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Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society

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Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society
Overview
StatusOperating
LocaleSurrey, BC, Canada
Stations2
Websitehttps://fvhrs.org/
Service
TypeHeritage streetcar, seasonal operation
Rolling stockHistoric Interurban
History
Opened15 March 2001
Technical
Line length7.4 km (4.6 mi)
ElectrificationNone; electricity supplied by portable diesel generator
Route diagram

Legend
 Cloverdale
Sullivan
This diagram:

The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society (FVHRS) is non-profit organization that runs a historic railway in Surrey, British Columbia.[1][2] The organization restores and operates historic interurban streetcars previously operated by the British Columbia Electric Railway. It is one of seven operating heritage railways in the province.

History

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The FVHRS formed in 2001 under the advisory of the city of Surrey with a mission to acquire, restore, and operate BCER interurban cars.[3][4][5]

A reproduction of the original BCER Sullivan Station was constructed on the line in 2001. This station was the headquarters of operations and used to store rolling stock from 2001 until 2012.[6][7][8]

In 2004, the FVHRS agreed to purchase BCER interurban car 1225 from the Southern California Railroad Museum, who had bought the decommissioned car from the BCER in 1958. The car was transferred to Canada in 2005.[9][10]

Cloverdale Station platform, the headquarters of the FVHRS.

The FVHRS relocated to the site of the old Cloverdale Station in 2013 after construction of a replica depot was completed in addition to a carbarn. The heritage streetcar system began operation in June 2013 with seasonal return service from Cloverdale to Sullivan station.[1][2][11][12]

In 2016, the Edmonton Radial Railway Society donated the former Edmonton Transit Service 2001, a 1912 electric locomotive that once ran on the Oregon Electric Railway as well as the BCER. This locomotive was in turn donated to the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society in 2017.[13][14][15]

From 2013 to 2022 the FVHRS had an agreement with the city of Surrey to run the heritage line from Cloverdale to Sullivan. This agreement was not extended in 2023 and thus the Cloverdale to Sullivan excursion had to be cancelled for the 2023 season. In its stead, the FVHRS launched the new "Heritage Railway Adventure" where guests get to experience riding on a variety of the organizations rolling stock.[16][17]

In the new excursion, guests ride interurban car 1225 for 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi), then take the speeders on a similar route. A video is then played about the history of the BCER on car 1207 and the tour ends with a ride on a velocipede.[16]

In September 2024, an agreement was reached with Southern Railway of British Columbia and BC Hydro to resume service for 5 years between the Cloverdale and Sullivan stations. Approval was required from the two organizations as SRY owns the freight rights on the old BCER track and BC Hydro owns the passenger rights. The restored line can be ridden as part of the 55-minute Sullivan Excursion.[18][19]

Image of Sullivan Station
Sullivan Station, the first station replica created and former HQ of the FVHRS.

System

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The line's vehicles does not use a trolley-pole, instead it is powered by a generator towed on a small flatcar.

The heritage line is 7.4 kilometres (4.6 mi) long, using only a small fraction of the original 120-kilometre (75 mi) interurban line of the BC Electric Railway that connected Vancouver to Chilliwack.[11]

One of two operational interurbans is run seasonally on weekends, from stations at Cloverdale to Sullivan.[20]

Advocates throughout the Fraser Valley have proposed reviving regional rail along the old BCER tracks. The FVHRS aims to extend the current line to connect to Scott Road Skytrain Station, and is exploring the possibility of converting its trains to be hydrogen powered.[21][22][23]

Collection

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Image Date Builder Type Operator No. Withdrawn Service Notes
BCER Interurban Streetcar No. 1225 at Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society
 1913 St. Louis Car Company[24] Interurban Streetcar BCER 1225 1958 Lulu Island line (Marpole to Steveston) and Burnaby Lake line[25] Restored and operational. Runs from Cloverdale Station to Sullivan Station on weekends in the summer.[26]
1911 BCER[24] Interurban Streetcar BCER 1304 1954 Fraser Valley line[27][28] Nicknamed "The Connaught Car" as The Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia of Connaught rode it while on a royal visit to BC in 1912.[28]
BCER Interurban Streetcar No. 1207 at Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society
 1905 BCER[24][27] Interurban Streetcar BCER 1207 1958 Lulu Island line (Marpole to Steveston)[29] Restoration ongoing. Currently used as the "1207 Theatre" where visitors board the car and watch a video about the BCER.

Donated to FVHRS by the Downtown Historic Railway along with 1231.[30]

BCER Interurban Streetcar No. 1231 at Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society
 1913 St. Louis Car Company[24][27] Interurban Streetcar BCER 1231 1958 Lulu Island line (Marpole to Steveston) and Burnaby Lake line[25] Sister car of 1225. Restoration is ongoing.

Donated to FVHRS by the Downtown Historic Railway along with 1207.[31]

Honey Bee Express Railroad Speeders (Woodings speeder) at FVHRS
 Railroad Speeder FVR-11 FVR-12 Nicknamed the Woodlings speeder. Part of The Honey Bee Express.[32]
The Honey Bee Express (Fairmont speeder) at FVHRS
 Railroad Speeder FVR2 Nicknamed the Fairmont speeder. Part of The Honey Bee Express.[32]
Volunteers Handcar Designed and built by volunteers, The Family Quad Car sits 4 people and is hand operated.[33]
Velocipede CN 22128 Previously used in the Mt. Robson area. Visitors can ride the Velocipede, which was restored by FVHRS.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Jennifer Lang (June 19, 2013). "Full throttle for rail revival in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014. The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society is set to launch weekend runs on the original Interurban passenger rail line from Cloverdale to Sullivan return starting this Sunday.
  2. ^ a b John Buker (June 27, 2013). "Old interurban sparks interest in rail for the Fraser Valley". CKWX News1130. Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Last weekend, the old interurban electric started rolling the rails again between Cloverdale and Sullivan in Surrey, a heritage project with service on weekends that aims to expand to Scott Road and possibly east into the Valley.
  3. ^ Guenzler, Chris (2024-07-27). "Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society 7/27/2024". trainweb.org. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  4. ^ Ewert, Henry; Hudson, Ray (2010). "100 Years and Going Strong: BCER Fraser Valley" (PDF). A Centenary Celebration of the B.C. Electric Railway Fraser Valley Line 1910-2010: 2.
  5. ^ "Surrey Interurban Heritage Rail Revitalization Tourism Initiative" (PDF). Surrey Corporate Report: 1. 2000-11-02.
  6. ^ "The Saga of Sullivan Station" (PDF). Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society History (1). 2004.
  7. ^ "Heritage rail station nears completion in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. 2013-03-27. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  8. ^ Bryan, Liz (2011). Country Roads of Western BC: From the Fraser Valley to the Islands. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-926613-94-9.
  9. ^ Smatlak, John (2004-07-03). "BC Electric 1225 heading back to Canada!". www.rypn.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  10. ^ "British Columbia Electric Railway 1225". www.bera.org. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  11. ^ a b Peter McMartin (July 18, 2013). "The return of the Interurban rail system (with video)". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2014-08-24.
  12. ^ Cotey, Angela (2013-10-22). "Association of Tourist Railroads & Railway Museums presents first awards | Trains Magazine". Trains. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  13. ^ "Edmonton Transit System 2001". www.bera.org. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  14. ^ "History – 961 – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  15. ^ "Oregon Electric #21, Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society". Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  16. ^ a b Jordan, Malin (2023-06-12). "2023 heritage railway season underway". Peace Arch News. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  17. ^ "Message From the Chair". The Signal: 4. November 2023.
  18. ^ Jordan, Malin (2024-09-03). "Heritage Rail to run trains to Sullivan Station beginning Sept. 8". Peace Arch News. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  19. ^ Jordan, Malin (2024-09-16). "Back on track: Heritage Rail resumes runs to Sullivan". Cloverdale Reporter. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  20. ^ "Heritage rail station nears completion in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2014. A slice of railway history is coming to life at the foot of 176A Street, where a faithful replica of the original B.C. Electric Railway station that acted as a bustling commuter passenger hub for decades is nearly complete.
  21. ^ "Hydrogen H2" (PDF). The Signal: 40. April 2021.
  22. ^ Thompson, S (2007-07-01). "Hydrail: a parade Canada can lead". Energy Technology Data Exchange.
  23. ^ Lang, Jennifer (2013-06-19). "Full throttle for rail revival in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
  24. ^ a b c d Roberts, Earl; Stremes, David (2024). "SURREY (Cloverdale - suburb of Vancouver) - Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society, 5554 176th Street" (PDF). Canadian Trackside Guide 2024. Ottawa: The Bytown Railway Society, Inc.: 3–30. ISSN 0829-3023.
  25. ^ a b Anderson, Samantha (2017-11-13). "PHOTOS: 'New' heritage railcar rolls into Cloverdale station". Langley Advance Times. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  26. ^ "Car 1225 – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  27. ^ a b c Ewert, Henry (2010). "British Columbia Electric Railway Company Limited" (PDF). Canadian Rail (534): 9. ISSN 0008-4875.
  28. ^ a b "Car 1304 – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  29. ^ Lang, Jennifer (2016-02-02). "Surrey's heritage railway adds third Interurban to its fleet". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  30. ^ "Car 1207 – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  31. ^ "Car 1231 – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  32. ^ a b "Honey Bee Express – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  33. ^ "Quad Car – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  34. ^ "Velocipede – Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society". fvhrs.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
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Media related to Heritage streetcars in Surrey, BC at Wikimedia Commons

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