Railway worker who died on tracks near Northampton was devoted dad to two-year-old daughter

Railway engineer Aden Ashurst was hit by a train south of Northampton

A railway engineer who died after being hit by a train near Northampton earlier this month was a devoted dad with a two-year-old daughter.

Aden Ashurst. 51, was working on the West Coast Main Line at Ashton south of Roade on April 8.

Emergency services dashed to the scene but Mr Ashurst was pronounced dead at the scene after being hit by a 75mph Euston-bound London Northwestern Railway service from Northampton just before 11am.

Mr Ashhurst died on the tracks at Ashton, near Roade

Rail Investigation Branch officers are still examining evidence before producing a report into the incident.

But his mum, Jean Ashurst, 72, said: "We're absolutely devastated. Because he worked away I keep thinking he's at work. It's not really hit me yet that he's not coming back.

"One of his railway colleagues dropped his stuff off and said work just isn't the same without him. He said that even if Aden was feeling miserable or down he would just make everyone laugh.

"He had his daughter Layla every weekend and he absolutely idolised her. He lived for her. He was thrilled to bits when he got his little girl and it's such a shame he won't get the pleasure of seeing her grow up."

Aden graduating with his parents Tom and Jean and brother Craig

Mr Ashurst, from Wigan, also has a 12-year-old son, Michael, and two younger brothers Craig and Lee. He worked for rail contractors AmcoGiffen since graduating as a civil engineer four years ago.

Heartbreakingly, Mrs Ashurst has not been able to tell her husband Tom, 76, about his son as he is lives with dementia and is in a care home.

Yet, she says she has been overwhelmed by the response from people who knew Aden.

She said: "I've got about eight bouquets of flowers and millions of cards. The phone is going day and night.

"Aden's colleagues on the railway, who I've never even met, have also been fantastic. It just shows what they all thought of him."

A version of this story first appeared in the Chronicle & Echo's sister organisation Wigan Today.

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