The Waiting Room by Robert Aickman 

In this story, which is almost an autobiographical essay, Aickman made me feel the cold, remember how many times I'd had to bed down uncomfortably on too short a pallet, & been met with hostility by someone I'd hoped could help me. It was realistic for me & so it is memorable. Beautifully, quietly read, Tony.

Aickman: so underated. So much elegance in style and narrative cohesion. One of the great masters of all time

I saw this performed Live in a double bill with Charles Dickens The Signalman at what was Darlington Civic Theatre, now refurbished and renamed Hippodrome it was a splendid night out.

I only recently discovered Robert aikman a few months ago. I rapidly discovered I loved him. Meeting Mr Jones and the same dog are among my favorite stories. After listening to this the first time I thought to myself that this was a strangely conventional ghost story for Robert aikman. After listening to it again I wondered if it actually had more in common with the story of The Little match girl. Not sure but I appreciate the story more on the second listening.

Robert Aickman is one of my heroes!

I don't object. Loved this story...very atmospheric. Never heard of it before, so you're really providing a service here as well as entertainment. I also enjoy hearing about the author's lives in your personal comments. I think the neck-jerking porter "picked up" somebody's hanging death from that waiting room---and the room is a threshold between the worlds. Brrrr!

Aickman is criminally underappreciated. Thank you so much for this.

You have the perfect voice for this kind of story. I was completely enthralled by the narration and there with the poor chap in the waiting room. There is something incredibly poignant about railway stations. If buildings capture emotion, then they must be soaked in regret and loss as well as anticipation and happiness. I think the porter saw different ghosts to the main character. He was an unpleasant man, so his experience was very unpleasant. Our narrator seemed a nice chap, so his niceness was reflected back at him in the way the ghosts seemed to him. Thank you so much for posting this one. Again, a bitterly cold night in New Zealand was made rather pleasant for a while.

Loved this story! As you noted, subtle; I would add, sophisticated. No cracked skulls, no blood, just a slow, chilling angst that you can’t -and don’t want to - escape. I’m an Aiken fan now. Thanks, for the story, and a great presentation, Tony! (As always, the afterwords were interesting, enlightening and enjoyable.)

This was a beautiful story. Nearly brought me to tears

Good narrating: nice even speed of delivery, calm, no errors, it really put you in that chilly waiting room.

A great story, very well read. Thank you!

My childhood reading was dominated by the William books and The Pan Book of Horror Stories edited by the evocatively named Herbert Van Thal. Its so nice to reconnect with the genre after fifty years.Thank you so much.

I really like this story. The ghosts seem so peaceful. I don't think I'd develop a twitch after meeting them.

Love the way the cold winter is described. Beautiful, evocative words. For me the waiting room is the place where the deads wait for judgement. The character has a glimpse of afterlife.

The ability to read aloud is a wonderful gift. Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us, Tony.

Chilling, gripping--so cold I had to cover myself with a warm blanket, ..in July! Thank you for introducing us to Aickman. Will try to buy one of his books. Your presentation is brilliant, Please continue what you do for us. All your hard work. Thank you.

I love Aickman!! Please do 'The Trains'!!!

Love Robert Aickman’s strange stories. I have read this story in one of his collections so it’s nice hearing your rendition of it. One of his most straightforward ‘ghost’ stories I think, some of them are really impenetrable, but always enjoyably so.

Thank you so much for this. Aickman is indeed the master, unlike anyone else.

Great story! Thank you for a good reading.

For what it's worth, I *thought* I was pretty well-informed on golden era ghost stories, but I'm off to buy Aickman books solely due to this reading.

Another great spooky reading . Many thanks

Oh well done! After your incursion into canals with Tom Rolt, In so glad that you have introduced new ghost devotees to Aickman! Beautifully read and a joy to listen to, thank you. One day, visit Tardebigge Top Lock and enjoy the location of the first meet up between the two men in 1946 where the beginnings of the IWA were first mooted. We have so much to thank them for, whether saving the canal network plus their wonderfully creative writings. But I have spoken of this to you before! My adopted home town of Bromsgrove hasn't much to boast of, but we do have the Tardebigge lock Flight and the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in the UK in the locale. I like to think the two men were influenced by both in their writings. (Enjoy a good lunch at the Queen's Head by the canal at Stoke Pound afterwards......) Might I mention something that you, and your fans, may enjoy? Look up North Edinburgh Nightmares on RU-vid. John Tantalon is a master story teller, like your good yourself, and it just gets better. All the tales are of real incidents in the Edinburgh area. I even relate the tale of something that happened to me in a personal spooky incident in Edinburgh New Town. Pleased to hear that you are managing to travel. Hoping to do so myself in September. More ghosts to seek out in sunny Scotland Fingers crossed! Thank you again for this. Sorry can't share this one far & wide. Mums the word, but I'll whisper about it to a couple of close friends. 🤫 Thank you again. I do love a ghostly train station. Brilliant and cheers! 🥃

Good tale. Very much enjoyed

Man your killing it thanks for all the great stories.!!

Excellant felt like I was there .thank u 💜🙏

Beautifully written and narrated. Aickman is very unique in his approach to ghost stories and I'm only familiar with his short stories the Hospice and The Cicerones which are even more strange than this one.

Excellent story. Thanks Tony. Another great one.

Can’t wait to listen to this! Thank you!

I don't know for a certain, but I believe that copy wright protects against someone profiting financially from someone else's work. I think simply reading brings no harm. I'd never read this author before, but I really enjoyed this story. I do wish a bit more was revealed about the first porter, why he would subject an innocent party to not only the freezing cold, but to ghosts! It did leave me with the idea that Mr. Pendlebre might physically suffer as a result of his night spent in the old waiting room?

Please update about possible merch! I so want an everybody dies don't they and you tried to open the locked room didn't you shirt!

Great story and narration. Thanks! This is a great, well-written story. It is very relaxing, too. I fell asleep and had to listen to it again. The narration is so soothing. This story is a true gem. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this author.

Mr. Walker, I really enjoy your chats at the end of your readings. Thank you for sharing your time and talent with us. I must add I am a bit envious of your castle stay. My dream vacation is to visit one someday. Haunted (purported or not) would be even better!

I so enjoy listening to your rambling and story telling. Enjoy your trip. Thank you for sharing some podcast s you like. Cheers from Oakland CA.

I really enjoyed this - So much fun to lie here and fall under the spell of the narrative - and almost be rocked to sleep - almost ! Now , I have to get up and " face it ."

Great narration of a great story. Loved this, and the rambling notes at the end.

Thank you Tony, I enjoyed the story! I’ve been to Corbridge. Went to a charming pub called The Black Bull and had pan fried lamb. Roaring fire and cosy. Enjoy your holiday. X

I understand the unease that you have mentioned, like the off kilter backdrops/sets in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. Have a great time away Xxx

Another wonderful tale and reading I missed!

My god another little. Treasure found between bedtime stories/dark histories and now this i am 1 very happy man even i am self isolating due to covid

Exquisite. Fascinating story, perfectly read. Thank you.

Another favorite author...yay 👍❤

I love this story. I agree, it does have an MRJames feel about it … another favourite of mine. Really getting into this channel whilst I’m working 🙏

The impression I had was that the protagonist was close to dying from the cold, and that's what he had in common with the ghosts but also why he couldn't quite reach out to them. I think that was also part of the reason for the morning shift guy's concern

Love your talk at the end, and the story. Keep it up!👏

Another fine performance. Perfectly paced reading.

Anything can happen in a British Rail waiting room, it doesn’t need to be haunted to be scary! I’ve been gone from the UK since the 80’s, but I used to commute daily from Southend to Fenchurch St. I don’t miss it. Keep up the good work. Listening in South Florida.

Wonderful storey and narration 11 out of ten

Brilliant, this 👏

A great reading of my all time favourite writer, and a Psychomania sample on the intro! Instant sub!

TUVM for another excellent reading 🥂

Fantastic! You guys really need to do Robert Aickmans "Ringing the Changes". The master best work yet it has no audio adaptation.

Charming analysis at the end. Your own erudition shone through. Many thanks.

Really good one! 😊

Awesome reading 👌

Thanks for another beautiful narration and the recommendations. I have bought and thoroughly enjoyed your book (London Horror Stories) on Audible.

I just recently discovered this channel, its f-ing great man! Now I just have to space it out, so I can savor the horror. 💀

It's the impression your left with, one that can last for months and years, I love Aickman for this reason, please pay homage to The inner room, probably my favourite of them all and thank you...( I actually was not a subscriber but I am now).

Im waiting... Trains. Byyyyye

You read them all properly!

I read this years ago.great job reading it. It's an incredibly lost lonely feeling to be stranded in a train station...ghosts or not.

What an amazing story! Now that’s what I call a ghost story! Many thanks for reading this, can’t imagine anyone could object to you reading this? Especially as famous stories are being re-written by authors of today, I personally hate it but If copyright allows it why not. Enjoyed this immensely thanks.✊♥️

You have a lovely reading voice 😊

Don't be worrying, I'll bake you a cake with a file in it 😉

The "bridge", is often the entry to the otherworld in myth. Zoroastrianism has this imagery too. A beautiful woman or hag upon it would greet you depending on your choices! . I Like Roberts merging of dreams with waking reality, a bit like where you see a figure when half asleep. Perhaps dreams are the waiting room, they can be unexplained, coincidental too.

My husband loves the travel shows about the canal boats in England. I believe it's the one thing that he would like to do if we could ever afford it. I wonder if there are any ghost stories set on the canals. I'm not really familiar with a lot of the stories or authors you read but I do enjoy them. I dream of the dead quite a lot now. Maybe it's just age or loss. I've had enough of both as I am sure many others have as well.

All trains should rightfully be our trains.

Your voice is perfect for narration for these. Shame I only heard of you through U Tube you have considerable talent yourself. Please give details of where I can get hold of your books? Good to support writers that I feel I know( through your channel) always have many interesting facts to give us. Very enjoyable✊♥️

It must be a very high mortality rate for train travel then!

Thank you for this. Lovely way to spend an overheated afternoon. Is there any chance you could do 'The Haunted House' by Charles Dickens? Such lovely phrasing and humour, to which you would do great credit.

Love your Aickman audios, I have heard there is a Aickman story called Wood, is this story available in any RB book or anthology collections?....is it a story you would consider reading on youtube, or is there any other Aickman stories in the pipeline?

Listening in 2024 after being cross eyed from working till 4 am 🎉❤

I think copyright is variable to the non-usage , if it has educational, critical unpacking which then applies to more of a fair use for the educational value/enhanced knowledge allowance. (?) At least that’s my understanding for using works of creative arts for creative enhancement & educational enlightenment- which you ALWAYS do at the end. Thanks!

Have you done The Trains? I read it today, very unnerving 😳

How about reading Bram Stoker's Crooken Sands🤔

❤🤘

Friday

Alright ive got to admit, the bit at the end where you chat to the audience is really charming

Ideas must be free. There is no such thing as intellectual property. The Earth will take all information back eventually.

Brilliant piece of fiction. I almost don't need the explanatory ending. The dream is quite seductive. Are you familiar with Charles Williams?

👍👍👍👍👍👻

P

Can barely hear this, even at top volume

Think your view of Londoners is a little out of date as the city is now so cosmopolitan! The niggles between north & south are as old as the hills & find northerners give as good as they get? Thinking of southerners as soft & pampered? As some of the worst poverty existed & still does exist in London this is hard to fathom. Have lived in both north & south & find both warm & welcoming( once they’ve got to know you😉) ( nowt so queer as folk😃)

Cannot work out where your from? Your accent is northern, but you have considerable knowledge of the south??? Maybe I’ve missed the piece where you tell us of your roots????