Meridian Station
By Henry Ewert, FVHRS Historian in Residence
During the forty years (1910 to 1950) of passenger interurban railway service on the B.C. Electric’s 76-mile line from Vancouver to Chilliwack, few flag stops were as busy as Meridian, precisely one mile – two minutes west of Cloverdale station. It was located on the west side of 168th Street on the north side of the track, just south of to-day’s Highway 10.
In fact, 168th Street was called Coast Meridian Road until 1957, when roads were changed to numbers, ”streets” for those coursing north-south, ”avenues” for the east-west ones. It is this very road, which was surveyed and laid out by the Royal Engineers, sent from Britain to assist, among other projects, in surveying, the International Border along the 49th parallel. From the border north, under the direction of Joseph Trutch, the Coast Meridian was surveyed and cut in 1859-60, thereby becoming the baseline axis from which subsequent surveys of the Fraser Valley – let alone Surrey, yet to come – would be measured.
Meridian as an interurban station drew from two significant communities along the Coast Meridian, then vegetable-farm-rich Kensington Prairie to the south, with its splendid school building still remaining, and Surrey Centre to the north, its Anglican church (Surrey’s first church) and the Boothroyd home (Boothroyd Heritage Coffee today), still flourishing beautifully. (Unfortunately, its historic Orange Hall was recently demolished.) Daily, the inter-urban dropped off and picked up mail to and from Surrey Centre’s post office.
The station building as originally constructed in 1910 was identical to our replica Sullivan station; however, as its outer section naturally deteriorated through the years, to reduce maintenance costs, that section was removed, leaving the structure as in the accompanying photograph from 1950. Meridian was equipped with a siding having a capacity of eight railway cars, as well as with a telephone facility for employees. As a result of its appropriate location, Meridian throughout the years of interurban service was invariably a busy hub during train time.
By Henry Ewert, FVHRS Historian in Residence
During the forty years (1910 to 1950) of passenger interurban railway service on the B.C. Electric’s 76-mile line from Vancouver to Chilliwack, few flag stops were as busy as Meridian, precisely one mile – two minutes west of Cloverdale station. It was located on the west side of 168th Street on the north side of the track, just south of to-day’s Highway 10.
In fact, 168th Street was called Coast Meridian Road until 1957, when roads were changed to numbers, ”streets” for those coursing north-south, ”avenues” for the east-west ones. It is this very road, which was surveyed and laid out by the Royal Engineers, sent from Britain to assist, among other projects, in surveying, the International Border along the 49th parallel. From the border north, under the direction of Joseph Trutch, the Coast Meridian was surveyed and cut in 1859-60, thereby becoming the baseline axis from which subsequent surveys of the Fraser Valley – let alone Surrey, yet to come – would be measured.
Meridian as an interurban station drew from two significant communities along the Coast Meridian, then vegetable-farm-rich Kensington Prairie to the south, with its splendid school building still remaining, and Surrey Centre to the north, its Anglican church (Surrey’s first church) and the Boothroyd home (Boothroyd Heritage Coffee today), still flourishing beautifully. (Unfortunately, its historic Orange Hall was recently demolished.) Daily, the inter-urban dropped off and picked up mail to and from Surrey Centre’s post office.
The station building as originally constructed in 1910 was identical to our replica Sullivan station; however, as its outer section naturally deteriorated through the years, to reduce maintenance costs, that section was removed, leaving the structure as in the accompanying photograph from 1950. Meridian was equipped with a siding having a capacity of eight railway cars, as well as with a telephone facility for employees. As a result of its appropriate location, Meridian throughout the years of interurban service was invariably a busy hub during train time.
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Want to go for a ride this year?
Tickets now available,
online only at
FVHRS.org/halloween/
Happy National train day!
I’m celebrating the occasion by throwing it back… to 11 hours ago, when the 2nd trip of the Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society’s Connaught Car for the 2022 season passed through Surrey’s Sullivan neighbourhood.
#trains #nationaltrainday #interurban #interurbanrail #transitinhistory #fraservalleyheritagerailway #surrey #surreybc #sullivan #classictrains #capturetransit #transitaces #streetsofvancity
It’s really happening! We really are finally back on TRACK!
Rides on Surrey’s Heritage Rail will start on Saturday, September 4! We will run every Saturday until October 9. The 1225 Interurban will run four trips each Saturday from Cloverdale Station to Sullivan Station and back. This is approximately a 50-minute ride. In addition, you can also ride the Speeder on our Spur line.
We will also be hosting special Halloween Rides from Cloverdale Station to Sullivan Station on Saturday October 16 and Sunday October 17. More information to follow, watch this space!
This is a fun family experience! Bring the kids, and bring Grandma and Grandpa too, they may have stories from when they rode the rails. Experience Surrey’s 110-year-old heritage rail history!
We want to get the word out, please SHARE this post on your Facebook page!
Please visit our website for more information: www.fvhrs.org
Ticket prices here: https://fvhrs.org/ticket-info/
ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE
Purchase your tickets for the Cloverdale to Sullivan trip here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-surreys-heritage-rail-to-sullivan-station-tickets-163949442195
Purchase your tickets for the Speeder rides here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-fvhrs-speeder-on-our-own-spur-line-tickets-164198172153
Purchase your tickets for the Halloween Train here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/surreys-heritage-railway-halloween-train-sullivan-haunted-station-oct-16-tickets-166012159839
#fraservalleyheritagerail #surreysheritagerail #funfamilyexperience #fallevent #surreyfamilyevent
Our Christmas experience, the Electric Express 2021, has sold out! Thank you to all who purchased tickets!
Thank you to Dave Hobson from Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society for speaking at our April meeting. This Heritage Chat was so interesting! Many of the audience were surprised to find out that original BC Electric train cars were actually running for the tourists from Cloverdale. We think a trip to Cloverdale to ride the train should be on everyone’s list of things to do this spring/summer. #heritagematters #keepingthepastpresent #bctrainhistory #fraservalleyheritagerailway
Tickets still available for this Saturday Sept. 11. Ride history on Surrey’s Heritage Railway Car 1225 from Cloverdale Station to Sullivan Station and back.
This is a fun family experience! Bring the kids and bring Grandma and Grandpa too! Please share this post with your friends!
Please visit our website for more information: www.fvhrs.org
Ticket prices here: https://fvhrs.org/ticket-info/
ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE
Purchase your tickets for the Cloverdale to Sullivan trip here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-surreys-heritage-rail-to-sullivan-station-tickets-163949442195
Purchase your tickets for the Speeder rides here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-fvhrs-speeder-on-our-own-spur-line-tickets-164198172153
#fraservalleyheritagerail #surreysheritagerail #funfamilyexperience #fallevent #surreyfamilyevent
Take the Electric Express this Christmas! Get your tickets now before they sell out!
Shake the snow globe and travel back in time with the Electric Express to 1921. See the characters, hear the Christmas music, experience the stories of the Fraser Valley one hundred years ago.
Feel the magic of Christmas as we visit Father Christmas in his secret workshop. You will want to bring your whole family to enjoy our theatrical event that is sure to warm your heart and make you laugh.
This is a heritage railway theatrical experience that takes place on the train run on our 1/2-mile section of our track, with a destination visit to the secret workshop of Father Christmas. Please note the train does not run to Sullivan Station, it travels a short distance up our spur line and back to Father Christmas’s Secret Workshop. The Electric Express experience is approximately 50 minutes long.
This experience will set the scene for the start of a wonderful Christmas season.
Receive a souvenir button! Sat. Dec. 11 and Sun. Dec.12 - 4 trips each day.
All tickets must be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-the-electric-express-2021-tickets-192761323307
More information at www.fvhrs.org
*Masks and proof of vaccination are required.
Please share this post with your friends! The Monster Express sold out last month, don`t miss this opportunity to get your tickets before they are gone!
Interurban 1225. Rumour has it these things had reached speeds of up to 80 miles an hour back in the day. These days, they are legally limited to 15. Let`s hope that changes one day!
#bcer #interurban #surrey #Cloverdale #bcelectric #train #railfan #railway #fvhrs #iliketrains #railways_of_our_world #red #wood #heritage #restoration #choochoo #yvr #604 #explore #travel #streetcar #trolley #fraservalley #liveauthentic #history #bevisuallyinspired #trainspotting #clangclangclangwentthetrolley
A morning at the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway. This rail car was originally built in 1912 and now restored and running. What I found fascinating was that it is powered by and electric generator. Love that feeling of nostalgia. #railcar #railway #cloverdalebc #restoredcar #nostalgic #nostalgia #explorebc #travelbc #daytrips #vancouverdaytrip #beautifulbritishcolumbia #canada #fraservalleyheritagerailway
Got your tickets for this Saturday’s (Sept. 4) ride on Surrey’s Heritage Railway from Cloverdale Station to Sullivan Station and back?! There`s still some left!
This is a fun family experience! Bring the kids and bring Grandma and Grandpa too!
Please visit our website for more information: www.fvhrs.org
Ticket prices here: https://fvhrs.org/ticket-info/
ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE
Purchase your tickets for the Cloverdale to Sullivan trip here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-surreys-heritage-rail-to-sullivan-station-tickets-163949442195?fbclid=IwAR3AsflLMMdEzZyaofXVeM5ovhTm-RJZOS2GefKGzAxsX-mqIbHd5Q95bbQ
#fraservalleyheritagerail #surreysheritagerail #funfamilyexperience #fallevent #surreyfamilyevent
The Monster Mash!
STOP! and get your tickets for this Saturday! Conductor Colin says, bring the whole family! We`re kid friendly!
Tickets purchased online only.
Please visit our website for more information: www.fvhrs.org
Ticket prices here: https://fvhrs.org/ticket-info/
Purchase your tickets for the Cloverdale to Sullivan trip here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-surreys-heritage-rail-to-sullivan-station-tickets-163949442195
Purchase your tickets for the Speeder rides here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fvhrs-sept-4th-to-oct-9th-ride-fvhrs-speeder-on-our-own-spur-line-tickets-164198172153
Please share this post with your friends!
#fraservalleyheritagerail #surreysheritagerail #funfamilyexperience #fallevent #surreyfamilyevent
On the Monster Express riding by the Witches Coven!
It’s officially December! It’s time to get into the holiday spirit! Yesterday Miss BC Bremiella attended the Surrey Santa Parade of Lights in Cloverdale. Thank you Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society for having her join your festive float. #missbcpageant #missbcpageant2019 #missbc #missbc2019 #cloverdale #surreysantaparadeoflights #fraservalleyheritagerailwaysociety
Thank you to all the monsters, big and small, who made this year`s Monster Express such a sold out success! We could not have done this without our marvelous volunteers or you, our passengers! Looking forward to our next special event, the Electric Express! Stay tuned for information about a December theatrical event!
Thank you to everyone who has purchased tickets to the Monster Express! It is now sold out! However, you have one last chance to ride Surrey`s Heritage Rail this season, and that`s, this Saturday, October 9, we still have a few tickets left! All aboard!
BCER Interurban 1225 crosses a trestle over the Serpentine River in Cloverdale. Originally constructed in 1910, the line was used by interurban cars such as this one would, making the 3 hour journey between Vancouver and Chilliwack. Service stopped in 1950 and is currently used by a freight railway. Over the last few years, the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society (FVHRS) has been running a restored interurban along the line to let visitors experience another time.
The photo is actually a composite of two separate photos. The black and white image was taken by David Davies in 1965. I`m using the image for personal/educational use which is permitted. I`ve overlaid my image taken from today to show how very little the backdrop has changed on 50 years!
#bcer #fvhrs #surrey #Cloverdale #interurban #train #iliketrains #westcoast #cityofsurrey #museum #heritage #railway #railways_of_our_world #railfan #fraservalley #landscape #nature_brilliance #nature #mkexplore #trolley #flashback #throwback #trestle #yvr #604 #bcelectric #river #oldtimes #restoration #vintage
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