Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum
Encyclopedia
The Palmerston Railway Heritage Museum is the only original station left in Wellington County, Ontario
and one of the few designated as a railway museum in its part of the province. The Palmerston Station is located at 166 William Street, Palmerston, Ontario
.
. It was built in 1871, by the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway, at the point where the southern extension branched off from the main Guelph
-Harriston
line. This first station was a single story building, around which the town eventually developed.
In 1876, due to the increasing amount of traffic through the station, railway officials had an additional story put on the station. This second story was used to house the offices, which left the lower floor to be used exclusively for waiting and baggage rooms.
took over in 1900, the station underwent another transformation. To help compete with the exotic routes and travels offered by the Canadian Pacific Railway
, the Grand Trunk Railway upgraded their stations. Palmerston appears to have benefitted the most from this decision. They added a West Elevation in front of the station and created a walk-in storage attic. A tower (which does not appear to have had an entrance) was built above the ladies washroom. The tower was destroyed by fire in 1912.
had taken over the Grand Trunk Railway, the station underwent another transformation. During the Depression
, the CNR installed a drop ceiling in the main waiting room to save on heating costs. In 1936 it was painted in CNR colours. By the early 1950s, the traditional board and batten had been covered up by insulbrick which was then painted red. By 1959 the steam locomotive
s had been replaced by diesel locomotive
s, which led to the removal of the roundhouse
, roundtable and coal sheds.
.
With the help of volunteers and Palmerston's Lion's Club, the major renovations began which have led the station's present appearance. It has been returned to its 1900 Grand Trunk look, by having the insulbrick removed, board and batten replaced and the drop ceiling removed. The original wood of the ceiling was professionally grained to simulate its original appearance. The Agent's Office was stripped down to its original tine ceiling and the Conductor's Room was converted into a kitchen by the Lion's Club.
Wellington County, Ontario
Wellington County is a county located in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat is Guelph, a city which is politically independent, but Guelph's status as the seat means it houses the county's administrative offices...
and one of the few designated as a railway museum in its part of the province. The Palmerston Station is located at 166 William Street, Palmerston, Ontario
Palmerston, Ontario
Palmerston is an unincorporated community located at the south end of the town of Minto in northern part of Wellington County in southern Ontario, Canada.- History :...
.
Early history
The history of the Palmerston Railway Station is directly linked to the development of the Town of Palmerston. The first station was built on Lot 19, Concession 11 of Wallace Township, Perth CountyPerth County, Ontario
Perth County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is Stratford and is located in Southwestern Ontario, west of Toronto. It encompasses , 90% of which is classified as prime agricultural land...
. It was built in 1871, by the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway, at the point where the southern extension branched off from the main Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
-Harriston
Harriston, Ontario
Harriston is a community in the town of Minto in Wellington County, Ontario, Canada. Although Harriston was formerly a village, it was amalgamated with Palmerston and Clifford to create Minto. The village has one public school , as well as shops and restaurants...
line. This first station was a single story building, around which the town eventually developed.
In 1876, due to the increasing amount of traffic through the station, railway officials had an additional story put on the station. This second story was used to house the offices, which left the lower floor to be used exclusively for waiting and baggage rooms.
The Grand Trunk Railway
When the Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
took over in 1900, the station underwent another transformation. To help compete with the exotic routes and travels offered by the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, the Grand Trunk Railway upgraded their stations. Palmerston appears to have benefitted the most from this decision. They added a West Elevation in front of the station and created a walk-in storage attic. A tower (which does not appear to have had an entrance) was built above the ladies washroom. The tower was destroyed by fire in 1912.
Canadian National Railway
After the Canadian National RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
had taken over the Grand Trunk Railway, the station underwent another transformation. During the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the CNR installed a drop ceiling in the main waiting room to save on heating costs. In 1936 it was painted in CNR colours. By the early 1950s, the traditional board and batten had been covered up by insulbrick which was then painted red. By 1959 the steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s had been replaced by diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s, which led to the removal of the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
, roundtable and coal sheds.
Abandonment
In 1970, the last passenger train left the station. However, unlike other stations which were being abandoned or torn down, the Palmerston station remained as an active freight center until the mid 1980s when the CNR requested the right to abandon the rail line through Palmerston. The station was officially closed in 1982. It remained abandoned until 1996, when the track was torn up from Harriston to StratfordStratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
.
Restoration
On June 3, 1996, the Town of Palmerston presented an offer to the CNR to purchase the railway property. Later that year resident volunteers began to organize a restoration effort and solicit money to replace the leaking roof. By 1998, the Town of Palmerston was able to fully purchase the 26 acres (105,218.4 m²) yard from the CNR, and initiated the CN Property Task Force which was responsible for overseeing the development of the property and renovation of the Station.With the help of volunteers and Palmerston's Lion's Club, the major renovations began which have led the station's present appearance. It has been returned to its 1900 Grand Trunk look, by having the insulbrick removed, board and batten replaced and the drop ceiling removed. The original wood of the ceiling was professionally grained to simulate its original appearance. The Agent's Office was stripped down to its original tine ceiling and the Conductor's Room was converted into a kitchen by the Lion's Club.