by the Canadian Railway Historical Association – Niagara Division
Click on each image for a closer look!
A crowd beings to assemble on the morning of Monday, July 13, 2015 in front of the Community Credit Union in downtown Thorold, Ontario for the dedication and unveiling of the first in a series of NS&T historical plaques in the Niagara Region.
The first of almost fifty Members and Guests begin to arrive at the plaque unveiling ceremony.
CRHA Niagara Division President Tammy Frakking addresses the assembly.
City of Thorold Mayor Ted Luciani (left below), Niagara Division President Tammy Frakking, Past Niagara Division President and Plaque Coordinator Paul Chapman, Regional Municipality of Niagara Councilor Henry D’Angela, Thorold City Councilor Tim Whelan, also the President of the Thorold Community Credit Union, owner of the property the plaque is situated on, and Federal Member of Parliament (Niagara Centre) Malcolm Allen (also representing Member of Provincial Parliament Cindy Forster who could not be present) prepare for the unveiling of the first plaque in a series of five.
Official scrolls marking the event!
City of Thorold Mayor Luciani, Paul Chapman, Councilor Henry D’Angela, Councilor Tim Whelan, and Welland MP Malcolm Allen discuss the history of the local railway than ran here. The Canadian Northern (later CNR/NS&T) was situated between the plaque and the Credit Union building in the background.
CRHA Board Member and Niagara Division Past President and Calendar Coordinator Andy Panko discusses the history of the NS&T and the old station site. A souvenir handout was provided to all guests. So far more than $10,000 has been raised for the plaque program by sales of the Division calendars and railway history book auctions, whereby books are donated to the auctions by Members of the Division or their Estates. Another $10,000 is required to complete the plaque project.
Tim Horton’s coffee and homemade cookies (thanks to President Tammy) were the order of the morning.
The plaque itself … to view what is on the plaque, click here.
CRHA Niagara Division Members Jim Gardner, David Bingham and Frank Delogu inspect the new plaque. David is a Past President of the Division and newly appointed Vice President, Frank is the Division’s secretary. Interesting note – Frank Delogu was on the last run of the NS&T’s interurban service in 1959, over 56 years ago on this very spot.
Some of the CRHA Niagara Division Members present pose with the plaque after its unveiling. Past President Paul Chapman, the coordinator of the plaque project is at lower left and Niagara Division President Tammy Frakking is at lower right.
The original line of the NS&T street railway operations came up the middle of Front Street in Thorold as shown in the inset, and terminated at the station (behind the photographer). The NS&T’s interurban operations, at the end of service in 1959 with Montreal and Southern Counties cars (see previous slide of the plaque showing M&SC 623), ran on an elevated line behind the buildings in the left of the photograph.
Click here to view the contents of this plaque.