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Difference between revisions of "Kentville Machine Shop"

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==Kentville Machine Shop==
 
==Kentville Machine Shop==
  
===1869-1919==
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==1869-1919==
The DAR's first locomotive and machine shops stood to the south of the mainline in [[Kentville]]. Built by the [[Windsor and Annapolis Railway]] in the late 1860s and gradually expanded, the first locomotive shops included a small enclosed turntable, a three bay engine house, machine shops and blacksmith shops.(1)
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The DAR's first locomotive and machine shops stood to the south of the mainline in [[Kentville]]. Built by the [[Windsor and Annapolis Railway]] in the late 1860s and gradually expanded, the first locomotive shops included a small enclosed turntable, a three bay engine house, machine shops and blacksmith shops.<ref>Kentville Fire Insurance Plan, Sheet 1, March 1906</ref>
  
 
==1920-1973==
 
==1920-1973==
A large new machine shop and blacksmith shop beside the roundhouse in 1920. The new shops, approximately 60 x 180 feet, stood between the [[Kentville Roundhouse|roundhouse]] and [[Kentville Sanding Tower|sanding tower]]. It included an attached 30 x 144 foot blacksmith shop<ref>''Railway and Marine World'' November 1920, Carl Riff notes</ref> and stores building.(2) Two large doors faced east allowing locomotives and rolling stock to enter for major service work. At its peak the shops and roundhouse employed 100 men<ref>Links and Pins, "Railway Notes", ''Halifax Chronicle Herald'' January 18, 1936, Carl Riff Collection</ref>, including dozens of machinists, boilermakers and seven blacksmiths with seven apprentices. It did Class 1, 2, and 3 repairs, the last being complete dismantlement and rebuild of locomotives. The DAR shop also did considerable non-railway contract work in slack times.(3) Shop facilities also included showers and a steam laundry for shop workers.(4)
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A large new machine shop and blacksmith shop was built beside the roundhouse in 1920. The new shop was 60 x 180 feet and stood between the [[Kentville Roundhouse|roundhouse]] and [[Kentville Sanding Tower|sanding tower]]. It included an attached 30 x 144 foot blacksmith shop<ref>''Railway and Marine World'' November 1920, Carl Riff notes</ref> and stores building.<ref>Kentville Fire Insurance Plans, Sheet 7, December 1951</ref> Two large doors faced east allowing locomotives and rolling stock to enter for major service work. At its peak the shops and roundhouse employed 100 men<ref>Links and Pins, "Railway Notes", ''Halifax Chronicle Herald'' January 18, 1936, Carl Riff Collection</ref>, including dozens of machinists, boilermakers and seven blacksmiths with seven apprentices. It did Class 1, 2, and 3 repairs, the last being complete dismantlement and rebuild of locomotives. The DAR shop also did considerable non-railway contract work in slack times.<ref>[[Gary W. Ness]], [[Canadian Pacific's Dominion Atlantic Railway]] Vol. I, page 16.</ref> Shop facilities also included showers and a steam laundry for shop workers.<ref>Georgina Robinson, "The DAR Machine Shop", ''Kings County Vignettes'' Vol. 8, Kings County Museum, page 23-24.</ref>
  
The shop received major equipment upgrades in the late 1930s when larger steam locomotives arrived on the line. However the shops saw staff reductions starting in 1939 when 50 employees were laid off in the machine shop, blacksmith, carpentry and paint shops, leaving only the roundhouse and running repairs staff untouched.<ref>"Fifty Lose Jobs D.A.R. Shop Layoffs - Maybe More Later", ''Halifax Chronicle Herald'' July 27, 1939, Carl Riff Collection</ref> Further reductions steadily followed in the late 1950s when diesels replaced steam. Routine maintenance was moved to the former [[Kentville Car Shop|Car Shop]] and major rebuilds were shifted to Saint John and Montreal. By the early 60's, the shop buildings were empty. In 1964, the American Can Company leased the building from the DAR to produce cans for the various food processing plants and canneries in the Annapolis Valley.(5) The shop buildings were destroyed by an accidental fire in 1973.(6)
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The shop received major equipment upgrades in the late 1930s when larger steam locomotives arrived on the line. However the shops saw staff reductions starting in 1939 when 50 employees were laid off in the machine shop, blacksmith, carpentry and paint shops, leaving only the roundhouse and running repairs staff untouched.<ref>"Fifty Lose Jobs D.A.R. Shop Layoffs - Maybe More Later", ''Halifax Chronicle Herald'' July 27, 1939, Carl Riff Collection</ref> Further reductions steadily followed in the late 1950s when diesels replaced steam. Routine maintenance was moved to the former [[Kentville Car Shop|Car Shop]] and major rebuilds were shifted to Saint John and Montreal. By the early 60's, the shop buildings were empty. In 1964, the American Can Company leased the building from the DAR to produce cans for the various food processing plants and canneries in the Annapolis Valley.<ref>[[1969-MemoOfGenInfo|''Memorandum of General Information on the Dominion Atlantic Railway'', Feb. 17, 1969,]] page 9, Dominion Atlantic Railway, Library and Archives Canada HE2810 D7 D7 fol.</ref> The shop buildings were destroyed by an accidental fire in 1973.<ref>"Fire Department Supplement", ''Kentville Advertiser'', Feb. 23, 1988, page 10.</ref>
  
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
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==References and Footnotes==
 
==References and Footnotes==
(1) Kentville Fire Insurance Plan, Sheet 1, March 1906
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<references/>
 
 
(2) Kentville Fire Insurance Plans, Sheet 7, December 1951
 
 
 
(3) [[Gary W. Ness]], [[Canadian Pacific's Dominion Atlantic Railway]] Vol. I, page 16.
 
 
 
(4) Georgina Robinson, "The DAR Machine Shop", ''Kings County Vignettes'' Vol. 8, Kings County Museum, page 23-24.
 
 
 
(4) [[1969-MemoOfGenInfo|''Memorandum of General Information on the Dominion Atlantic Railway'', Feb. 17, 1969,]] page 9, Dominion Atlantic Railway, Library and Archives Canada HE2810 D7 D7 fol.
 
 
 
(6)"Fire Department Supplement", ''Kentville Advertiser'', Feb. 23, 1988, page 10.
 
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
  
 
[[Category:Kentville Facilities]]
 
[[Category:Kentville Facilities]]

Revision as of 19:46, 14 March 2019

Kentville Machine Shop

1869-1919

The DAR's first locomotive and machine shops stood to the south of the mainline in Kentville. Built by the Windsor and Annapolis Railway in the late 1860s and gradually expanded, the first locomotive shops included a small enclosed turntable, a three bay engine house, machine shops and blacksmith shops.[1]

1920-1973

A large new machine shop and blacksmith shop was built beside the roundhouse in 1920. The new shop was 60 x 180 feet and stood between the roundhouse and sanding tower. It included an attached 30 x 144 foot blacksmith shop[2] and stores building.[3] Two large doors faced east allowing locomotives and rolling stock to enter for major service work. At its peak the shops and roundhouse employed 100 men[4], including dozens of machinists, boilermakers and seven blacksmiths with seven apprentices. It did Class 1, 2, and 3 repairs, the last being complete dismantlement and rebuild of locomotives. The DAR shop also did considerable non-railway contract work in slack times.[5] Shop facilities also included showers and a steam laundry for shop workers.[6]

The shop received major equipment upgrades in the late 1930s when larger steam locomotives arrived on the line. However the shops saw staff reductions starting in 1939 when 50 employees were laid off in the machine shop, blacksmith, carpentry and paint shops, leaving only the roundhouse and running repairs staff untouched.[7] Further reductions steadily followed in the late 1950s when diesels replaced steam. Routine maintenance was moved to the former Car Shop and major rebuilds were shifted to Saint John and Montreal. By the early 60's, the shop buildings were empty. In 1964, the American Can Company leased the building from the DAR to produce cans for the various food processing plants and canneries in the Annapolis Valley.[8] The shop buildings were destroyed by an accidental fire in 1973.[9]

Gallery

References and Footnotes

  1. Kentville Fire Insurance Plan, Sheet 1, March 1906
  2. Railway and Marine World November 1920, Carl Riff notes
  3. Kentville Fire Insurance Plans, Sheet 7, December 1951
  4. Links and Pins, "Railway Notes", Halifax Chronicle Herald January 18, 1936, Carl Riff Collection
  5. Gary W. Ness, Canadian Pacific's Dominion Atlantic Railway Vol. I, page 16.
  6. Georgina Robinson, "The DAR Machine Shop", Kings County Vignettes Vol. 8, Kings County Museum, page 23-24.
  7. "Fifty Lose Jobs D.A.R. Shop Layoffs - Maybe More Later", Halifax Chronicle Herald July 27, 1939, Carl Riff Collection
  8. Memorandum of General Information on the Dominion Atlantic Railway, Feb. 17, 1969, page 9, Dominion Atlantic Railway, Library and Archives Canada HE2810 D7 D7 fol.
  9. "Fire Department Supplement", Kentville Advertiser, Feb. 23, 1988, page 10.

External Links