They met him on a train. 1 year later, they boarded again—this time he made a secret pact with the train operator
However, little did Pandya know that Higgs was going to pop the big question on the very train.
Finding love in a train may sound cheesy, but not for Steve and Payal. When the couple crossed paths a year ago, it was love at first sight for Steve Higgs, who noticed Payal Pandya and offered her his seat. They struck up a conversation and built a connection. A year into dating, Steve went on his knees on the exact London Northwestern Railway to pop the big question, and their love story, reported on December 9 by People, has left readers awestruck.
It was November 2024, when 56-year-old Steve Higgs was on his way after a night with his friends and had boarded the 3:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes, when he noticed a woman, 49-year-old Payal Pandya, standing without a seat. He immediately offered her his seat, and the two struck up a conversation that lasted for about 20 minutes. "I remember she mentioned she'd just been on a first date where, luckily for me, sparks had failed to fly," Higgs said. Pandya confessed, "I'd told Steve I'd met my date for that night on the apps. Shortly after I got off at my local station in Harrow, he'd found my dating profile and sent me a message."
Shortly after they began dating and one year into running into each other, they called the 23:09 LNR service their "encounter-versary." However, little did Pandya know that Higgs was going to pop the big question on the very train. He contacted LNR and had them make a special announcement as a cue for Higgs to get down on one knee and propose to the love of his life. Pandya, who was surprised by the arrangement, did not expect him to pull a memorable proposal. And of course she said yes!
A 2023 report by CoreData examined relationship patterns among Australian adults aged 50 and above. The study found that those who choose to enter new relationships often have a clearer sense of their needs and priorities, including companionship, emotional connection, and romantic compatibility. Pew Research Center reports, "One-in-six Americans ages 50 and older (17%) say they have ever used a dating site or app." The numbers only fall with age, as 14% of adults reportedly used dating websites in their 60s and 12% in their 70s (or older). Though both Higgs and Pandya were in their late 40s and 50s, their love is proof that stable and true love can be found even post one's popularly romantic 20s and 30s.
According to the BBC, the couple are hoping to get married next year. Jonny Wiseman, LNR's customer experience director, said, "When Steve got in touch with our customer relations team, we knew we had to help with his request for a special announcement. Their story is a brilliant example of the way the railway can connect people, not just to where they need to go, but to the people they're travelling with too."
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