Railway fanatic who died on Gatwick Express tagged in chilling Facebook pic of man hanging out of train 5 years before fatal accident

Reuben Smith, 24, said: “We have both loved trains ever since we were little kids. He was a lovely bloke.

“He was always smiling, always happy, not matter what was going on in the world he would always have that smile on his face.

"He would bend over backwards to help any of his mates.

“Simon was a great friend and a real light in the railway world. There’s now a massive hole in our close knit community.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson told ITV News: "We were called to reports of a man hit by a train with severe head injuries.

"We sent an ambulance crew, a single responder and a car and an incident response officer to the scene alongside an air ambulance.

"Sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene by doctors."

Witnesses at Wandsworth Common Station reported seeing emergency services carrying away a body on a stretcher under a blanket.

The body, now confirmed as Mr Brown, was then put into a private ambulance and driven off.

Inspector James Tyrrell from British Transport Police said: “We are aware of a number of reports on social media which say the man was decapitated, however this is not the case."

A BTP spokesman said the incident happened on a Gatwick Express service on its way to London's Victoria station.

He said: "We were called at around 5.30pm following a report a man in his 20s had received a serious head injury while travelling on a train between Balham and Wandsworth.

He added: "Emergency services rushed to the scene but despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save him.

"Our investigation remains at an early stage, but initial enquiries suggest the man may have been leaning out of a train door window when he suffered a blow to the head.

"Officers are currently working to confirm his identity and inform his next of kin.