Thorold Railway Stations

Location: Thorold, Thorold Township, Welland County/Niagara Region
Name: Community named for the Township, which was named after the British politician Sir John Thorold from County Lincolnshire
Former Community Names: Beaver Dams, Stump Town
Railway Companies: WR/CNR, NS&T

Thorold Railway Map Download

Part A – Welland Railway/Grand Trunk Railway/Canadian National Railway

Original Railway: Port Dalhousie & Thorold Railway 1853 (Welland Railway 1857, Great Western Railway 1878, Grand Trunk Railway 1883, Canadian National Railway 1923) 1859 – Current
Current/Final Railway: Canadian National Railway
Location/Address: The original station was located at the east end of York St (previously Vine St), which was obliterated with the construction of the Fourth Welland Canal. The Second station was located on the east side of Welland St, south of Lyndon St (43.118178, 79.196066)
Railway Mileage: Thorold Subdivision Mile 5.6
Surrounding Building Context: The community was founded as a rural agricultural service centre for the surrounding farmland. Growth was accelerated with the arrival of the Welland Canal, the first version which was constructed in the 1820’s on the west edge of the business district. Three upgraded versions of the canal would follow, all passing directly through the community. The first railway to arrive was the Welland Railway in 1859. The original purpose of this railway was to supplement the Welland Canal in the delivery of freight and traffic. Over time, its role became instead to serve the various industries in and around the canal and built up areas. The original location of the route south from Merritton passing through Thorold was substantially altered with the construction of the Fourth Welland Canal, shifting the right-of-way to the west. Later on, two lines of the electric Niagara, St Catharines and Toronto Railway converged in the downtown area. Having both railways and canals, Thorold was the beneficiary of a number of industries, in particular heavier ones specializing in pulp and paper. WR/GTR railway facilities included a freights shed and passing siding.

Station Origin: Original/second station

Construction Date: The building was constructed in 1860 with the opening of the line by the Welland Railway. Beyond being a single storey frame structure, little information is known about this building. It was subsequently replaced by a new structure c1910 by the Grand Trunk Railway, for which the following details apply
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a singe storey frame structure with a hip roof and a hexagonal operator window topped by a gable dormer
Interior Architectural Details: The station contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator offices and freight/express areas
Landscaping & Ground Details: The station overlooked the Third Welland Canal at Lock 23
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The building was removed from the property c1930 with the realignment of the rail line to the west to make room for the path of the Fourth Welland Canal
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Station Origin: Third station

Construction Date: The building was c1930 by the Canadian National Railway, as a replacement station for that lost with the shifting of the line created by the construction of the Fourth Welland Canal
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a singe storey frame structure with a hip roof and a rectangular operator window
Interior Architectural Details: The station contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator offices and a freight/express area
Landscaping & Ground Details: The station was adjacent to the Fourth Welland Canal, south of Lock 7
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The building was removed from the property, possibly in the 1970’s
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Part B – Niagara, St Catharines & Toronto Railway/Canadian National Railway

Original Railway: Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Railway 1899 (Canadian Northern Railway 1908, Canadian National Railway 1918) 1901 – 1950 (passenger service) and 1966 (freight service)
Current/Final Railway: Canadian National Railway
Location/Address: The station was located at the southwest corner of Front St and Clairmont St
Railway Mileage: NS&T Main Line Subdivision 4.84, Low Line 5.65
Surrounding Building Context: See above for general Thorold information. The NS&T was an electric radial line that provided frequent and convenient service to both residents and industries throughout the eastern portion of the Niagara Peninsula. Its base of operations was in St Catharines, where it operated both streetcar type service within the city (originally established as part of the horse drawn St Catharines Street Railway in 1879) and interurban routes beyond to Port Colborne, Thorold, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Port Dalhousie. To support the line, the firm as well owned the Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Navigation Co. which would operate steamers that would connect from Toronto to trains that would visit either the Falls or other attractions/parks in the area. With the growth of the automobile and cancelation of steamer service, the need for the electric lines was reduced and passenger service was withdrawn on each of the routes. Two lines of the NS&T passed through Thorold, being described as the High Line (much of it on a dedicated right-of way passing over roads on high steel bridges) and the Low Line (general street running operations). A substantive amount of business conducted in the community was from area factories and industries, connected by a series of spur lines. Much of the landscape in Thorold has now changed, with the Second Welland Canal having been filled in during the early 1960’s and NS&T tracks removed (including overhead bridges) in 1968

Station Origin: Original station

Construction Date: The building may have been constructed in c1895 by the Niagara, St Catharines & Toronto Railway to provide station requirements in the community. Operations prior to may have only involved on-street interaction
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a single storey brick structure with a gable roof that extended out over the platform and a rectangular operator window
Interior Architectural Details: The station contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator offices and freight/express areas
Landscaping & Ground Details: The station overlooked the Second Welland Canal, in-between Locks 24 and 25
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The building was replaced by a new larger c1910
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Station Origin: Second station

Construction Date: The building was constructed c1910 by the Niagara, St Catharines & Toronto Railway to replace a small structure
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a singe storey brick structure on a stone foundation with a long hip roof incorporating several shed dormers
Interior Architectural Details: The station contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator offices and freight/express areas
Landscaping & Ground Details: The station overlooked the Second Welland Canal, in-between Locks 24 and 25
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The last passenger run south from St. Catharines to Thorold took place in 1931, with freight operations continuing until 1959. The station was removed prior to 1963, with the property now being occupied by the Thorold Community Credit Union building
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

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