The death of his mother had also affected him badly and after 2012 he stopped letting his brother visit his flat and his email and phone response became “hit and miss”.

The court heard that Mr Moodie had been a delivery driver for British Oxygen for more than five years and he had occasionally visited Wiltshire during his line of work. He was also interested in property investment.

He and his friend of 21 years, Anthony Gregory, had spent a weekend with friends on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, only days before his death.

Mr Gregory said described how he had appeared happy until he received a text message and “there was a significant change in his behaviour”, with Mr Moodie saying he needed to pay £500 before travelling home on September 5.

He was hit by the train five days later.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Gregory said: “He was his usual self a week before, there was no suggestion he was going to do it so something triggered it on the day.”

Paying tribute to his brother, Joseph Moodie said of his twin: “He liked going to live concerts and that sort of thing and he loved his bikes, as well as being a big fan of 1980s comedy.”

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