Ghost Stories & Paranormal Encounters

Many years ago. I was working in a Railway Workshops in Queensland Australia. The Workshops themselves date back to the 1870s and over the last Century and a half had employed thousands of men during its time of operations. During the day it was a hive of activity with the repair of Wagons and Carriages being done at these Workshops. When I was there it had a staff of 2400 Men. And on occasions Contracts for Wagon Maintenance would be done at night or to fulfill a certain Coal Wagons Contract that had to be repaired quickly.

For myself one particular night during the 1980s I was working in this Gang who were repairing Coal Wagons and it was a special contract that had to be done. As I said during the day the Workshops itself is very or was active with nearly 2400 men working in the Workshops. But during the Night it was very different. The Buildings themselves had been constructed during the previous Century. Mainly of Concrete with Steel Roof and Wall Construction.

At night it was creepy to say the very least. Dark and quite. And the stillness of the place at night was apparent, very much so. It was also very Cold at night. And that at night you could hear the Iron Walls and Roof Contract as they cooled from the Days Heat. At night it sounded like a rifle shot due to the absolute stillness of the place.

There had over the many years been Industrial Accidents causing Death to Employees of the Workshops. And given this it had a reputation of strange events. But most of these may have been rumors to scare young teenage Workshop Apprentices. But on occasions the Night Watchmen of the Workshops reported that they had seen shadows moving in and around parts of the Workshops or had heard voices. Or even equipment like Workshop Grinders switching on and then suddenly stopping by themselves. Of course the Watchmen thought it was or may have been local youth breaking into the place again.

The night I was working at the Workshops was a bit mystifying. I was working with a group that night who was re-installing Steel Air Pipes and Westinghouse Braking System on Coal Wagons. And of course where we were working that part of the Workshop was well lit. But it was like an island of light in a sea of darkness. There were Boilermakers and Fitter Welders working with Hand Grinders and Hammers and Sledge Hammers on steel. So it was really industrial and noisy. About 2100 hours we all stopped work for a Meal Break and like men always in places like this we began our usual banter and making tea and coffee. Breaking out Cigarettes or Pipe Smoking. (In those days there was no such thing as a Non Smoking Environment in the Workplace).

I was working underneath one of these Coal Wagons in a Workshop Pit installing Brake Pipes on one of the Wagons being repaired. As I climbed out of the pit by the 3 concrete steps at the end of the pit. I noticed this other Workshop Member in Old Bib and Brace Overalls. He was wearing an old cotton workers cap. And had his Pipe out smoking. I naturally thought it was another of my Work Mates who had been working with us all that night but in a different gang. But I didn’t recognize him. But thought nothing of it at first and just greeted him. He looked straight at me. And just moved his pipe away from his mouth in a type of greeting. I turned away from this other man just for a second as another Work Mate was coming out of the Rail Pit. He asked me Dave. Who are you talking to? I replied. Oh that Bloke standing there smoking his Pipe. My Work Mate said. Who there is no one there! I turned back quickly to where I had seen this other man smoking his Pipe and he had disappeared by this stage. But even though I could still smell this unusual Tobacco Smoke from a Pipe. Even above that of welding fumes and dust. And I was a far enough away from other men who had began smoking as soon as they had stopped work. But when we had entered our Meal Area and we were all sitting down drinking coffee or tea eating sandwiches. I could not see this other man who I had greeted. In fact he wasn’t a part of any of the other work groups of men that night who I had been working with.

My best guess was he was just another Employee of the Workshops from time passed and he never really signed of his Workers Disc to be counted off in going home. I don’t know why he decided to make himself known to me that night if he truly was a Ghost or a Spirit. Why was he still at the Railway Workshops and never really left? I have no idea. Maybe he was just one of those men who was accidently killed by an Industrial Accident. Or he spent all his working life there and when he retired and eventually died. He kept coming back to sign on and keep an eye on the Work Shop.

Sent in by David MacKenzie, Copyright 2011