| Investigation Content |
|---|
| Bowes Railway Museum |
| The Loco Shed |
| The Blacksmiths |
| The Joinery - Downstairs |
| The Joinery - Upstairs |
| Main Workshop |
| All Pages |
TheBowes Railway(Springwell Line) opened in January 1826 and was planned and laid out by George Stephenson (the famous Gadgie - see Stockton & Darlington Railway and The Rocket) to serve Springwell Colliery which at the time was in the process of being sunk.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
The Loco Shed
This is a 1930s built brick building incorporating as a party wall one of the stone tub shop walls. Equipped with a pit and a travelling crane this is the area where locomotives were repaired. The shed road is also equipped with shear-legs for locomotive lifts.
This shed carries on the same function today with the repair and housing of some of the locomotives on the railway. Two locomotives were housed in the shed when we visited.
There was evidence of dust that rose from The Pit which could interefere with any photographs that were taken.
The three locations in this section (Exhibition Room, Loco Shed and Blacksmiths) where possibly all open plan in the past, but wall separators have been installed although the roof area is still open meaning sound could travel between the three locations.
Medium Walkaround With Chris
Chris reported very little in the Loco Shed. He could not pick up on spirits present here nor any residual energy of any spirits that came here in visitation.
He did feel that it was possible that people would hear noises in this location - specifically loud clanking noises - but could not report anything of significance.
Group 1 Report : Jay Rachel AndreaR Christine
The Loco Shed was fairly quiet for ourselves - we had a few instances worth noting however.
First of all the corner furthest from the entrance to the Loco Shed was drawing our attention - both Jay and Christine were drawn there and felt 'uncomfortable' in the area.
Initially Jay, but then a couple of other group members began to report wafts of a sweet smelling aroma and then oil in and around this corner.
In response to Jay calling out we heard a few noises in the shed - a clicking on one of the loco's on 3 separate occasions, a loud crack from one of the engines and noises if things dropping.
Near one of the engines, Andrea discovered a cold spot which was confirmed by Jay - no source of a draft could be located nearby.
Group 2 Report : Andrea Mike Gary Lesley
We found nothing of interest in The Loco Shed at the time of our investigation.
We did attempt to make contact with any spirits that may have been present but found none were willing to communicate with us.
Group 3 Report : Sue Joan Linda Debbie Etta
We went into the Loco Shed, we all felt ok in this room. Lesley used the Rods and she believed she was communicating with a man who passed away at 38 years old when it was a working mine. His name was Charles but used to be called Charley. Also she got another male who was 44 when he passed after the mine had closed his name was Thomas but he used to get called Tommy, he was very quiet and didn't communicate any more.
All of a sudden Mike, Andrea, Gary heard a big bang coming from another room, Mike and Gary checked it out but nothing could be found. Mike and Gary also saw Small Flashes but we knew it was not other teams taking Pictures. Lesley again felt her legs were turning to jelly.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
The Blacksmiths
A room attached to the end of the Exhibition Room which served as a blacksmiths.
Various metal-working equipment - including a small forge - could be found in this location and in the far corner of the room was a small bathroom area.
The three locations in this section (Exhibition Room, Loco Shed and Blacksmiths) where possibly all open plan in the past, but wall separators have been installed although the roof area is still open meaning sound could travel between the three locations.
Medium Walkaround With Chris
In The Blacksmiths, Chris picked up a what he described as a tall and white man who was named Frank who was heavily associated with this room. Chris felt that the man had perhaps worked in this room the majority of his life.
There were also 2 other 'silhouettes' in the room. Sadly, Chris could get no more information about these other than he thought they were men who were in the Blacksmiths because of Frank above.
Chris also felt that there was something missing in the room - that perhaps a part of the building had changed quite dramatically over the years.
Group 1 Report : Jay Rachel AndreaR Christine
A night vision camera had been set up within the blacksmiths for all groups to make use of and Christine and Andrea spent their time watching the display and commenting on the number of Orbs that we're floating about. Most of these orbs we determined to be dust particles but one or two were unexplainable.
Christine commented that she could hear a rumbling noise and Jay confirmed that he could hear it too although the source was not identified.
Andrea reported at one point that she could make out the outline of a large bulky man up against one of the walls near to the forge, but this could not be confirmed. She also reported seeing small flashing lights around the room.
On occasion we heard something dropping and we also identified a cold spot between the workbench and the forge.
Group 2 Report : Andrea Mike Gary Lesley
Andrea had been told a few things about this Room from John who worked here, but she had not told anyone in the team about us so she felt very uneasy when we went into this room, but the rest of the team were not far behind, we all felt uneasy.
We sat quiet for a bit. All of a sudden all 4 of us could hear Footsteps coming from right inside the room with us, we were all accounted for so it wasn't us, this scared us but we sat bravely and waited.
Andrea kept thinking she could see and hear something in the small room at the back of the room, as if someone was walking around inside it. We then all sat together. Andrea called out and so did Mike.
All of a sudden something was thrown from behind us with Force, it sounded like Stones, they seemed to be aimed at Mike and Gary. We all jumped up. It felt it had come from behind us as if someone was there and they were thrown very fast. Andrea and Gary commented at the same time that they could see a white figure in the left side corner of the room, it was moving.
All 4 of us then kept seeing small flashes of lights all around the room. This room was a very uneasy room, you felt like you were been watched and that we were not welcome there. After a few more minutes we were relieved that it was time for our next Location.
Group 3 Report : Sue Joan Linda Debbie Etta
Again we found The Blacksmiths to be extremely quiet. We sat around for a while in vigil but picked up no sounds or sense of anything in the room with us.
We did notice the number of orbs that a Night Vision Camera that had been set up in the location was picking up.
But as mentioned, we found the Blacksmiths to be extremely quiet.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Joinery Room - Downstairs
Part of the once common style of colliery courtyard complexes, the group of stone buildings are believed to date from the opening of the railway in 1826. It is believed that the two storey joiners shop started life as a single storey building. Large materials cut within this building were taken into the courtyard for assembly. The upper floor was used as a store for fodder for both the pit ponies and horses that at one time shunted the colliery.
The lower floor contains a variety of woodworking machinery, which is still used. The upper floor today serves as the railway exhibition room and archive. However since preservation it was used as a stores when the railway had a job creation scheme run by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC). The upper floor was also for a time the home of the Washington Model Railway Club.
Due to the lower area of the Joinery Room still being in use, there were plenty of wood pieces and wood shavings within the location.
Medium Walkaround With Chris
Chris sensed that their were 3 spirits present within the lower joinery. He managed three names : Ray, Stewart (who possibly had held a foreman or supervisor role at the site) and a Michael Williamson.
He had two dates impressed upon him : 1906 and 1936 but he could not manage to find what significance these dates held although he did feel they were associated with the 3 spirits who where present.
Finally, he got a strong sense of horses or farming in this room.
Group 1 Report : Jay Rachel AndreaR Christine
We found the lower joinery room extremely quiet. We didn't experience anything worth noting...
...Until we were about to leave.
A loud clank was heard from the metal and wooden stairs that lead up to upper part of the joinery room. Although there was another team up there, they reacted exactly as we did ie. a few choice words!!
Upon investigation it appeared that without doubt a fairly substantial piece of wood had either been thrown or dropped onto the stairs.
At the position that we found the wood no body could recall it being there previously (its positioning was strange, any body going up the stairs would have noticed it and probably kicked it out of the way) although it was mentioned by somebody that they recalled it being on a cutting machine earlier.
By picking the wood up and throwing it ourselves against the staircase, we were able to eventually recreate the sound that was made and that left little doubt that the wood was responsible for the noise.
Group 2 Report : Andrea Mike Gary Lesley
We sat down in the joinery room and sat quiet and listened for any sound or movement. After 15 minutes, Mike starting to call out and Andrea thought she saw something that looked like a small white light move upwards from the Bench right up through the stairs up to the Joinery room, and at the same time Mike also Confirmed that he had seen this as well.
The Temp Dropped very quickly from 23.2c to 18.1c, the part of the room where we now stood next to the bench became very cold and the atmosphere seemed to change.
There was a small room next to the joinery room so we all had a look in there. There was no other group in the Workshop Location so everything was quiet, all of a sudden Mike and Gary shouted out as they both at the same time had seen a dark figure walking within the Workshop room and it looked like someones head and shoulders but we knew no one else was in the part of the building that we were.
Mike and Gary went into the Workshop to make sure there was no one about, but nothing was found. Lesley started to use the Dowsing Rods in the small room, she claimed to make contact with a man who had been a visitor here and he was 22 years old.
We went back into the main joinery room as our Team Medium Chris had joined us and told us there was 3 male spirits in the room with us. Lesley told Chris about the male presence she had communicated with and Chris confirmed that there was a 22 year old male and he was called Michael but got called "Mikey". Lesley used the Dowsing rods and they confirmed what Chris had said. He said there was also 2 other men, 1 was called Stuart and he was 30 and a bit Grumpy, Lesley used the rods again and found out he was infact 34. The 3rd Spirit would not gave a name to us as he already give his name to Chris earlier. After another 10 minutes of calling out it was time to move on to our next Location.
Group 3 Report : Sue Joan Linda Debbie Etta
Micheal aged 19, who worked here was a spirit who came through in this area, the surname Wilson or Williams was given. Both Sue and Etta reported their left shoulder being touched by Micheal, He was stood behind them, Debbie's hand was also touched.
Etta Debbie and Sue described Micheal as being a fare haired young lad really nice personality.
Coldness was felt by all and Linda reported a sudden backache. Another male spirit named George came in he was unshaven aged in his 40's dark haired with a receding hair line.
Sue used dowsing to confirm Micheals surname it turned out to be Williams, also whilst dowsing a female child came forward.
What happened it this point shocked us all. A leaflet, with a child's face on it, fell from the roof above us and what sounded like a piece of wood was thrown shortly thereafter.
There was a group upstairs at the time and we checked with them that no-body had been joking on and trying to spook us but they swore blind they had nothing to do with the leaflet!
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Joinery Room - Upstairs
Part of the once common style of colliery courtyard complexes, the group of stone buildings are believed to date from the opening of the railway in 1826. It is believed that the two storey joiners shop started life as a single storey building. Large materials cut within this building were taken into the courtyard for assembly. The upper floor was used as a store for fodder for both the pit ponies and horses that at one time shunted the colliery.
The lower floor contains a variety of woodworking machinery, which is still used. The upper floor today serves as the railway exhibition room and archive. However since preservation it was used as a stores when the railway had a job creation scheme run by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC). The upper floor was also for a time the home of the Washington Model Railway Club.
Medium Walkaround With Chris
In the upstairs joinery room - Chris immediately felt that the flooring here had not always been present and that the building had been one large single storey construction.
When the floor was laid down, he felt initially it only extended across half of the room and that half was used for storage of some kind but he could not explain for what.
At the opposite end of the room he described something as a 'cloud of mystery' and event that had happened there - he said he would try and pick up further information during the night but could not (he did describe feeling unwell on further occasions he entered this location during the night).
He also described a large cog that once existed at the end where the 'mystery' could be sensed.
He picked up on a couple of spirits in the location a Jack Staples who was associated with the room and a spirit called Ronald who was present. He could also hear 2 giggling women.
Group 1 Report : Jay Rachel AndreaR Christine
All in all the upstairs part of the joinery was generally quiet for us. We tried to make contact with any spirit that may have been present and especially any spirit that may have been responsible for throwing the wood when we we're downstairs in the lower joinery.
At one point, we all heard footsteps from downstairs - Jay quickly called out and then went down to see if anybody was there, but it was empty.
We set up a penny on the edge of one of the display cabinets and tossed a couple of pieces of wood into the dark corners and asked if any spirit present could toss them back but there was no reaction.
Andrea reported that she heard a rustling sound coming from the far end of the room and also said she felt something like fingers in her hair - Rachel and Christine commented on something similar.
Group 2 Report : Andrea Mike Gary Lesley
As soon as our group walked up the Stairs to the Upstairs Joinery room, Andrea, Mike and Gary commented on how they could smell a burning smell like something was on Fire. Gary Confirmed that this smell was not here earlier prior to the investigation when he was looking around.
We sat Quiet and waited. Lesley started to use the Rods again and straight away believed she was communicating with Stuart the man she had communicated with Downstairs, he had worked here. Also she believed she was communicating with the 3rd Spirit who wouldn't give a name, he was a visitor here and he died when he was 58. Mike Felt something touch his head.
We took part in our own group Seance. Lesley's legs started to feel like jelly and so did Garys. Andrea thought she saw a dark shadow next to gary and at the same time gary jumped as if he felt something at the side of him.
Andrea, Mike thought they saw a dark figure on the wall behind Gary and it moved up and disappeared but there was no one in the room apart from our team. We ended the seance and sat quiet again. Mike called out, then he listened to his dictafone and realized he had a voice on there, it sounded like a child's voice saying "Hello".
Lesley used the Rods again and found out the Voice on the dicafone was of a little girl, she was 7-8 years old and she used to help wash the miners clothes.
Something was thrown between Mike and Andrea - Gary and Lesley where no where near them. It sounded like metal, we looked about and Gary did find a Old Washer but we cant be sure that it was the washer that was thrown, but something was thrown at us. It was no time for a quick break before our next Location.
Group 3 Report : Sue Joan Linda Debbie Etta
This area was directly above our previous location and the child we contacted previously, was with us, she'd made herself known to Etta, telling her her name was Marthar Blackette she was about 8yrs old, fair haired and all she wanted was to find her Mammy.
She'd been stuck here a very long time (later the full team sent her over to the light to re-unite with her mammy). Linda and Debbie heard a moaning noise, and also kept seeing movement from the corner of the room, Sue saw an orb behind Linda (Chris confirmed a man standing behind her) and we caught the orb on a photo.
Whilst Chris was in the room he felt shakey, sickly, cold and actually had to leave due to wanting to smash the place up! This was the area where even dogs on site had been known not wanting to enter!
Linda kitted with a night vision camcorder caught orbs flying across the screen.
... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Bowes Railway Museum. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.
Main Workshop
This large L-Shaped room consisted of two main sections : The Fitting Shop and The Engineering Shop. As the two areas were open plan, we considered this location as one.
The location itself consisted of various machinery such as lathes and other machines used in the construction or repair work for the railway including the repair of locomotives and wheel turning.
One piece of machinary in this room did interfere with the EMF readings that were taken at the beginning of the night and the pollution levels (both outside noise and dust) were quite high.
Medium Walkaround With Chris
Chris could only pick up images of the Main Workshop as it might have been at earlier times.
He spoke of being able to see heavy objects hanging from the beams in the roof and something being by pulleys.
He could also pick up on Dray Horses being associated with the Main Workshop in someway.
Group 1 Report : Jay Rachel AndreaR Christine
We found very little evidence of any activity in the workshops.
We did pick up on a couple of cold spots and also draughts that could not be explained. The draughts felt like those you would feel if somebody walked passed you quickly (we're not suggesting thats what they were!).
Other than that, we experienced little else in the workshop and eventually the nights investigation ended.
Group 2 Report : Andrea Mike Gary Lesley
On entering this Location we already felt a bit uneasy as Mike and Gary had believed they had seen a figure in this room already while we were investigating another Location.
We went into the Workshop feeling a bit uneasy. We sat quiet for a bit and called out. We got the feeling that we were not the only people here, it was a weird feeling of been watched.
At the same time Mike, Andrea, Gary and Lesley saw what can only be described as a dark figure walking towards us. We all walked down to where we saw the figure, and found nothing.
Lesley again, used the Rods and she believed there was 5 Spirits in the room with us, 5 men and 3 woman. 6 worked here and 2 were visitors. We all still had an uneasy feeling.
After some more calling out with no response, it was time to move onto our next Location.
Group 3 Report : Sue Joan Linda Debbie Etta
We got very little in the workshop itself and after a short while actually went out into the courtyard outside.
Although we got one or two photo's of orbs out here, again we felt there was very little evidence of activity concerning the workshop.