1958 Princess Margaret Royal Visit

1958 Princess Margaret Royal Visit and Train

Research Notes from Bill Linley about the consist

The power for the train was an ABA of GMDL CNR passenger units: 6537 6634 6538. They were ordered off the shop track at the CNR's Truro Roundhouse at 5.00 p.m., August 9, 1958, a Saturday. Kentville was the destination. Info is via Andrew Blackburn from Jim Simmon's list of DAR units serviced in Truro in August 1958.

It's been suggested that the South Maitland bridge was too light to support this train. I've checked my emp tts from 1939 through 1980 and find that the permitted speed was 20 mph until at least 1952. Skipping ahead to 1965 it was 10 mph. In 1965, Train Masters, E8s, early Canadian-built S2s and SW9s were prohibited on the Truro Sub. My conclusion is that the train went west via the Truro Sub.

The consist included the following cars is from Doug Smith in Brockville, Ont.: The following list of cars for HRH Princess Margaret train comes from Wayner's Century of Deluxe Passenger Cars in Canada (the cars are not listed in order in the publication so this is just a list of cars): CN battery-charging car 15202 CN baggage car 9283 CN baggage-dormitory 9203 CN dining car 1343 CN sleeper Thunder Bay CN Bedford CN Burrard CN business car 91 Govt of Canada Acadia Govt of Canada 2 Govt of Canada 1

So our site's display of John McDonald's image of a crowd waiting at Annapolis Royal was likely taken on August 10, 1958. I had thought they were watching for an eastbound train but now suspect they were arranged to face the sun for a better photograph. I now think that the train was westbound on the 10th and that the party likely spent the night in Kentville.

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  Waiting for Princess Margaret to arrive, Annapolis Royal Station, August 10, 1958.

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  Princess Margaret Train Eastbound at Annapolis Royal Station, 10th August 1958.

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  Princess Margaret Train passing through Annapolis Royal Area, 10th August 1958.

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  Glen Conrad Engineer in CNR Engine 6537, Windsor, August 1958.

A Humourous Story About The Royal Train Crew

Duane Porter (Curator HSW Museum, Lunuburg) recounts a story told to him.

This is a picture of the crew of a royal train during a tour by Princess Margaret the Queen's sister. The story that I was told is this. Jack Bishop (kneeling down in front) was the carman assigned to the train. When night was approaching and they needed light for this picture, he got out his carbide gas light and prepared to light it. The short little man, L Sweet, behind him on his right was a Scotland Yard officer and had never seen a carbide lamp before and thought it was some kind of a bomb. He tried to arrest Bishop but others intervened and stopped him. Afterwards he wouldn't take his eyes off of him not even for the picture. You can see the royal navy crew that accompanied the tour standing in the vestibule.

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  Thought to be the 1958 Princess Margaret Royal Train crew and protection entourage.

External Links

Princess Margaret's Road Visit to Digby, Admiral Digby Museum (Video will start at 1:40 for the train | at 2:17 train at Station).