The Old Oak Flats Station

[Headless2]

According to reports, the body of Alfred John Crew was found 20 feet (6 metres) north of the level crossing near an old wooden fence, you can see the actual fence in the very first photo taken in 1951. The yellow triangle in the below photo shows where Mr Crew was found, right beside the old pedestrian crossing where many stressed and hesitated to cross at night, however, the crossing used today is no different.

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Henry Williams body was found about 50 yards (45 metres) north of the level crossing, the yellow triangle shows where Mr Williams was found. The area is dark and intimidating if you need to cross the tracks at night, if you don’t, it’s a very long detour.

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What can you notice in this photo?

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In case you didn’t notice the memorial cross, also the spot where Henry Williams body was found under the platform.

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To be continued…..

[Headless2]

Is the old station haunted by either one of the horrific past events that occurred in 1943 and 1947?
 
Indeed it’s haunted, but the tormenting question is…. by who?

However, this is only my opinion, but hopefully have answered questions for my neighbouring folks who doubted themselves.


Next stop…..Albion Park Railway Station.



To be continued…..

[Headless2]

By rail, Albion Park Station is located just 1.8km north of the old Oak Flats Station.

The station is of state historical significance as a railway station which was a major goods yard servicing the dairy and pastoral industry, retaining structures built from 1887 to 1890, constructed prior to the standardisation of railway design and being among the last "old" design station buildings built.

Here’s the station back in 1914.

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Here’s what the station looks like today.

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To be continued…..

[Headless2]

Distressed locals have mentioned the station is also haunted. Most claim it’s eerie and sends shivers down the spine for some strange reason, others say things happen that they can’t explain.

Do I think the station is abnormal? Indeed it is, however, not many are aware of the dark past the station holds.

But I do wonder how many others who commute from this station also feel unsettled?

Perhaps experienced a feeling that one might faint, throat/neck discomfort or difficulty breathing for no apparent reason, if so, here’s probably why.



To be continued…..

[Headless2]

Date: Sun 26th, November 1961 — A man named Douglas Stanley was on duty that evening at Albion Park Railway Station performing his role as assistant station manager, when his uneventful night took a dramatic and horrific turn. 39 year old Winifrid Francis McKenzie entered the station around 7.15pm, accompanied by her estranged husband 49 year old Roy William McKenzie.

Married in Hurtsville in 1942, the two had been living apart for some time and had one son together, Rodney McKenzie. Winifrid was, at the time, residing on Mole Street in Albion Park whilst the latter had moved back to the district of his birth, a small farming village in Orange. (Forest Reefs)

Nothing seemed awry at the time. Roy purchased a ticket to Milthorope and the two left the station. But unbeknownst to Stanley, a brutal and violent scene had erupted just outside of the building and only a few minutes later, a blood soaked Winifrid stumbled into the station. Gasping for air, she clutched desperately at a deep wound in her throat before collapsing. Although an ambulance was called, the woman sadly died before it could arrive.

Roy was discovered outside, sprawled in a patch of long grass, also suffering from a slash to the throat. An open and bloody razor was found beside the man. He was rushed to Wollongong Hospital but died upon admission.


Here’s the outside and entrance to the station.

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Authorities were, at the time, investigating the matter on the theory that Roy had grievously assaulted his wife after a domestic argument before turning the weapon on himself.

Winifrid was laid to rest at Wollongong Cemetery whilst Roy was buried in Sydney. Their son Rodney married and the couple had two children. Sadly, he died as a young father at the age of 24 years on the 24th of August in 1973 in the suburb of Dapto.


Next stop…..Dapto Railway Station.



To be continued…..

[KANACKI]

Hello Headless

Some interesting stories there. You know as well as I Albion park rail was nick named The murder suburb in 1990s some of the most gruesome murders in NSW History was in Albion park rail.

Kanacki

[Headless2]

Hi KANACKI

There's a movie 'Suburban Mayhem' which is loosely inspired by the heinous crimes committed by Mark Valera, who was responsible for the deaths of Frank Arkell and David O'Hearn. Additionally, it draws parallels with his sister, Belinda van Krevel, and her then-partner Keith Schreiber, who were involved in the murder of Jack van Krevel.

I didn’t know Matthew De Grunchy personally but we acknowledged each other on a weekly basis when I resided in Koona St which merged into Shearwater Blvd where he bludgeoned to death his mother and two siblings.

[Headless2]

By rail, Dapto Station is just over 8km north of Albion Park Station, although the following isn’t a ghost story, some claim it’s haunted. This historic cottage was built in 1887 to house the stationmaster but it became known for something far more gruesome, a history etched in blood and still known among the locals as the ‘mad stationmaster’s house.’


Here’s the cottage as its stands today.

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The cottage is 50 metres from the Dapto Station as indicated by the yellow line.

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So what happened in this cottage?



To be continued…..

[Headless2]

Date: Mon 18th, January 1932 — Mrs Louisa Maud Shelden, aged 47 years, wife of the stationmaster at Dapto, received fatal injuries on Saturday afternoon, when she was battered with an axe in the kitchen of her home. Her son George Shelden, 19, tried to save her, but he was struck down. The axe cut deeply into his head and he lay insensible while his mother was murdered.

Inspector Keith, of Wollongong, has ordered the detention of Harold Frederick Shelden, aged 45, the stationmaster. According to statements made to the police by railway officials, Mr Shelden had been in ill-health for four months, and had suffered a nervous breakdown.

Mrs Shelden was with several of her children when she was attacked. All except George were too young to come to her aid, and stood helpless while the attack was made. The tragedy took place with startling suddenness. Shortly after 1 o'clock a man burst into the kitchen of the house, which is separated by a narrow space of ground from the railway station.

Mrs Shelden and her children looked up in surprise, and were horrified to see the man carrying an axe. Without a word he flourished it and walked towards Mrs Shelden. George Shelden jumped up and seized the chair on which he was sitting. He shouted to distract the man's attention, and swung the chair round his head. The son's act only diverted the attack to himself. The man lifted the axe and lunged it at the youth, who flung the chair at him. The piece of furniture brushed the attacker's shoulder, but did not halt his progress.

George Shelden was knocked to the floor by a glancing blow from the axe. The edge of the weapon cut through the side of his head. He relapsed into insensibility, and did not recover until after his mother had been killed. The attack occurred with such suddenness that Mrs Shelden had not time to escape. The man walked across to her and then struck her a heavy blow on the back of the head, which smashed the skull. It is not known whether she was struck again.

One of the terrified children ran outside and called for help. The cry and the disturbance in the house had attracted the attention of the assistant stationmaster. He ran to the scene of the tragedy, and then telephoned Constable Arnold who is stationed at Dapto. The policeman found Mrs Shelden lying in a pool of blood on the floor, surrounded by her frightened children. George Shelden was still bleeding from his wound. Mrs Shelden's husband was sitting on a verandah at the back of the kitchen.


Here’s the kitchen where the murder took place.

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The injured woman was taken to Wollongong Hospital by the Wollongong Ambulance. She died just after reaching the hospital. In spite of the severity of the attack, little damage had been done in the house. Only the chair that had been thrown was splintered.vInspector Keith, who is in charge of the Wollongong police, and Constable Bradley, hurried to Dapto by motor car and made an examination of the house. Railway officials said that the stationmaster suffered from rheumatic fever and nervous attacks. He had been under the advice of a doctor at Wollongong for some time, and had returned to his family only about 10 days ago.


Here’s the station master’s house in the years after the murder.

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