Electric Railway Line

The BCER, once largest electric line in North America

The British Columbia Railway Company at one time could boast the largest electric railway in North America. The BCER was formed in 1897, from a number of separate interurban and street railway systems in Vancouver, New Westminster and Victoria. In 1910, Fraser Valley communities were linked to Vancouver by the B.C. Electric “Inter-Urban” railway bringing people and produce within easy reach of the larger coastal cities. This service was known as the “milk run.” Passenger service through the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack ended in 1950s.

Header image: BC Electric Railway Depot at the Southeast corner of 8th and Columbia St, New Westminster. This picture was taken August 22nd, 1914, as the men of the 104th New Westminster Fusiliers head off to war.

*Courtesy of the New Westminster Public Library

Crew at the BC Electric Workshop Assembling an interurban coach at BCER’s New Westminster shop in 1911. 

Coach number 1305 was 55 feet 2 inches in length, weighed 80,205lbs, and had a capacity of 60 passengers.

*Courtesy of New Westminster Museum and Archive (IHP0835)

A New Lease on Life - Heritage workers hard at work restoring British Columbia Electric Railway coach #1225, originally built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1913. The work is being carried out, by the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society, at its Sullivan Station workshop at 152nd St. at 64th Ave., in Surrey, BC.

*Photo by Erik Prosser

BC Electric Railway Depot - BC Electric rail passenger service ended in 1950. In 1953, Pacific Stage Lines moved to a new facility at 6th Street and Royal Ave.  By 1954 the facility at 811 Columbia Street was sold, and redeveloped as the Wosk’s Furniture Building. Pictured at left is a newly renovated incarnation of the old BCER depot, housing a Salvation Army thrift shop. 

*Photo by Erik Prosser

Bruce Coughlan: lead vocals & guitar 
Laurence Knight: bass & vocals 
Nolan Murray: fiddle 
Eric Reed: electric guitar & vocals

Recorded live at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston, BC on September 11th, 2004 for Tiller’s Folly - A Fine Kettle of Fish CD/DVD. 

Video Produced by Jan Vozenilek of Horizon Multimedia Recorded by Ron Cote in Roadrunner Mobile Studios Mixed by Ron Cote & Eric Reed at NAL Studios, North Vancouver, BC Produced by Laurence Knight

Electric Railway Line

Tiller's Folly

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The British Columbia Electric Railway Company at one time could boast the largest electric railway in North America. The BCER was formed in 1897, from a number of separate interurban and street railway systems in Read more
The British Columbia Electric Railway Company at one time could boast the largest electric railway in North America. The BCER was formed in 1897, from a number of separate interurban and street railway systems in Vancouver, New Westminster and Victoria. In 1910, Fraser Valley communities were linked to Vancouver by the B.C. Electric "Inter-Urban" railway, bringing people and produce within easy reach of the larger coastal cities. This service was known as the "milk run." Passenger service through the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack ended in 1950s.
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  1. Electric Railway Line

Stirring Up Ghosts is an initiative begun in 1997 by songwriter Bruce Coughlan in an effort to preserve a measure of Pacific Canadian history, heritage and culture in story & song. His band Tiller's Folly have recorded and performed these songs far and wide, sharing our unique stories in the Bardic tradition which is a timeless part of our Celtic Culture.

 

Some images ©