.
The Grand Trunk Railway came to Brockville in 1855 when the main line from Montreal to Toronto was completed and opened as far as Brockville.
Brockville was made a divisional point on the GTR, which established this town as a major transportation site.
.
about 1950
An aerial view of the main railway facilities in Brockville. Notable in this photograph are the remains of the large Cossitt Bros. Agricultural Implement Factory on Brock St., and the 90-foot turntable north of the factory buildings. The concrete overpass on William Street still remains to be built at this point.
.
This view of the rail yards in Brockville is looking east from about William St. toward the engines flanking the turntable.
.
A closer view of the 90-foot turntable that was visible in the distance in the photograph above.
Note the eleven numbered engines awaiting their next assignments in the Brockville yards.
.
About 1910
The new Union Railway Station and Depot was built here in 1872 to serve both of the rail lines which were crossing at Brockville. The new station was placed just east of Perth St. on the north side of the Grand Trunk tracks. It is still being used by VIARail for passenger service in Brockville.
After 1872, the passenger trains of the Brockville & Ottawa Railway which ran north and south between Brockville and Sand Point, near Arnprior, on the Ottawa River used this station in Brockville. Previously the Grand Trunk depot was located on the south side of the tracks, at the head of Buell St. The B&O Railway depot was located in town south of Water St. near to the approach to Blockhouse Island.
.
1890s
This shows five employees trying to look busy in the yard office of the Grand Trunk Railway in the 1890s.
.
30 August 1952
CNÂ 2-6-0 #86 engine, standing at the Brockville Station, ready to take its last regular run of the Westport Mixed train
on the Brockville to Westport line of the former Brockville & Westport Railway.
.
![King St W & Court House Ave [Brockville, ON] - Fulford Block (1974)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2296519214_6d81b8c494_t.jpg "King St W & Court House Ave [Brockville, ON] - Fulford Block (1974)")
![245a King St E (at Riverview Dr) [Brockville, ON] - Rockford, Sidney Jones House (1974)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2296516588_696c8bb19c_t.jpg "245a King St E (at Riverview Dr) [Brockville, ON] - Rockford, Sidney Jones House (1974)")
![222 King St E [ Brockville, ON] - Patrick Murray House (1973)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2296515200_14e826d5e6_t.jpg "222 King St E [ Brockville, ON] - Patrick Murray House (1973)")
![99 Perth St [Brockville, ON] (1974)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2295717739_15223d7904_t.jpg "99 Perth St [Brockville, ON] (1974)")
![74 King St E [Brockville, ON] - St John's United Church (1973)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2295692109_77c65405bc_t.jpg "74 King St E [Brockville, ON] - St John's United Church (1973)")
![102 Pine St [Brockville, ON] (1974)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2295678843_ac9d9de7e6_t.jpg "102 Pine St [Brockville, ON] (1974)")
One Comment
Hi there, Philip.
Thanks for leaving your comments.
I certainly do remember you. I have inquired of your dad a couple of times about you. We are both members of the Probus Club of Brockville.
When you were still living here you and I used to share information.
Thanks for clarifying the exact circumstances of that CN engine #86 which is pictured on my Old Brockville Photographs Web Site. If you check, I have re-worded the caption under the photograph. Thanks for that.
I enjoyed meeting some of the members of the Ottawa Railway History Circle the day they were here last month. I guess you are part of their activities sometimes.
In particular, I learned a lot of new things, and acquired great photographs subsequent from Colin Churcher and Don McQueen.
Railways has not been my main concern over the years, but It is an area of local history that I am very interested in.
You mention about Jim Clark. I have wondered what happened to him, not hearing anything from him for years. In the 1980s, when we were working to open up the Railway Tunnel for the public, Jim was part of our discussions.
My present project is building up my personal web site, The Doug Grant Building.
Best wishes.
Doug
(Also replying by regular e-mail.)