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Difference between revisions of "Bridgetown Station"

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==[[Bridgetown]] Station==
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=[[Bridgetown]] Station=
  
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The original building constructed in 1919 was four feet shorter than today's structure. The early station contained two waiting rooms, one for men (a smoking area) and one for women and children. Later a freight room was added to accommodate the increased traffic.
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The first [[Bridgetown]] station was a standard [[Windsor & Annapolis Railway]] passenger and freight station. In 1915, the Bridgetown Board of Trade asked the DAR for a new and more modern station, perhaps influenced by the finely decorated new [[Annapolis Royal Station]] which had just been completed. A replacement opportunity arose when a fire destroyed the Bridgetown Station<ref>[https://www.cptracks.ca/data/RSR/RSR-095_CP_Bridgetown_NS.pdf Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library]</ref> on November 10, 1912.<ref>[[Canadian Railway and Marine World - 1918-12 - D.A.R. Station Burned|''Canadian Railway and Marine World'', December 1918, D.A.R. Station Burned]]</ref>
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An old passenger coach, [[DAR000020|DAR No. 20]] served as a temporary station while replacement plans were made.<ref>[[:Category:Jim O'Donnell Collection|Jim O'Donnell]], [[Passenger Roster JLOD|''Dominion Atlantic Passenger Equipment Roster'', p. 1]]</ref> The new station, built in in 1919 was a Tudor revival station based on CPR Station No. 16 plans<ref>(1) [http://www.cptracks.ca/data/Structures/H-15-66.pdf Plans for CPR Station No. 16 at Canadian Pacific Historical Association]</ref>, updated by DAR engineering staff in Kentville on Feb. 11, 1919 and built by [[J. H. Hicks & Sons]]. The hip-roofed Tudor revival station contained diamond paned transoms over all the doors and windows and platform canopies on both ends. There were two waiting rooms, one for men (a smoking area) and one for women and children with washrooms and an agents office in the centre and a small baggage and freight room on the east side. The same design would later be adapted to replace the [[Hantsport Station]] in 1944.  
  
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In June of 1994 both land and building were purchased by Joanne Acker. Seven weeks of extensive renovations generated the End of the Line Pub.  
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The noted Canadian author Ernest Buckler wrote this description of the Bridgetown Station in 1949: "The railway station, of course, is the Café de la Paix of the small town. Sooner or later you see everyone there, and their missions cause the liveliest conjecture. Walk down the board platform, past the straggle of perhaps 20 people embarking and debarking . . . circle the group inspecting the packages on the express dolly (“Hank must’ve broke his mowin’ machine, ain’t that a Pittman rod fer a Deering?”); the knots of school kids dressed in the current vogue of sloppiness and speaking up-to-the-minute slang; the resolute band who come daily to wave, undismayed by lack of reciprocity in the languorous few on the observation platform . . . and get a taxi. Any one of Bridgetown’s dozen—including a spanking Hudson will take you into town for a quarter with short stopover privileges and Baedeker service accorded with twice the courtesy a friend would allot you.<ref>[https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1949/6/1/last-stop-before-paradise Ernest Buckler, "Last Stop Before Paradise", ''Maclean's Magazine'', June 1, 1949]</ref>
  
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About 1960,<ref>A Harold Jenkins photograph in August 1960 shows the original station layout had not yet been altered: [http://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:DAR_-_Bridgetown_Station-Harold_Jenkins_Photo-August1960.JPG]</ref> as passenger service dwindled compared to freight, a large clapboard freight shed was added to the east end, replacing the women's waiting room and baggage room with a large freight room, doubling the size of the building.<ref>[https://www.cptracks.ca/data/RSR/RSR-095_CP_Bridgetown_NS.pdf Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library]</ref> The station was de-staffed on June 1, 1971 and the order board signal was removed.<ref>[[1971-08-01 Bulletin No. 54|Dominion Atlantic Railway Company Bulletin No. 54, Kentville, NS, August 1, 1971, citing June 1, 1971 supplement of list of stations closed]]</ref> The waiting room was later renovated and opened by VIA Rail and served to shelter passengers until 1990 when passenger service ended and the Kentville subdivision was abandoned. In 1991 the station was considered for protected status under the Heritage Railway Stations act, but was rejected because the freight shed addition had disrupted the original design. Station grounds were piled high with railway ties as the DAR's mainline was dismantled. In June of 1994 both land and building were purchased by Joanne Acker. Seven weeks of extensive renovations generated the End of the Line Pub. In 2020, the building was purchased again by Lunn’s Mill Beer Co. and the establishment renovated and renamed "The Station" with visual references to the DAR and the sailing days in the menus and decor.<ref>[https://www.thestation.beer/ "The Station"]</ref>.
  
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==Gallery==
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<Gallery perrow=5>
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File:Gazette 1921 12 09 DAR Improvements and Bridgetown Station.jpg|Article on the new [[Bridgetown Station]], the start of the [[Midnight]] trains, a new [[Digby Station]], and [[Cornwallis Hotel|Aberdeen Hotel]] renovations, Dec 9, 1921. See [[The_Gazette_1921_Dec_9_DAR_Improvements_and_New_Bridgetown_Station|article text.]]
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Image:Bridgetown2.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] with the [[Bridgetown Bridge]] in background, circa 1920.
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File:Btown2.jpg|DAR tracks ripped up at [[Bridgetown]] by the ice jam and flood, with the [[Bridgetown Station]] at centre in the distance, Mar. 15, 1920.
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File:4982-25.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] and [[DAR2552|locomotive No. 2552]] with an eastbound train, 1949.
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File:DAR - Bridgetown Station-Harold Jenkins Photo-August1960.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]], August 1960.
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File:BridgetownStation01.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] before lengthening in 1960.
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File:SA bridgeandstation.jpg|[[Bridgetown Bridge|Bridgetown Railway Bridge]] looking west with the [[Bridgetown Station]] in background, 1965-1967.
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Image:Bridgetown Station 1975.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] on July 18, 1975.
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Image:Bridgetown Station and Yard 1975.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] and railyard on July 18, 1975.
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File:Slide 74 - Bridgetown Station - 9 feb 76.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]] 9th February 1976.
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File:Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, 26 May'77.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] viewed from [[Train_No._2#1968_-_1975.2C_Yarmouth_-_Halifax_Daily_Afternoon_.28Except_Sunday.29_1st_Class_Passenger_Service|Train No. 2]] with the [[Bridgetown Bridge|Bridgetown Railway Bridge]] in background, May 26, 1977.
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File:DAR_-_Bridgetown_Station-Harold_Jenkins_Photo-3August1979.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] on a foggy day, August 3, 1979.
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Image:F1000022.jpg|The [[Bridgetown Station]] in 1981 and the end of crew car [[DAR412201|No. 412201]].
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File:SA station.jpg|The [[Bridgetown Station]] in the VIA Rail era, 1984.
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File:Bridge10001.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10002.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10003.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10004.JPG|[[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10028.JPG|Waiting room in [[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10029.JPG|Operator's bay in [[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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File:Bridge10030.JPG|Storage area in [[Bridgetown Station]], April 1986.
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Image:August 29 1993 DAR Bridgetown station.jpg|[[Bridgetown Station]] August 29, 1993.
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Image:Misc 048.jpg|[[Bridgetown]] signboard in the restaurant.
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File:Bridgetown 1 (1280x853).jpg|The [[Bridgetown Station]], now the End of the Line Pub, on August 30, 2011.
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</gallery>
  
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<gallery>
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==References==
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Image:Bridgetown Station 1975.jpg|Bridgetown Station on July 18, 1975.
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<references/>  
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Image:Bridgetown Station and Yard 1975.jpg|Bridgetown Station and railyard on July 18, 1975.
 
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Image:Bridgetown2.jpg
 
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</gallery>
 
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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*[http://www.endofthelinepub.com/station.html End Of The Line Pub]
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[https://www.cptracks.ca/data/RSR/RSR-095_CP_Bridgetown_NS.pdf Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library]
  
 
[[Category:Stations]]
 
[[Category:Stations]]

Latest revision as of 16:58, 30 April 2024

Bridgetown Station

The first Bridgetown station was a standard Windsor & Annapolis Railway passenger and freight station. In 1915, the Bridgetown Board of Trade asked the DAR for a new and more modern station, perhaps influenced by the finely decorated new Annapolis Royal Station which had just been completed. A replacement opportunity arose when a fire destroyed the Bridgetown Station[1] on November 10, 1912.[2] An old passenger coach, DAR No. 20 served as a temporary station while replacement plans were made.[3] The new station, built in in 1919 was a Tudor revival station based on CPR Station No. 16 plans[4], updated by DAR engineering staff in Kentville on Feb. 11, 1919 and built by J. H. Hicks & Sons. The hip-roofed Tudor revival station contained diamond paned transoms over all the doors and windows and platform canopies on both ends. There were two waiting rooms, one for men (a smoking area) and one for women and children with washrooms and an agents office in the centre and a small baggage and freight room on the east side. The same design would later be adapted to replace the Hantsport Station in 1944.

The noted Canadian author Ernest Buckler wrote this description of the Bridgetown Station in 1949: "The railway station, of course, is the Café de la Paix of the small town. Sooner or later you see everyone there, and their missions cause the liveliest conjecture. Walk down the board platform, past the straggle of perhaps 20 people embarking and debarking . . . circle the group inspecting the packages on the express dolly (“Hank must’ve broke his mowin’ machine, ain’t that a Pittman rod fer a Deering?”); the knots of school kids dressed in the current vogue of sloppiness and speaking up-to-the-minute slang; the resolute band who come daily to wave, undismayed by lack of reciprocity in the languorous few on the observation platform . . . and get a taxi. Any one of Bridgetown’s dozen—including a spanking Hudson will take you into town for a quarter with short stopover privileges and Baedeker service accorded with twice the courtesy a friend would allot you.[5]

About 1960,[6] as passenger service dwindled compared to freight, a large clapboard freight shed was added to the east end, replacing the women's waiting room and baggage room with a large freight room, doubling the size of the building.[7] The station was de-staffed on June 1, 1971 and the order board signal was removed.[8] The waiting room was later renovated and opened by VIA Rail and served to shelter passengers until 1990 when passenger service ended and the Kentville subdivision was abandoned. In 1991 the station was considered for protected status under the Heritage Railway Stations act, but was rejected because the freight shed addition had disrupted the original design. Station grounds were piled high with railway ties as the DAR's mainline was dismantled. In June of 1994 both land and building were purchased by Joanne Acker. Seven weeks of extensive renovations generated the End of the Line Pub. In 2020, the building was purchased again by Lunn’s Mill Beer Co. and the establishment renovated and renamed "The Station" with visual references to the DAR and the sailing days in the menus and decor.[9].

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library
  2. ↑ Canadian Railway and Marine World, December 1918, D.A.R. Station Burned
  3. ↑ Jim O'Donnell, Dominion Atlantic Passenger Equipment Roster, p. 1
  4. ↑ (1) Plans for CPR Station No. 16 at Canadian Pacific Historical Association
  5. ↑ Ernest Buckler, "Last Stop Before Paradise", Maclean's Magazine, June 1, 1949
  6. ↑ A Harold Jenkins photograph in August 1960 shows the original station layout had not yet been altered: [1]
  7. ↑ Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library
  8. ↑ Dominion Atlantic Railway Company Bulletin No. 54, Kentville, NS, August 1, 1971, citing June 1, 1971 supplement of list of stations closed
  9. ↑ "The Station"

External Links

Harry Jost and Barry Moody, "Canadian Pacific Railway Station Bridgetown, Nova Scotia", Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Railway Station Report, RSR-095, 1991, Canadian Pacific Historical Association Documents Library

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