Windsor and Annapolis Railway
Encyclopedia
The Windsor and Annapolis Railway (W&AR) was a historic Canadian railway that operated in Nova Scotia
's Annapolis Valley
.
The railway ran from Windsor
to Annapolis Royal and leased connections to Nova Scotia
's capital of Halifax
. The W&AR played a major role in developing Nova Scotia's agriculture and tourism industries, operating from 1869 until 1894 when it evolved into the larger Dominion Atlantic Railway
.
The W&AR was formed by British railway investors and Nova Scotian railway promoters in 1864. The company's operations centre was in Kentville
, although corporate headquarters remained in London
, United Kingdom
. The Windsor and Annapolis negotiated running rights over the government-owned "Windsor Branch" of the Nova Scotia Railway
to connect Windsor to the city and harbour of Halifax
. Construction began in 1866 with locomotives landed for work crews at Windsor, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
and Kentville. The line was completed in 1869 when bridges were opened over the route's two large tidal rivers, the Avon River
at Windsor and the Gaspereaux River at Horton.
The railway struggled at first, especially after the destructive Saxby Gale in October 1869 wrecked much of the track along the Minas Basin
in the first year of operation. However passenger traffic quickly blossomed, helped by early tourism promotion of steamship connections to the emerging New England
tourism
market. Freight traffic began more slowly until an explosion in apple shipments in the early 1880s ensured the prosperity of the line.
The railway was built at first to the Canadian broad gauge
of . It converted to the standard gauge
of in 1875. The W&AR bought out the thriving branchline, the Cornwallis Valley Railway
in 1890 which ran from Kentville to Kingsport
through rich apple districts.
, which used political allies to threaten the exclusive W&AR access to the critical "Windsor Branch" connection into Halifax. However, the W&AR was able to buy out the WCR in 1894 to create the Dominion Atlantic Railway
, thus providing a through line from Halifax to Yarmouth. The W&AR set the direction for the new united company which took over the W&AR headquarters in Kentville as well as the W&AR's "Land of Evangeline" identity.
Today the Windsor and Hantsport Railway
operates over portions of the old Windsor and Annapolis mainline.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
's Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
.
The railway ran from Windsor
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...
to Annapolis Royal and leased connections to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
's capital of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. The W&AR played a major role in developing Nova Scotia's agriculture and tourism industries, operating from 1869 until 1894 when it evolved into the larger Dominion Atlantic Railway
Dominion Atlantic Railway
The Dominion Atlantic Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in the western part of Nova Scotia, primarily through an agricultural district known as the Annapolis Valley....
.
Kentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville is a town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley, and it is the county seat of Kings County. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people....
, although corporate headquarters remained in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Windsor and Annapolis negotiated running rights over the government-owned "Windsor Branch" of the Nova Scotia Railway
Nova Scotia Railway
The Nova Scotia Railway is a historic Canadian railway. It was composed of two lines, one connecting Richmond with Windsor, the other connecting Richmond with Pictou via Truro....
to connect Windsor to the city and harbour of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. Construction began in 1866 with locomotives landed for work crews at Windsor, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville is a small town in the Annapolis Valley, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, located about northwest of the provincial capital, Halifax. As of 2006, the population was 3,772....
and Kentville. The line was completed in 1869 when bridges were opened over the route's two large tidal rivers, the Avon River
Avon River (Nova Scotia)
The Avon River is a small Canadian river in central Nova Scotia.A northerly flowing river, the Avon River flows rises on South Mountain, southwest of the town of Windsor. Its meander length is...
at Windsor and the Gaspereaux River at Horton.
The railway struggled at first, especially after the destructive Saxby Gale in October 1869 wrecked much of the track along the Minas Basin
Minas Basin
The Minas Basin is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy and a sub-basin of the Fundy Basin located in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is known for its extremely high tides.- Geography :- Boundary :...
in the first year of operation. However passenger traffic quickly blossomed, helped by early tourism promotion of steamship connections to the emerging New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
market. Freight traffic began more slowly until an explosion in apple shipments in the early 1880s ensured the prosperity of the line.
The railway was built at first to the Canadian broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
of . It converted to the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
of in 1875. The W&AR bought out the thriving branchline, the Cornwallis Valley Railway
Cornwallis Valley Railway
The Cornwallis Valley Railway was a historic Canadian railway in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. It was built in 1889 and ran from Kentville to Kingsport serving the Cornwallis Township area of Kings County...
in 1890 which ran from Kentville to Kingsport
Kingsport, Nova Scotia
Kingsport, is a small seaside village located in Kings County, Nova Scotia on the shores of the Minas Basin.-Geography:Kingsport is located just northeast of the mouth of the Habitant River, on the west side of Minas Basin, a few miles east of Canning at the eastern end of Route 221. It is bordered...
through rich apple districts.
Merger and renaming
A formidable rival to the W&AR was the Western Counties Railway (WCR), based in Yarmouth, Nova ScotiaYarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth is a town and fishing port located on the Gulf of Maine in rural southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Yarmouth County. The town is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch.- History :The townsite may...
, which used political allies to threaten the exclusive W&AR access to the critical "Windsor Branch" connection into Halifax. However, the W&AR was able to buy out the WCR in 1894 to create the Dominion Atlantic Railway
Dominion Atlantic Railway
The Dominion Atlantic Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in the western part of Nova Scotia, primarily through an agricultural district known as the Annapolis Valley....
, thus providing a through line from Halifax to Yarmouth. The W&AR set the direction for the new united company which took over the W&AR headquarters in Kentville as well as the W&AR's "Land of Evangeline" identity.
Today the Windsor and Hantsport Railway
Windsor and Hantsport Railway
The Windsor and Hantsport Railway is a railway operating in Nova Scotia between Windsor Junction and New Minas with a spur at Windsor which runs several miles east, serving two gypsum quarries at Wentworth Creek and Mantua....
operates over portions of the old Windsor and Annapolis mainline.
External links
- "Windsor and Annapolis Railway" Canada By Train - Virtual Exhibit Library and Archives of Canada
- Ivan Smith "Significant Dates in Nova Scotia's Railway History (1850- 1899)" Railways of Canada Archives
- "Windsor and Annapolis Railway" Dominion Atlantic Railway Digital Preservation Institute
- "Windsor and Annapolis Line" New York Times February 11, 1894, Wednesday, p. 2
- Windsor & Annapolis Railway