Greg Gibson 

Prelude: London, England, September 1978

After attending a reunion of RB3 (round Britain tour) by Top Deck Travel, I decided to walk home to Ealing Broadway an outer suburb of London. From Hyde Park to my digs was a good 4.5 hour walk. Buses and trains had long since stopped running for the night. The walk started casually, but very noisily as there were probably 4 or 5 who decided to walk home also. We were all a bit drunk, but happy, as the night had gone well. I remember Ted, a guy I befriended on the tour because he was the last person I spoke with before my encounter. 

The Encounter 

The booze was wearing off. A fairly cool night even for that time of the year. I was feeling tired, but the cool night air kept me perky. I could remember the feeling of isolation and loneliness in the quiet English morning. I had walked long distances before, but never in the dead of night.

It was around 3am, when the little white mini minor pulled to the curb a few meters ahead of me. The passenger door opened and I heard a voice say “Where are you going”. I walked up to the car to see who was talking. The driver was a middle aged male, dressed in a drab suit. It looked as though he had slept in it the night before. I said, “I am on my way to Ealing Broadway,” which he replied, “I am going that way too, hop in and I will take you there.”

I ACCEPTED!

The car was warm and comfortable and as he drove I noticed he had a dodgy leg. Apparently from an accident on the job. He had a very, very strong Scottish accent. Almost indistinguishable. I could only understand every 2nd or 3rd word. 

By this time I had been overseas for a few years, so I had experienced a lot of different dialects and languages, but nothing as difficult to understand as this. His breath smelled of alcohol and cigarettes. 

5 minutes into the journey I felt a warm sensation on the back of my neck. I turned to check what it was and to my astonishment, there was a big shaggy dog, sitting upright on the back seat, only inches away from my head. I was shocked but I kept my cool. I asked the driver the dog’s name. He replied Beep. I thought it was strange for a guy driving around the streets of London at 3 am in the morning, especially with a dog.

We kept travelling for another 10 minutes or so. He talked continually and in coherently. Eventually he said he lived in Muswell Hill, a suburb close to Ealing Broadway. At this stage his conversation, or what I could understand, was getting a little personal and strange. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable, so I asked if he could drop me at the next intersection. At this he seemed a little annoyed but agreed. I got out and thanked him for the lift and made my way home. He seemed pleasant enough, not at all aggressive, but incredibly difficult to understand. The dog seemed very well behaved, but his size was off-putting.

In Australia 

After arriving back in Australia, some years after my encounter, I recognised the mini-driver’s photo in the local paper. It was that of Dennis Nilsen, The Muswell Hill murderer. After recollection, I realised just how very lucky I was on that fateful night. He decided, for one reason or another, to let me live. Spooky Stuff!!!!

Dennis Nissan

Dennis Nilsen was tried and convicted of the murder of 6 males and 2 attempted murders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on 4th November 1983. They say he murdered at least 12 young men and boys between 1978 and 1983. He died while in prison on 12 May 2018. 

About Greg Gibson

In my working life as a Draftsman: Commercial kitchen consultants and building supervisor. I have 3 wonderful children and enjoy a close relationship with my siblings and families. Love reading. At present “more please”, an incredible biography of Barry Humphries. More in tune with factual rather than fiction. Hence the love of biographies. Happily retired and currently living in Warracknabeal ( birthplace of my father).

Copyright Greg Gibson, November 2024. All rights reserved; this intellectual property belongs solely to Greg Gibson.

Here is another travel story from Greg

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