Fonds 0609 - Northern Alberta Railway Co. fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Northern Alberta Railway Co. fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record

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  • Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA GPR 0609

Edition area

Edition statement

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Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

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Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

Physical description area

Physical description

8 cm of textual records

Publisher's series area

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1907-unknown)

Administrative history

In 1907, the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway was incorporated to build a railway from Edmonton to a point near Dunvegan to the northwest, and then to a point near Fort George (now Prince George), British Columbia. The builder was to be the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, but in 1911 an agreement was struck with the J.D. McArthur Company of Winnipeg to take over. Construction began in 1912, and by late in 1914 the rail arrived at McLennan, where the main terminal and rail yard were built. The railway was then constructed west to Spirit River, which was reached in February 1916. This was the closest to Dunvegan (15 miles northeast) that the railway came. Although the railway bed was laid past Spirit River west towards Prince George, the decision was made to route the line south from Rycroft to Grande Prairie instead. This was the end of steel until 1924, and soon the end of the ED & BC Railway as well. In 1921, the Alberta Government assumed ownership of the failing company, contracting with the Canadian Pacific Railway to run the line. Under provincial ownership, the line was extended to Wembley in 1924, and to Hythe in 1928. In 1929, it became part of the newly-formed Northern Alberta Railways Co., which completed construction to Dawson Creek in 1931. The 1931 Time Table shows the train leaving Edmonton at 16:00 each Monday and Thursday, and arriving in Dawson Creek at 17:45 the following day. The eastbound train left Dawson Creek at 19:15 each Tuesday and Friday, reaching Edmonton at 20:55 the next day. This time table continued, with few changes until World War II.

Custodial history

The registers were preserved by John Wearmouth, a locomotive fireman and engineer who began his career with the Northern Alberta Railways Co. in 1942. They were donated to South Peace Regional Archives by his son Pat in 2012.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of two Motive Power Department Registers for the Rycroft Train Station from 1921-1939, and two Enginemen’s Register and Rest Books for the Rycroft Train Station from 1921-1939.

Notes area

Physical condition

The bindings on the registers are severely damaged, and the pages torn and dirty. Entries are in pencil and difficult to read.

Immediate source of acquisition

The registers were donated to South Peace Regional Archives by son Pat Wearmouth in 2012.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

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Accruals

Alpha-numeric designations

Accession number: 2012.027

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Control area

Description record identifier

0609

Institution identifier

South Peace Regional Archives

Rules or conventions

Level of detail

Partial

Language of description

  • English

Script of description

Sources

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