One Every Two and a
Half Miles
A brief look at the railway stations on the Prince Edward Island Railway
by Allan Graham
(PART II)
B. WAY OR CROSSING STATIONS
Map of P.E.I. showing the "Way or Crossing" stations in
1874
Besides the original six "terminal" stations, Swinyard discusses twelve
"way or crossing" stations. At the time he did his survey in 1874, each of these
twelve consisted of a structure 42 x 22 feet containing a waiting room, ticket office and
freight storage. The twelve communities graced by these functional depots were O'Leary
Road, Port Hill, Wellington, Kensington, Hunter River, North Wiltshire, Royalty Jct., Mt.
Stewart, Cardigan, Morell, St. Peter's and East Souris Road. The only ones of these
buildings to survive until C.N. no longer needed them were Wellington, Hunter River, North
Wiltshire, Royalty Jct., Cardigan and St. Peter's. Hunter River and Cardigan had the
freight shed area greatly enlarged during the years. Hunter River is now a craft shop at
Marco Polo Campground in Cavendish, P.E.l. and St. Peter's is now a senior citizens' club.
Royalty Jct. and North Wiltshire have been turned into houses and Cardigan is now a craft
outlet. Wellington station was torn down under a make-work project on the supposition that
it was a fire hazard. Royalty Jct. station had an unusual roof owing to its location
within a wye.
Owing to the tremendous growth of O'Leary after the arrival of the railway, this
original structure was soon replaced by a two-storey station with a mansard roof similar
to Souris. This beautiful building was used until early in the 1900's when a one storey
traditional station was erected nearer to Main Street and the mansard-roofed structure was
sold to Sanford Phillips who turned it into two apartments. It eventually burned. The
third station has been closed by C.N. within the last two years and the building sold to
the O'Leary Museum.
Hunter River station 1971. (Margaret E. Mallett photo).
North Wiltshire station 1971 with a freight heading for Charlottetown.
(Margaret E. Mallett photo).
St. Peter's station 1971. (Margaret E. Mallett photo). |
All over P.E.I. during the first two decades of the 1900's
beautiful architecturally-pleasing stations were replaced by more functional single storey
structures. Presumably the costs of energy and upkeep were partly to blame but it seems
sad that so much of our railway heritage was destroyed at one period in time. These early
structures added a grace and charm to communities that the more practical stations could
not. Port Hill Station was the source of much controversy, located as it was on a clay
road in the middle of the woods. This station should have been located a mile away in the
booming village of Tyne Valley but political pressures were brought to bear on the powers
that be. Over the years several surveys were made at election time, the stated purpose of
which was to divert the railway line into Tyne Valley. Many a resident of Tyne Valley
cursed the politicians as they began the nightime walk through mosquito-filled swampland
after disembarking from the train at Port Hill Station.
The original Port Hill Station consisted of a waiting room, ticket office, freight shed
and dwelling. The waiting room now sits beside Route 2 in Springhill, P.E.I., where a
farmer had planned to make it ’into a winter garage. The freight shed became part of
a warehouse across the track from its original site. After the dispersement of the
original station complex, the second Sherwood Station was moved to this site to store
oysters in while they awaited shipment. Originally this station had an open arch, but a
door was installed to allow for some security. |
Kensington soon outgrew its first station as well and a new
mansard-roofed structure like Souris and O'Leary soon appeared. This station was used
until 1905 when a magnificent boulder station was built and the second one was hauled up
the hill to School Street where it became the residence. Kensington's third station was
named a National Historic Site in 1978. It has recently been abandoned by VIA who now use
the nearby Kensington Recreation Centre as the stop for their chartered bus to Moncton. A
tourist bureau and handcraft outlet are now occupying this boulder station. (see Canadian
Rail Issue 332 for further information on the boulder stations).
Another of these "way or crossing" stations was Mt. Stewart Jct.
On May 20, 1911, what must have been the first station was completely destroyed by fire as
reported in the newspapers of the day:
The station house at Mount Stewart was destroyed by fire on Saturday
afternoon. The origin of the fire is not known but it is believed to have been caused by a
spark from a passing locomotive. The fire was not discovered until after the last train
had cleared, and it was then well under way. An engine was sent out from Charlottetown to
save the cars on the siding, it being impossible to do anything to prevent the destruction
of the station.
The third O'Leary station with the mansard-roofed second
station
in the background. (Photo by Jack Turner; P.E.I. Archives Collection).
The third O'Leary station as it was being constructed with the
second
one barely visible in the background. (postcard in Roy Leard Collection).
The residents of Mt. Stewart were well aware of the boulder stations
recently constructed in Alberton and Kensington and the grand stone station too- after
all, Mt. Stewart was an important junction point! Instead the railway officials
completely ignored the residents and by July no efforts had been made to replace the
burned structure as the Charlottetown Guardian stated in its July 20, 1911 issue:
The people of Mt. Stewart are puzzled to know why there are no signs
of rebuilding the railway station destroyed by fire nearly two months ago. It seems
strange that the Liberal Government which claims such ability for putting through public
works with fine dispatch should be so slow in this respect. It did not take them very long
at Ottawa this spring to vote some of themselves a snug pocket full to go to the
Coronation with but the really necessary things must stand over till they get "good
and ready”.
 On Nov. 23, 1911 a new two-storey gable-roofed
structure with an odd-shaped freight shed was opened on the site of the old one, in the
center of the wye. This station, built of wood against the wishes of the residents of Mt.
Stewart, lasted until the agent was removed in the 1980's, then the freight shed was
removed and the station itself remodeled into a restaurant which should be opening in the
summer of 1984.
Morell is the last of the "way" stations we will look at.
According to a local history of this area, the first Morell Station was like the one in
York (see picture in this article). The second station in Morell was a large rambling
house which was closed by C.N. on Oct. 28, 1972 and torn down in 1975.
Postcard showing the second Kensington station with its
mansard
roof in the background and the newly-constructed boulder station in
the foreground - around 1905-1905. (P.E.I. Archives Collection).
Kensington's second station as it now exists - a residence on School
Street in the Town. (Margaret E. Mallett photo). |
The second Mt. Stewart station 1971. (Margaret E. Mallett photo). |
The second Morell station 1971. (Margaret E. Mallett photo).
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©1999, Allan Graham, all rights reserved. |
