CNR Steamship Lines

[Miningman]

The CPR was famous and celebrated for it's vast Steamship Lines operations but we very seldom if ever recall that the Canadian National also had a steamship operation. In the days when travel, even locally, was an adventure and classy.

Canadian National Railways 

Steamships 

Canadian National operated passenger boats Dalhousie City and Northumberland 
between Toronto and Port Dalhousie "da-louse_e" for many years. 1936 
Chuckman's Photos 

---

 

Canadian Railway News post card reverse 

Connections with the Interurban Niagara, St Catherine's and Toronto to take you anywhere you needed to go. What a trip that would be and a great days outing. 

 

[Firelock76]

That's interesting, I didn't know the CNR had a steamship operation.

I took a closer look at SS Dalhousie City and uh-oh!  Naughty-naughty!  They're flying the Union Jack from the jackstaff!  Only the Royal Navy is allowed to do that! They should be using the Merchant Navy jack, which is the Union Jack with a white border.

But I won't say anything to the RN if no-one else does...

Good-looking ships, by the way!

[Miningman]

The CPR would not make such an error! Maybe it's a tourist thing but still...

CNR being a ward of the Crown, it doesn't surprise me. The only folks who can screw up regulations would be a government run one!

[Firelock76]

Well, there would  be an exception if HM King George V was on board, but somehow I doubt that's the case.

[Miningman]

Well isn't that special! I'm kinda split on the monarchy, I understand their role and to some extent the need for some representation of Head of State but geez, don't they put their pants on like the rest of us?

I'm reminded of the scene in the latest Churchill movie where Sir Winston has to kiss the Kings hand and walk backwards, not turning his back on the Monarch as he exits the room. 

It will always be someone anyway, a Dictator, a Tyrant, some super rich person, some celebrity with the brains of a twit. Never ends. 

[Firelock76]

I saw that Churchill movie too, and I'll tell you I was impressed when King George VI came to see Winston to buck him up when he was down.  George was a good man, much better than his brother the erstwhile Edward VIII who, as Basil Rathbone said, "Walked away when his country needed him."  Basil didn't care for Edward all that much, and said the right man became king after all.

And George was a steam fan, he did enjoy the cab ride on that CPR Royal Hudson!  What more can we say?

[Deggesty]

I think it was William L. Shirer who, in his The Rise and Fall of the Thrd Reich, wrote that the Duke of Windsor was not against Adoph HItler--and Hitler planned to install the Duke as the puppet head of the English government.

[Firelock76]

It's possible Johnny, but we'll never know for certain because it never happened.  The Windsors were evacuated from France by the Royal Navy when it was apparant the Germans were going to take the country.  Whether Windsor would have agreed to be a German puppet king to begin with is anyone's guess.

But that is the supposition. 

Wayne

PS:  I just remembered that any doumentation linking the Duke of Windsor with the Nazis is supposedly locked away in the library and archives at Windsor Castle, purportedly not to be seen for at least 100 years, that is, if it's ever seen again to begin with.

[Miningman]

But... there are repercussions even today.

1.  Scotti, Monique (19 May 2018). "A look at Harry and Meghan's new titles: Duke and Duchess of Sussex". Global News. Retrieved 19 May 2018. And then there was Windsor, which was a non-starter given that the last Duke of Windsor was the former King Edward VIII, who abdicated to marry another American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, and had some rather uncomfortable ties to the Nazis.

[Penny Trains]

Well, I have a book that shows my line back to Edward III and fat lot of good it's done me over the years having Plantagenet blood. 

Being a Cleveland girl I love the lake steamers.  Here's one that docked back in July:

http://www.rockthelake.com/buzz/2018/06/cleveland-welcomes-great-lakes-cruise-ship/

 

[Deggesty]

Well, Becky, if you trace your family history back farther, you come to the first Plantagenet king, Henry II, who was a great-grandson of William I.

 

[Miningman]

For all you monarchists... maybe M636C? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Davies_Warfield

 

 

https://ia801200.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/34/items/DukeAndDuchessOfWindsor/windsor1d_jp2.zip&file=windsor1d_jp2/windsor1d_0053.jp2&scale=5&rotate=0

https://ia801200.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/34/items/DukeAndDuchessOfWindsor/windsor1d_jp2.zip&file=windsor1d_jp2/windsor1d_0054.jp2&scale=5&rotate=0

https://ia801200.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/34/items/DukeAndDuchessOfWindsor/windsor1d_jp2.zip&file=windsor1d_jp2/windsor1d_0055.jp2&scale=5&rotate=0

https://ia801200.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/34/items/DukeAndDuchessOfWindsor/windsor1d_jp2.zip&file=windsor1d_jp2/windsor1d_0056.jp2&scale=5&rotate=0

https://ia801200.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/34/items/DukeAndDuchessOfWindsor/windsor1d_jp2.zip&file=windsor1d_jp2/windsor1d_0057.jp2&scale=5&rotate=0

 Subject: Duke of Windsor's ranch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWOK4my0Nd4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgG3an8vS6o

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekisko,_Alberta

 

[Firelock76]

I'm not a monarchist by any means, when I read of British government and society in the 18th Century, the corruption, the inefficiency, the nepotism, I say thank God for the American Revolution and the men who fought it! 

Any of the above that we have here now we can only blame ourselves for. 

But the British royals are interesting people, any way you look at it.

[Miningman]

Wouldn't bother me a bit if we got rid of all the pomp and circumstance and malarkey that goes along with the Monarchy. It's not so ' in your face' as it used to be up here. The French in Quebec gave it lip service and downright disgust at times. 

Union Jacks flew everywhere when I was kid. Heck there were more Union Jacks than Red Ensigns flying. I never got that, never. 

"I wonder how things are in the colonies today?"

My reply--" Aww, blow it out your ear" 

I do enjoy the juicy scandals though. 

[Miningman]

Hot off the presses .. this is actually quite interesting ... lots of train action, including the Silver Meteor. Big thanks to Mike for uncovering this. 

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/duke-and-duchess-of-windsor-given-flowers-from-sandra-news-footage/502472263

 

Royal Couple Travel US, Face Media Onslaught

Duke and Duchess Of Windsor given flowers from Sandra Southerland, daughter of Silver Meteor engineer / couple boards Silver Meteor, Edward climbs into cab of the engine of the train / Duke and Duchess arrive at Union Station in Washington DC / group of Photographers snaps pictures / Edward nudges Wallis and they wave / couple arrives at the State Department, Wallis waits outside / large group greets train in Chicago / Royal Couple exit train, step into car / Edward and Wallis sit down for interview at British Embassy in Washington, DC / Edward speaks.

 

Visit to Canada. And ranch 

https://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/images/LC/tspa_0123898f.jpg   

https://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/images/LC/tspa_0123901f.jpg  

 

[Miningman]

Clipings from the Toronto Star

[Firelock76]

Ah, the Duke of Windsor and "THAT woman!"  as Lady Firestorm's mother used to call her.

Lady F's mom was a proud Newfoundlander, "The SENIOR British colony!" as she used to call it, and told Lady F that when Edward VIII abdicated in 1937 she and her friends were heartbroken.  "Why Mom?" Lady F asked. 

"Oh, he was so handsome!"

"HIM? That horse-face?"

"Oh, you don't understand..."

As time went on Mom realized the better man got the throne, and was proud to call George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Later the "Queen Mum") her sovereigns.

It took a world war, though.

[Miningman]

Penny says " Being a Cleveland girl I love the lake steamers.  Here's one that docked back in July:"

During my summers in Port Dover on Lake Erie it was always a big deal when the Ferries came in from Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pa. Everyone went to the pier to watch. These regular scheduled runs dwindled and were pretty much gone by 1960. Too bad because it's a loooonnnng way around to drive but a short hop across the lake. They still run the occasional, maybe twice a year, for events, but not Ferries. Just a big lake cruise type ship. $4500 starting for today's multi day cruises...yeesh. 

The CNR also had coal delivered to them in Port Dover and Port Dalhousie from the Bessemer and Lake Erie. CPR had theirs brought in at Port Burwell by the Pennsy from Ashtabula. Like I say, it's a long way around the lake by rail too! Those days are long gone now but lake freighters from Cleveland and other points still call around,  to Port Dalhousie too as it is the water port for St. Catherine'. Industry and Railroading along with the Ferries and general freight lake boats have greatly diminished in the area. Not like it was even up to the 70's. 

[Penny Trains]

Check out these beauties docked at the Great Lakes Exposition of 1937:

If there's any moment of local history I would wish to time travel to visit, this would be it! 

[Firelock76]

Those lake boats look like a lot of fun, but how'd everyone like a Lake Erie cruise on this old gal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qukAF8QAPSo

[Miningman]

Since it exists I assume that perhaps you can. What an unforgettable experience that would be. 

At my age I couldn't do much but could go as far as a person could on the bow and do the 'King of the world' thing. Then they probably keel haul me. 

[Miningman]

[Firelock76]

If I only got to load and fire the carronade I'd be a happy man indeed.

Maybe handle the wheel for bit as well.  "A tall ship and a star to steer her by..."

[Miningman]

Well let me try this again.

Firelock--- No way they let you have the wheel or touch anything to do with the cannon. Now you and me will both be keel hauled.

[Miningman]

[Firelock76]

I'll only bombard any diesel locomotives in sight, I promise!

[Miningman]

Now you're going to get thrown in the klink.

[Firelock76]

They'd have to catch me first!

"Let fly the fore-courses!  Give 'er the mainsail, topsails and t'gallants! Stun'sls too! Every rag she'll carry!"

[Miningman]

Now they are going to get you a shrink.

[Penny Trains]

Firelock76

If I only got to load and fire the carronade

In my freshman year of high school they still dragged the cannon out on the field and fired it during the national anthem.  Being in the marching band, (the Valley Forge Patriots our mascot was a minuteman) we were always smack down range of the thing and even with a small charge it usually scared the bejesus out of at least 10 percent of us musicians!