Digby Wharf

The railway wharf at Digby was built about 1895 to connect DAR trains to the steamers serving Digby. A spur known as the "Dock Spur" led from the Digby Station to the wharf allowing both freight and passenger trains to connect directly with steamers. The wharf was steadily expanded over the years, most notably in the late 1920s for SS Princess Helene when a large freight shed and twin freight elevators were built. The DAR wharf remained in use into the dayliner era. However in 1971, with the arrival of the Princess of Acadia II, a new ferry terminal was built several miles out of town on Digby Gut, ending the DAR's railway to ship connection at Digby. However the DAR wharf was rebuilt for fisheries use, renamed the "Fishermen's Wharf". Today the fabric of the old DAR wharf remains a vital facility for the town of Digby today, despite neglect from an abortive privatization scheme in the 1990s.

Gallery

No. 1111 backing onto Digby Wharf at Digby on July 3, 1954.
Digby Wharf in Digby. SS Princess Helene has just arrived from St. John, NB. Passengers boarding cars of Train No. 98 on July 3, 1954.
Loading passengers for Train No. 98 on Digby Wharf on July 3, 1954.
Loading passengers for Train No. 98, locomotive No. 1111 in front, on Digby Wharf on July 3, 1954. Observation car is No. 6016.
Digby Pines viewed from the Digby Wharf in 1954.
Buffet Parlor Observation car No. 6613 on the Digby Wharf behind loco No. 1050 on July 20, 1956.
Loco No. 1050 on the Digby Wharf with Parlor car No. 6613 behind on July 20, 1956.
SS Princess Helene arriving at Digby Wharf in Digby, NS from St John NB on August 27, 1958.
Digby Wharf with CPR equipment, as seen from SS Princess Helene, August 19, 1959.
Digby Wharf with CPR equipment, as seen from SS Princess Helene, August 19, 1959.
Steamer wharf, lighthouse, Digby Pines Hotel, freight cars and Digby Gap, from steamer, at Digby, NS. on August 19, 1959.
Dayliner No. 9059 & SS Princess Helene at Digby Wharf on August 19, 1959.
Louis Armstrong at the Digby Wharf arriving from Saint John on the Princess Helene in August of 1956.
CPR Princess of Acadia at the new Digby Wharf on July 17, 1975.
"Digby Ferry Terminal" by Glen Henshaw, 1999. Painting is located in the Digby Hospital. March 3, 2007.