Old Time Trains

Canadian Pacific Railway

London Division Passenger Service

R.L.Kennedy

C.W.Routledge

First CPR train to leave London May 30, 1887 headed by woodburning 4-4-0 192.
(ex CVR 4 acq.1884 built Brooks Locomotive Works 1873)
This engine was sold July 1904 to Columbia River Lumber, Golden, BC
the same company that bought the Countess of Dufferin.

Engineer T. Routledge (Grandfather of photographer), Fireman George Dowling,
Conductor John Anderson (handing up orders), and beside him, holding paper,
is Roadmaster D. R. Murphy.
Note: Chum Routledge was Assistant Superintendent of the Bruce Division in 1949.

CVR Public Time Table 1883

Click to enlarge

Poster for Palace sleeping car service between
Chicago and Toronto via St.Thomas commencing in 1895.

Newspaper advertisement for May 31, 1914
Trains 19 and 22 The Canadian
Derek Boles Collection

Public Time Table 1906

Employee Time Table 1909 and 1959

Public Time Table 1954

Engines 2818 and 2856 Number 21 Chicago Express westbound Galt June 1948.
Canadian Pacific Railway/Steve Morris Collection

It is unusual for two 2800's to be used on this train. This might be a doubleheader due to a heavy consist or more likely an assist engine (to Orrs Lake) this being the normal practice. However, normally a small Pacific such as a 2200 would be used. It may be 2818 was the only engine available at John Street or that it was being run in following some repair work.

2816 taking water at Chatham while the engineer checks around. 4/06/1946
Collection of George Parks/L.B.Chapman

G1p 2200 stopped at Tilbury. Looks like the fireman is taking a break!
One of just three 2200's retrofitted with mechanical stoker.
L.B.Chapman Collection

Another 2200 G1s 2219 stopped at Tilbury. One of just three 2200's retrofitted with mechanical stoker.
L.B.Chapman Collection

No. 632 engine 2238 at Galt. June 21,1944 UCRS Collection

First 21 Eng 2400 Chicago Express with 12 cars through Campbellville at 8.55 a.m. Sat. May 21, 1955
Note: 1/21 (First Twenty One) most likely originated in Toronto, while 2/21 (Second Twenty One)
originating from Montreal probably would have looked like the following earlier scene since the last
regular steam between Toronto and Windsor on #21 and #22 was engine 2807 Sun. Mar. 7, 1954.

Number 21 Chicago Express 1408-1402 with 12 cars Campbellville at 9.15 a.m. Sunday, May 15,1955.

Above, three photographs: W.H.N.Rossiter

G2s 2582 stopped at Tilbury in winter. L.B.Chapman Collection

2816 when it was just another 2800. Taking water at Galt while engineer oils around.
Note smoke deflectors. April 27,1946 Harry Hart/Robin Hart Collection

Passenger Extra 2855 East crossing the Nith River at Ayr. Possibly a troop train. May 25,1940 Bud Laws Collection

2856 eastbound at Galt working headend traffic and not bothering to take water. Stack shroud dates c.1940's.
Harry Hart/Robin Hart Collection

2856 westbound arriving at Galt. This is likely No. 21. c.1940's Bud Laws Collection

Another view of 2856 westbound this time at Ayr. Likely No. 21. c.1940's Bud Laws Collection

2857 westbound at London. Station is to the right out of view. Richmond Street to the left.
Note the fitter's cart to grease engines such as this on West End Through Runs.
(Toronto-London-Windsor passenger trains). Circa 1940 Jim Parker Collection

2857 eastbound (likely No. 38) at Galt. Engineer oiling around. Fireman not bothering to take water. Much downgrade running plus the large tender lessens the need to take water. Note the 305x series lightweight baggage-buffet-coach one of only four such cars. Dirty condition of engine, lack of white tyres and other paint trim points to War Time shortage of labour. c.1940's Bud Laws Collection.

Jubilee 2926 westbound at West Toronto. Note the engineer climbing down, likely to confer with the conductor to read orders and compare watches. 1940's Bud Laws Collection

London Division passenger service between Toronto and Windsor/Detroit provided a vital link in the Montreal - Chicago international service. It was a competitive market shared by Canadian National and over the years various improvements were made by both railways to boost its public image and gain more revenue. A major advance by the CPR was the introduction in three markets of modern lightweight streamlined passenger equipment and new steam locomotives of a new wheel arrangement, 4-4-4 and named Jubilee in honour of the 50th anniversary (June 1936) of CPR passenger train service.
In addition to a single trainset operating between Calgary and Edmonton and two between Montreal and Quebec City, there was a service between Toronto, London and Windsor/Detroit. There were four trainsets consisting of a mail-express car, baggage-buffet-parlor car and two first class ice air-conditioned coaches.

2103 one of the first order (2100-2107) short coaches built by National Steel Car and oufitted by Angus Shops.
36 seats plus 5 & 10 smoking. Ice air conditioned. Length 73' 10 1/2" (65' over end sills) Weight 55 tons.

The Royal York began September 27, 1936 reducing travel time to 5 hours and 35 minutes. There was one four car set of equipment and two locomotives (3000 and 3002) assigned to the two trains. The service was so popular it resulted in a one-only additional lightweight car 6630 a Buffet-Observation-Parlor car being built in 1938 to replace an older heavyweight car. Remember, all this was happening during the Great Depression!

Buffet-Parlor 6630 Two photos Canadian Pacific Railway

Interior of 6630 with 22 chairs.

After World War II a new service was introduced, an early morning London to Toronto Daily except Sunday businessmen's train that returned in the early afternoon. It became un-officially known as "The Bullet" and was assigned the famous 4-4-4 Jubilee 3000 F2 class engines that raced at speeds up to 112 1/2 mph! When RDC's came along they were "only" capable of 90 mph yet, their rapid acceleration and deceleration allowed an even faster schedule, effective Monday, November 9, 1953. These Dayliner trains were extended to Windsor and Detroit effective November 30th.

The Bullet, #629 with Jubilee 3000 ready to leave West Toronto Depot on Thursday April 9, 1953.
Wooden S.U.F. working baggage car, lightweight air-conditioned coach, heavyweight coach.
J.F.Beveridge, Collection of Dave Shaw.

Unidentified 3000 class races across the Humber River bridge just west of Lambton Yard.
A.C.Kalmbach/Bud Laws Collection

Article about coming introduction of Dayliner service. Spanner November 1953

Article about display train of brand new Dayliners. Spanner December 1953

Flyer announcing new Dayliner service effective November 30,1953. Old Time Trains archives

Card announcing additional Dayliner service effective April 26, 1964 Old Time Trains archives

9051-9050 1/630 (First Six Thirty) Campbellville, Monday, May 24,1954. W.H.N.Rossiter

"The Bullet" Dayliner leaving Woodstock on July 26, 1957 John Kelley

When heavy traffic required more equipment than the available Budd Cars, it go "conventional". Often, the regular RDC's would be added to other RDC runs, or at other times were hauled by a locomotive along with other equipment thus making it a "conventional" train which required a fireman and sometimes an extra trainman.

1954

1956

1962

For a brief period the famed E8 units were assigned to #38 and #37 until Canada Customs ruled their brief time in Detroit
did not qualify them to remain duty free. 1800 No. 38 West Toronto c. September 1959 R.L.Kennedy

4095 MLW FPA-2 leads an RS-10 on westbound Number 21 Chicago Express about to cross Adelaide Street at the
west end of Quebec Street Yard and moments away from stopping at Richmond Street, location of London's station.
1956 Bud Laws Collection

Tailend of eastbound Number 38 sitting at Galt. Notice the CPEL overhead wires at left.
5135 (below) smoking up the background. Note Canadian Pacific Transportation bus.
February 1958 Bill Thomson

Number 21 engines 8468-8474 Chicago Express westbound from Toronto to Windsor is being switched at London.

The train has been broken behind the baggage cars; part of a regular movement to remove a car or two from the consist. These can be seen set out on a stub end siding that was installed for the purpose. The train is being re-assembled.
The equipment removed from this train was normally taken to Quebec Street following departure of No. 21.
However, on this day equipment may have been added to outbound number 38 (Detroit-Toronto). See below.

October 1957 Bud Laws Collection two photos.

8482 another RS-10 likely Number 38 possibly making a switch on 21 to get more equipment.
Both trains were due in London near Noon.

Proof that "Alco's" don't have to be all that smokey. MLW-built RS-10's 8570 and 8470 lifting #21 westbound out of Woodstock on April 28, 1957. Robert J. Sandusky

Last run of Number 21 engines 1412 1918 Saturday, April 25, 1964 through Campbellville.
William Carr/R.J.Sandusky Collection.

Note: Trains 21 and 22 became 339 and 340 on the London Division effective April 26, 1964 utilizing RDC equipment from the famous Bullet which was discontinued at that time leaving only two trains daily compared to four earlier.
Note: The first day the new trains operated with conventional equipment.
The schedule for the new trains reduced Toronto-Windsor travel by 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Loss of ridership, especially on the Bullet, long used by London businessmen, was due to the opening of a new limited access highway, the 401. Trains 339 and 340 were discontinued effective Sunday, October 25, 1969.

9052

9112

9114

9194

9051-9050-9052 on Number 359, May 15,1958 Walter R. Evans
The westbound Bullet has made an unscheduled stop at Guelph Junction.

No. 38 engine 9112 stopped at West Toronto Depot (due 2:15 p.m.)
Monday, August 19, 1963 Doug Hately

This meager consist would remain typical until the end of all service in July 1971.
Three years earlier (prior to April 24,1960 time table) this train was powered by
a diesel locomotive and the consist included a buffet parlor with dining car service.

It all came to an end with the last day of CPR London Division passenger service on July 3,1971.
Shown here at London are Windsor to Toronto bound RDC-2's 9110-9115 on train #338,
(which still offered checked baggage service). Don Mc.Queen

The last roundtrip began the day before in Toronto, where so many people wanted to take the Last Run,
train #337 was delayed 35 minutes while a second RDC was added.

Note: Passenger service between Windsor and Detroit ended October 28, 1967.

GO Trains

On to: Branch Passenger

Back to: Branch Lines - Guelph and Goderich

Back to:Main History