Knowledge (XXG)

Midland Railway of Canada

Source 📝

509: 523: 438:‘Approving an agreement between the Toronto and Nipissing Railway Company; the Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Company, the Victoria Railway Company, the Toronto and Ottawa Railway Company; the Grand Junction Railway Company and the Midland Railway Company for the purpose of consolidating said companies into one company, under the name of the Midland Railway of Canada.’ 295:
Boulton soon took out the operations lease on the Millbrook Branch along with two partners, Henry Covert and John Fowler. The next year the three presented a plan to lease operations of the C&P as well. As soon as this was completed, the new operators laid off the men working to finally fix the
247:
near their original railway route, which was completed by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Port Hope plans received no further funding, and eventually went moribund. Cobourg's plank road proved impassible in spring and fall, and by 1850 had fallen into disrepair. Plans for a railway from Cobourg
339:
was awarded the contract for the new fifty-three mile section. There were unforeseen difficulties with the ground and a rapid increase in labour costs, which ruined Shanly. The Midland was financially strapped, could not afford to pay Shanly for the extras, and seized the contract back in February
451:
to Scarborough Junction. The first through passenger train from Peterborough to Toronto ran on December 15, 1881. An Act enabling the merger came into force on Saturday April 1, 1882 and on that day the first official trains of the new Midland Railway of Canada travelled the system. On January 1,
355:
of Pittsburgh. Hugel invested money in steel rails and struggled to cut costs. In recognition of his efforts to improve the line, the British bondholders agreed in 1874 to lower the rate on their investments, and not to cash the interest coupons. The line eventually reached Orillia in 1873,
481:
Downtown Port Hope: Now known as the Ganaraska Hotel (30 Ontario St. Port Hope) the building housed railway personnel overnight as their trains were loaded up to be sent up north the next day. Located a short distance away from the downtown station and the port facilities.
215:
drove development of transport through the area during the middle of the 19th century. The competition had started with the 1834 announcements of plans to run a railway from Cobourg to Peterborough, at that time a rapidly developing industrial town. The initial plans for the
260:
With the route to Peterborough now being served by Cobourg, and their original plans having seen no development for six years, business interests in Port Hope looked further north for potential markets. They eventually selected the town of
310:
The Railway started the 1870s in good financial condition. In 1870 its receipts were $ 242,157 against expenses of $ 113,227, an Operating Ratio of 47%. By this time the company had plans for a much more ambitious expansion.
435:
in July 1881 in order to gain the supreme prize of direct Midland Railway access to Toronto. Negotiations continued throughout the Fall and Winter when the shareholders and bondholders were presented with a proposal for
588:"Narrow Gauge Through the Bush - Ontario's Toronto Grey & Bruce and Toronto & Nipissing Railways"; Rod Clarke; pub. Beaumont and Clarke, with the Credit Valley Railway Company, Streetsville, Ontario, 2007. 442:
The T&NR and the Midland Railway had always maintained good relations and since it was certain that the T&NR could not long survive in its present form, work commenced during the negotiations to lay a
227:
The formation of the federal government and its ministry for development led to both Port Hope and Cobourg competing for funds to develop a line to Peterborough. The Cobourg line was designed to run across
296:
C&P bridge over Rice Lake, and later sabotaged it so that it eventually fell into the lake around 1861. The PHL&B now had exclusive access to Peterborough, which they retained for some time.
284:). Construction reached Lindsay in late 1857. By that time the Cobourg and Peterborough had proven to be unreliable due to its constantly failing bridge, and the Lindsay and Beaverton opened their 644: 472:
Northern Port Hope: Now the ministry of transport regional office (This station was the second built in Port Hope, much larger than the first station, at 138 Hope Street N, Port Hope)
452:
1884 the GTR finally consolidated its hold on the Midland group of companies by leasing them. Amalgamation of the companies was authorized in 1893. It was eventually absorbed into the
649: 303:
until 1 January 1871, and that same year the Millbrook Branch pushed north out of Peterborough to Lakefield, giving it access to the middle-area of the Trent waterway on
654: 143:
was over-served by a number of short and generally unprofitable lines. Merger plans between the various lines began in 1881, which resulted in the Midland adding a
155:. The merger was officially completed in 1881. On 10 March 1882 the company arranged an enormous merger of many of the smaller railways in the area, including the 469:
Stations: Downtown Port Hope: Now known as Lent travel, (67 Walton Street, with an outbuilding present further down the trail marking the extent of the station)
659: 486:
There are also several locations going up towards Midland where evidence of the trackage is still visible, for example crossing the narrows between
604:"Narrow Gauge Railways of Canada"; Omer Lavallee, expanded and revised by Ronald S Ritchie; pub. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Markham, Ontario, 2005. 536: 417: 289: 156: 598:"The Narrow Gauge For Us - The Story of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway"; Charles Cooper; pub. The Boston Mills Press; Erin, Ontario, 1982. 593: 403: 364: 232:, and was therefore more risky than the Port Hope line that ran around the western end of the Lake. The Port Hope proposal was accepted, and 556: 307:. The competing Cobourg line started the similar Peterborough and Chemong Lake Railway in 1857, but this was not completed until 1891. 634: 639: 561: 546: 396: 249: 217: 168: 125: 343:
At the same time the recession hit freight receipts which fell by 30% between 1872 and 1874. The first Midland Railway manager
494:
you can see the remains of a swing bridge, along with several kilometres of rail bed, as well as a bridge over highway 12 in
432: 424: 148: 132:, a much longer line than originally planned. A further expansion launched in 1869 pushed the line westward towards 453: 164: 551: 363:
and the ownership of the line essentially passed to the bondholders. The Chairman of their Committee was Sir
175:
leased most of the lines in the area as part of a major expansion plan, and purchased them outright in 1893.
171:
to become a greatly expanded Midland Railway with 474 miles (763 km) of track. Only two years later the
359:
Net earnings and the ability to pay interest on the fixed debt declined sharply after 1875, the Midland was
380: 376: 266: 248:
once again surfaced, this time more successfully. Construction on the line started in 1853, and the new
121: 344: 128:
was completed in 1854 and the owner's plans changed. Redirecting the line northward, it opened as the
152: 372: 368: 229: 183: 172: 336: 352: 304: 300: 208: 105: 589: 288:
to Peterborough in 1858. This was a serious threat to the C&P, who ousted their operator,
541: 495: 491: 448: 410: 348: 328: 262: 212: 160: 113: 391:
The Midland (144 route miles) was surrounded by railways which also were not making money:
514: 151:'s (T&N) narrow-gauge line to allow Midland trains to follow the T&N lines into 619: 528: 299:
Further expansions were slow in coming. The line did not reach its planned terminus in
87: 628: 221: 332: 204: 133: 117: 614: 601:"Narrow Gauge Railways of Canada"; Omer Lavallee; pub. Railfair, Montreal, 1972. 487: 270: 59: 504: 444: 360: 244: 179: 144: 186:
project. Today, the Midland Railway mainline forms a major portion of the
140: 109: 34: 475:
Orillia: Now an online shopping centre, 158 Front St. S, Orillia, ON
101: 327:) with plans to drive around Lake Simcoe and the head towards 276:
The new railway received its charter on 18 December 1854 as
220:
went nowhere due to a lack of funds, especially after the
615:'The Narrow Gauge for Us' Charles Cooper's Railway Pages 465:
3 in Port Hope, 1 in Orillia, 3 of them being stations.
45:
1854 (as Port Hope, Lindsay & Beaverton Railway)
319:
On 24 December 1869 the company was re-chartered as
278:
The Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Railway Company
383:, took over as President of the MR in August 1878. 252:(C&P) reached Peterborough at the end of 1854. 58: 53: 41: 30: 25: 178:The Midland was one of the earliest examples of a 371:and most of the other members were GTR nominees. 645:Rail transport in Northumberland County, Ontario 265:due to its connection to the recently announced 240:) was officially chartered on 16 December 1846. 136:, and prompted renaming as the Midland Railway. 234:The Peterborough and Port Hope Railway Company 431:Cox first floated a proposal to purchase the 120:. The line was originally intended to run to 8: 269:, with a further expansion to the shores of 190:, the majority of which was opened in 1969. 16: 650:History of rail transport in Kawartha Lakes 620:'Narrow Gauge Through the Bush' Rod Clarke 130:Port Hope, Lindsay & Beaverton Railway 356:Waubaushene in 1875 and Midland in 1879. 243:Cobourg responded by rapidly building a 655:Predecessors of the Grand Trunk Railway 573: 537:Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway 418:Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway 157:Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway 15: 404:Belleville and North Hastings Railway 7: 182:conversion in Ontario, started as a 557:History of rail transport in Canada 375:, a prosperous insurance agent for 14: 660:Standard gauge railways in Canada 562:List of defunct Canadian railways 547:Grand Junction Railway (Ontario) 521: 507: 427:(114 route miles of 3' 6" gauge) 397:Grand Junction Railway of Canada 250:Cobourg and Peterborough Railway 218:Cobourg and Peterborough Railway 126:Cobourg and Peterborough Railway 203:Fierce competition between the 139:By the 1880s the area east of 1: 433:Toronto and Nipissing Railway 425:Toronto and Nipissing Railway 321:The Midland Railway of Canada 149:Toronto and Nipissing Railway 379:and several times Mayor of 676: 165:Toronto and Ottawa Railway 47:1869 (as Midland Railway) 635:Midland Railway of Canada 454:Canadian National Railway 98:Midland Railway of Canada 21: 17:Midland Railway of Canada 640:Defunct Ontario railways 552:List of Ontario railways 199:Designs on Peterborough 104:railway which ran from 188:Ganaraska Hiking Trail 169:Grand Junction Railway 331:to provide access to 267:Trent-Severn Waterway 256:Lindsay and Beaverton 460:Surviving Facilities 124:, but the competing 449:The Town of Midland 373:George Albertus Cox 369:Grand Trunk Railway 184:Canadian Centennial 173:Grand Trunk Railway 18: 305:Katchewanooka Lake 42:Dates of operation 594:978-0-9784406-0-2 420:(46½ route miles) 345:D’Arcy E. Boulton 290:D'Arcy Boulton Jr 211:and neighbouring 100:was a historical 94: 93: 667: 581: 580:S.C. 1893, c. 47 578: 542:Victoria Railway 531: 526: 525: 524: 517: 512: 511: 510: 492:Lake Couchiching 413:(56 route miles) 411:Victoria Railway 406:(15 route miles) 399:(90 route miles) 351:was replaced by 349:Cobourg, Ontario 286:Millbrook Branch 161:Victoria Railway 90: 84: 80: 78: 77: 73: 70: 19: 675: 674: 670: 669: 668: 666: 665: 664: 625: 624: 611: 585: 584: 579: 575: 570: 527: 522: 520: 515:Railways portal 513: 508: 506: 503: 485: 478:Crew Lodgings: 462: 389: 317: 315:Midland Railway 258: 201: 196: 86: 82: 75: 71: 68: 66: 65:4 ft  64: 48: 46: 12: 11: 5: 673: 671: 663: 662: 657: 652: 647: 642: 637: 627: 626: 623: 622: 617: 610: 609:External links 607: 606: 605: 602: 599: 596: 583: 582: 572: 571: 569: 566: 565: 564: 559: 554: 549: 544: 539: 533: 532: 529:Ontario portal 518: 502: 499: 467: 466: 461: 458: 429: 428: 421: 414: 407: 400: 388: 385: 316: 313: 257: 254: 207:port towns of 200: 197: 195: 192: 92: 91: 88:standard gauge 62: 56: 55: 51: 50: 43: 39: 38: 32: 28: 27: 23: 22: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 672: 661: 658: 656: 653: 651: 648: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 632: 630: 621: 618: 616: 613: 612: 608: 603: 600: 597: 595: 591: 587: 586: 577: 574: 567: 563: 560: 558: 555: 553: 550: 548: 545: 543: 540: 538: 535: 534: 530: 519: 516: 505: 500: 498: 497: 493: 489: 483: 479: 476: 473: 470: 464: 463: 459: 457: 455: 450: 446: 440: 439: 434: 426: 422: 419: 415: 412: 408: 405: 401: 398: 394: 393: 392: 386: 384: 382: 378: 374: 370: 366: 362: 357: 354: 350: 346: 341: 338: 334: 330: 326: 322: 314: 312: 308: 306: 302: 297: 293: 291: 287: 283: 279: 274: 272: 268: 264: 255: 253: 251: 246: 241: 239: 235: 231: 225: 223: 222:Panic of 1837 219: 214: 210: 206: 198: 193: 191: 189: 185: 181: 176: 174: 170: 166: 162: 158: 154: 150: 146: 142: 137: 135: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 89: 83:1,435 mm 63: 61: 57: 52: 44: 40: 36: 33: 29: 24: 20: 576: 484: 480: 477: 474: 471: 468: 441: 437: 430: 390: 381:Peterborough 358: 342: 337:Frank Shanly 333:Georgian Bay 324: 320: 318: 309: 298: 294: 285: 281: 277: 275: 259: 242: 237: 233: 226: 205:Lake Ontario 202: 187: 177: 138: 134:Georgian Bay 129: 122:Peterborough 118:Georgian Bay 97: 95: 488:Lake Simcoe 377:Canada Life 365:Henry Tyler 353:Adolf Hugel 271:Lake Simcoe 153:Scarborough 60:Track gauge 49:–1893 629:Categories 568:References 445:third rail 335:. In 1872 245:plank road 180:rail trail 145:third rail 361:insolvent 301:Beaverton 282:PHL&B 230:Rice Lake 209:Port Hope 106:Port Hope 54:Technical 501:See also 456:system. 238:P&PH 102:Canadian 79: in 37:, Canada 26:Overview 496:Midland 367:of the 329:Midland 263:Lindsay 213:Cobourg 194:History 147:to the 141:Toronto 114:Midland 110:Ontario 74:⁄ 35:Ontario 592:  387:Merger 340:1873. 31:Locale 447:from 590:ISBN 490:and 423:The 416:The 409:The 402:The 395:The 167:and 96:The 347:of 116:on 112:to 631:: 325:MR 292:. 273:. 224:. 163:, 159:, 108:, 85:) 323:( 280:( 236:( 81:( 76:2 72:1 69:+ 67:8

Index

Ontario
Track gauge
standard gauge
Canadian
Port Hope
Ontario
Midland
Georgian Bay
Peterborough
Cobourg and Peterborough Railway
Georgian Bay
Toronto
third rail
Toronto and Nipissing Railway
Scarborough
Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway
Victoria Railway
Toronto and Ottawa Railway
Grand Junction Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
rail trail
Canadian Centennial
Lake Ontario
Port Hope
Cobourg
Cobourg and Peterborough Railway
Panic of 1837
Rice Lake
plank road
Cobourg and Peterborough Railway

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.