Weird in the Wade

After Nat receives a tip off about a near 100-year-old case of spontaneous human combustion in Biggleswade she confronts an issue which terrified her growing up. Nat uncovers the history behind this mysterious fire from 1935. She delves into the history of spontaneous human combustion as a belief going back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Charles Dickens plays a part in it’s popularisation it seems.

Nat also speaks with two firefighters, one retired and the other, Phil an active member of Potton’s Community Fire Station just a few miles outside Biggleswade. The firefighters' messages may be comforting but Potton fire station also has some strange haunting tales to tell us.

With a quick detour into some quicksand and a terrifying story from a listener relating to the Gannel Crake, it’s a jam packed episode.

Thank you to our anonymous retired firefighter and to Phil Prout and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service for your time and expertise.

Check out this link for fire safety advice:
https://www.bedsfire.gov.uk/safety-advice?child=fire-safety-home

Also check out the show blog for more information, photographs and links: https://weirdinthewade.blog/

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Show theme, and spontaneous human combustion theme for this episode by Tess Savigear
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Starting with the story of The Gannel Crake, a Cornish tale of a terrifying cry or screeching noise heard near Newquay and Crantock, Nat explores why certain sounds scare us. Delving into the history behind the myth of the Crake, Nat then calls on experts to help her understand why certain noises are scary and how to use those sounds in music and sound effects to create a sense of fear.

Weird in the Wade listeners provided suggestions for the noises and sounds that scare them the most. With special guests Nod Wright (of Last Rights and former band member of Fields of the Nephilim,) Joel Morris of Broken Veil podcast, and musician Olie Campbell, Nat explores how and why music, sound effects and natural noises make us feel uneasy.

Nod Wright and Olie Campbell composed “uneasy listening” for you in this episode and all three tracks are included in full for you listening (dis)pleasure towards the end of the episode!

Thanks to listeners for their suggestions of scary sounds

And to Nod Wright, Joel Morris and Olie Campbell for their expertise and time.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music by Tess Savigear
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It seems rather strange that two of the world’s most famous aviation mysteries originated in Bedfordshire, those of the Flying Duchess and Glenn Miller. Nat has always had a fascination with the Glenn Miller disappearance and that of Amelia Earhart, but the story of the flying Duchess was new to her, along with the ghost stories attached to the Duchess.

In this episode Nat explores the pioneers of early flight and ponders why we are so fascinated by aviation mysteries and disappearances. You’ll hear from Adrian Perkins the Ghost Detective who leads ghost walks around Twinwood the former Airforce base that Glenn Miller’s last fateful flight took off from. Nat also speaks with one of the worlds if not the world’s leading authorities on Amelia Earhart, Chris Williamson from the Chasing Earhart project and podcast.

Along the way Nat explores the V1 rockets terrorising London in the summer of 1944 and the important role Bedford played for the BBC in wartime.

It’s a jam-packed episode before weird in the wade takes a short break. The podcast will return on Monday 26th October for a new series with a Halloween special. Listen to the end of the episode to find out more.

Find further information and links for this episode on the show blog weirdinthewade.blog and keep in touch with Nat on social media @weirdinthewade

Thank you to Adrian Perkins and Chris Williamson

Thank you to Ash McCrudden for additional research for this episode.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music by Tess Savigear
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In this final exploration of abandoned places Nat explores haunted hospitals. Busy thriving hospitals seem to attract many ghost stories, but what of the hospital buildings which become disused or are repurposed? Do these former centres of medicine have particular ghost stories and paranormal experiences associated with them?

Nat starts with the hospital she was born in, Princess Mary’s Hospital RAF Halton. One wing, which had once been a plastic surgery hub, seemed to generate many strange experiences and stories.

A listener to the show, Laura shares her experience of visiting the hospital when it was derelict and waiting for demolition.

Nat chats with a local urban explorer about the safety and legal issues associated with exploring abandoned sites.

Nat also investigates Bedford hospital’s north and south wings, each of which have abandoned or disused sections that have attracted eerie tales and sightings.

Finally, Nat speaks with Wayne Gilbert of Eerie Edinburgh podcast about the stories of haunted hospitals he has discovered whilst researching a new book. Some of these stories are deeply disturbing.

If you want to see images of the places mentioned in this episode and read more about them visit the show blog at weirdinthewade.blog

Contact Nat on weirdinthewade@gmail.com or on social media

For ad free episodes and bonus content check out the show's Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WeirdintheWade

Thanks to Laura and Olie for sharing their experiences.

Special thanks to Wayne Gilbert for sharing his stories with us.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Theme music by Tess Savigear.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this third episode exploring why abandoned, ruined and derelict places attract so much folklore and urban legends, Nat looks at more recent ruins.

Steph Lay of City of Secrets project tells Nat about a derelict farm on the outskirts of Milton Keynes with the deliciously creepy name of Devils Den Farm. Steph shares some more urban derelict places within the city.

Nat digs deeper into the history of Devils Den Farm and in comparing it with an abandoned Biggleswade farmhouse stumbles across a heart-breaking but fascinating piece of family history. This story at first appears like a plot from an Agatha Christie novel but proves to be something more poignant.

Nat also explores the ghost stories and urban legends that are attached to our disused railway lines, exploring tales associated with a Bedfordshire railway tunnel, which is now a nature reserve as well as stories from Lincolnshire past railways.

This episode does contain stories and discussion about suicide, and a warning is given before that section begins. The show blog weirdinthewade.blog has a list of organisations which can provide help to those experiencing suicidal thoughts or those affected by suicide.

Want ad free episodes? Want more from Weird in the Wade join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WeirdintheWade

Thank you to Steph Lay for your wonderful stories from Milton Keynes.

Weird in the Wade is researched, written, presented and produced by Nat Doig

Additional editing in this episode is by Tess Savigear

Theme music by Tess Savigear

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