Scotsman archives – 9th September 1926 (UPDATED 01/09)
John Harris, aged 40, gardener and Michael Grant (24), both in the employment of Charles Stuart of Barcaldine, Ledaig, were returning on Saturday evening from Creagan to their homes and apparently in order to avoid a lengthened detour round the head of Loch Creran, which would involve a journey of 8 miles to their homes at Barcaldine, they had set out from Creagan by the railway line with the intention of crossing the railway bridge over the loch, and shortening their journey to about a mile.
The night was dark and stormy, with violent hail showers, and it is conjectured that during one of these hail showers the two men, walking on the permanent way, had failed to observe the approach of the 9.10 pm from Oban to Ballachilish and they were run down.
The failure of Harris to return home prompted his wife to make inquiry and a short time previous to her arrival at Creagan Station for that purpose the remains of the two men, mangled beyond recognition, saved by their clothing, which made identification possible, had been found by a railway surface man and taken to Creagan Station.
Both men were natives of Ireland and had only recently gone to the district.
Harris was married and leaves a large family of young children. Grant was unmarried.
Further to the Scotsmans report, a relation of John Harris, after reading the above article, said he was told that the train from Oban had broken down that night and it’s replacement was sent from Ballachulish. The men, while on the ‘permanent way’, were struck from behind by the unscheduled train heading for Oban.