Kentville Machine Shop

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)

They were replaced by a large new machine shop and blacksmith shop beside the new five stall roundhouse in 1915. The new shops, approximately 56 x 168 feet, stood between the roundhouse and sanding tower. It included an attached blacksmith shop 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 employed 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)

The shop received major equipment upgrades in the late 1930s when larger steam locomotives arrived on the line. However the shops were steadily downsized 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.(5) The shop buildings were destroyed by an accidental fire in 1973.(6)

Gallery

Lighting, a broad gauge locomotive in front of the W&AR Kentville Engine House and Machine Shop in 1872.
Kentville roundhouse, turntable and shops from the coaling tower, 1940s or 50s.
Pile Driver No. 922 beside the Kentville Machine Shop in 1947.
No. 2665 departing Kentville in August 1951 leading Train No. 95. Visible is sanding tower in the background and the roof of the Machine Shop's stores shed.
No. 470 leading the Kingsport local, Train No. 11 past the east end of the Machine Shop August 1951.
Locomotive No. 2551 in front of the Kentville Machine Shop by the stand pipe of the Kentville Water Tower, August 30, 1953.
Aux steam crane and tender No. with locomotive No. 1018 in front of the Kentville Machine Ship, circa 1950.
Locomotives No. 2501 and No. 2209 inside the Kentville Machine Shop circa 1958.
Kentville Roundhouse with Kentville Machine Shop, 1958 July 31.
No. 8131 and No. 8132 with the north wall of the machine shop to the right beside the turntable. The car shops and power plant are on the left, August 1959.
Engine 2209 at the Kentville Machine Shop entrance, 8 August 1959.
CPR diesel No. 8135 passes the south side of the machine shop in 1961.
Burro Boom Car No. 418135 made from underframe of Pile Driver No. 400002 coupled to Flanger No. 400434 in front of the derelict Machine Shop on May 5, 1964.
Dayliner No. 9057 in 1973. The burned ruins of the machine shop can be seen through the legs of the coal tower.