Category talk:Water Towers

Email discussion with Bill Linley concerning the Middleton water tower in the late 30's led to some observations about water towers in general:

It appears from descriptions and photos of all the DAR water towers that about 1931 a selection of the previously exposed water towers (see Windsor, Kentville or Grand Pre for examples) were replaced by the standard CPR enclosed water towers in Middleton, Annapolis Royal and Hectanooga for example. Interestingly enough in 1949 in Windsor when the water tower was replaced, they still built yet another exposed tower.

The artist’s painting of the Hectanooga tower though shows the enclosed tower in 1956 as still a wooden sided structure. As it’s not a photo, it could have been an artist’s best recollection.

Even on the exposed towers though, the enclosed bottom had Insul-Brick applied as you can see in Digby (after 1937) and approximately the same date on the Kentville old water tower in before 1937 and after 1943. The visual clue was that previously on the exposed tower, the enclosed base was painted cream.

So while not having specific information on the Middleton tower, one could surmise that around 1931, the new enclosed tower was built to replace the old exposed tower and after approximately 1937 it had been clad in Insul-Brick. http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/glossary/insulbric.shtml

As for the Middleton roof.. that will be a best guess. It probably is a similar product – asphalt based – strips not shingle.

--Stem (talk) 11:34, 5 December 2021 (MST)

Further discussion specifically about the Middleton water tower in 1930 led to this reply to Bill Linley:

As for 1930, it is clear that there was no consistency in the 20’s and 30’s and we have no photo evidence of any totally enclosed CPR towers until the 1950s.

So it’s a good bet for 1930 that it is an exposed tank with a cream base. I doubt anyone would call him out and if they did, they might have some evidence to the contrary that we could then included on the wiki. Is Fred aware of the wiki? It’s a great source for history and modelers that he would enjoy perusing himself I’m sure.

This is what I have found for those years or earlier for both exposed and insulated towers: https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:201216023_detail.JPG Exposed maroon tank, base not visible 1931 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:BridgetownAerialMcCully311detail.JPG Exposed maroon tank, cream base 1931 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:Grand_Pre_Stations.jpg Exposed Cream Tank & Base 1925 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:201216064.jpg Exposed Cream Tank & Base 1931 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:Grand_Pre_Hardy.jpg Exposed Cream Tank & Base 1925 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:Hebert.jpg Exposed Cream Tank & Base 1930 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:Hebert.jpg Exposed maroon tank, base not visible 1939 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:DAR_-_Postcard_-_Middleton_Yard_East_End_-_Pre_1915_Summer_time.jpg Exposed tank is dark coloured, base not visible 1915 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:Mt_Uniacke_1919.jpg Exposed maroon tank, cream base 1919 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:DAR_No26-Governor_Cox_.jpg Exposed maroon tank, base dark but not cream. 1924 https://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=File:McBride2p18A.jpg Exposed maroon tank, base dark but not cream. Circa 1938

--Stem (talk) 19:30, 11 December 2021 (MST)