Halloween, 1861. A special train steams across the Lake District at night on its way to a place notorious for its record of supernatural incidents. The mood is boisterous on board as the passengers fortify themselves with alcohol in preparation for the frights ahead. When the train stops suddenly in front of a raging fire, the leader of the group heroically sprints off to investigate. But he does not return ...

Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming are called in to investigate this peculiar occurrence. With some believing the missing man is the victim of a ghost said to haunt the site, and no discernible trace of the man to be found, this will prove to be a puzzling case indeed for the Railway Detective.