A “fiercely independent” retired airline pilot took his own life by stepping out in front of a train amid fears a rare health condition was “robbing him of everything he loved”, an inquest has heard.

James Martin Shaw – known as Martin – was hit by a train in Marlow on the evening of March 18.

Mr Shaw, 71, who lived just 1.7 miles away from where he died, in Wycombe Road, Marlow, was described by his daughter Kate as “independent and active” with a large group of friends.

A former airline pilot, he was still a keen flier and was a member of the flying club at White Waltham.

His daughter said he would keep a “stiff upper lip” about his health issues, but medical investigations were ongoing into a possible diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) – a rare and progressive condition that can cause problems with balance, vision, speech and swallowing.

In a statement heard at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, Kate said her father would not open up about his illness, but that in the last 18 months before he died, she would notice facial injuries as if he had fallen and that he was struggling to walk.

Mr Shaw had also mentioned to his daughter that he was going to be moving into a care home and that his illness was “robbing him of everything he loved”, like flying, cooking, driving and drinking.

Because he valued his independence, Kate was not convinced he would be looking at moving into assisted living – but on following up with the care home, it was revealed he had visited and filled out some forms.

In her final conversation with her father on March 17, about the impending coronavirus lockdown, Kate said he did not sound worried about it.

She said: “Had he made a decision to end his life by then? I remember him sounding happy and carefree.”

And Mr Shaw had been to a film night event at White Waltham days before he had died and was described as his usual “jovial” self.

Mr Shaw was seen on grainy CCTV footage parking his Mercedes at the Crowne Plaza at around 6.41pm on March 18.

It is not clear when exactly he was hit by a train because the driver at the time did not realise what had happened.

Mr Shaw’s body was discovered by a train driver later that night who reported seeing what he first thought was a black bag on the tracks at around 11.17pm.

He stopped the train, opened his window and shined a torch at the shape – and quickly realised it was the body of a person.

Emergency services attended but there were no opportunities to save Mr Shaw’s life.

Senior coroner for Buckinghamshire Crispin Butler said Mr Shaw had printed off train timetables and had clearly planned to end his own life in the context of his declining physical health.

He said: “I don’t think anyone had an idea about his plans. He planned to go to a location where he wouldn’t be found – even the driver of the train wasn’t able to prevent this.”

He ruled his death was suicide.

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