Not that long ago but now lost to us... and what about that kid?

[Miningman]

Lots of goings on here. CPR ship arriving, CPR steam and ancient coaches there to greet the steamship and take travellers home. The Canadian Pacific not only spanned the world but it served its communities very well in its day, ( when civilization existed).

But... hold on a bit... what about that boy so prominently captured in the image. No one there to meet him?.. no one. He has well cleared the activity behind him and is lugging it on his own. He is the right age that he could be still around, a classic dude like most of us. He does look determined to get home and paying no mind to the steam locomotive or the train. Perhaps never became a railfan. Not sure that scenario of going it alone would play out today. Call the cops!, a visit to the parents by Child Welfare, maybe make the news.

There's a lot of activity on the CPR wharf in Digby, N.S. as the Princess Helene has arrived and passengers and automobiles disembark. It is a hot summer day as passengers hang out the windows on the old wood coaches. I can't however make out the number of G2 class engine. In the back is a mid-1950s Jaguar Saloon preparing to take it wealthy owners probably
to the Digby Pines Hotel. A CPR hotel, it was very popular as a tourist destination much like The Algonquin
in St. Andrews NB. Meanwhile in the forground "junior" isn't met by anyone it seems and he has to
hoof it with his bag in hand. Canadian Pacific Railway/Steve Morris Collection 

[Flintlock76]

Different world and time Vince.

The boy looks to be 11, maybe 12 years old, but he looks self-confident and seems to know exactly where he's going.  Visiting Grandma and Grandpa, or coming back from same?  And you're right, Child Welfare Servces would be all over this now!  

Not so long ago, and I wonder if he's still alive?  Maybe he's a "Classic Trains" reader?  Wouldn't it be something if we "know" him and he recognizes himself and tells us the story?  

Wayne

[Penny Trains]

Most likely got hollered at for "dawdling" by whomever he was with just after the photographer snapped his shutter.  It ALWAYS happened to me when something piqued my interest at that age! 

[Miningman]

Not bad Penny.. a great take on this! Could well be. 

[Overmod]

That is not a Jaguar... not curvy enough, and far too wide.  I actually came across what I think it was a few weeks ago... but will have to find the reference.  If you blow up the image you will increasingly see the details.

Definitely a 'rich and famous' car probably headed as indicated.

[Miningman]

A Rolls or a Bentley? Likely British though. 

[Overmod]

Look at the radiator and the headlight placement.  It is one of those things like an Austin Princess -- not a RR product, but in the same 'market niche'...

The key is the very wide windshield, combined with what appears to be the typical sort of British 'tuckunder' at the rear complete with those weird partial skirts.

I think it's from the earlier Fifties, say around '54 at the latest.  I actually came across almost this exact car from this exact angle while researching something completely different; I think postwar Bugattis.  (Of which this is not one).  I had thought I remembered Talbot-Lago but those are not this wide...

[Flintlock76]

Great call Becky!  There's certainly a lot of neat stuff going on to catch a boy's attention, that's for certain.

Hell, there's a lot of stuff going on to catch MY attention!

Wayne

[Miningman]

Meanwhile, until the end of 50's the DAR and parts of the CPR were steam powered and ran some pretty interesting equipment that was long gone elsewhere. Pleny of mixed trains too, lots of ferry connections .

CPR 2629 with passenger train at Yarmouth, 7/26/1958 John McIntosh/Jon Archibald Collection 

 

G2r 2526 and wood truss rod mail car. Windsor 1949 John McIntosh/Jon Archibald Collection 
Note the old wood fruit express car 4626 on next track. This was one of a handful still on the roster.
A 60' wood truss rod car built in 1906 it was later upgraded with steel center sills and steel end reinforcements.

2209 putting on a good show while running on the CNR from Halifax. 12/17/1958 L.B.Chapman Collection 
This was the only G1 class engine assigned to the DAR for a while. Its 75 inch drivers were high compared to G2's with 70". 

8138 with Mixed train and 2209 with regular passenger CNR Halifax 5/1959 L.B.Chapman Collection

May 1959 still in steam! 

 

 

Ferries still run but not Canadian Pacific and no trains.

https://www.ferries.ca/nb-ns-ferry/

 

 

[Miningman]

Digby... what a great video.. sent by Mike, thank you thank you thank you... I wager NDG will enjoy this even more! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qTuQwpk61Y

https://novascotia.ca/archives/Ports/archives.asp?ID=228

 

Late add on---

 

 The early Digbyites were New Yorkers, it says

 

[Penny Trains]

Flintlock76

There's certainly a lot of neat stuff going on to catch a boy's attention, that's for certain.

I'm wondering just where the photographer was perched.    There weren't any toy camera drone choppers in those days ya know! 

[Miningman]

It's a Canadian Pacific Railway photo .. I'm thinking another ship .. not that high up, perhaps a rooftop. 

[Flintlock76]

Penny Trains

 

 

Flintlock76

There's certainly a lot of neat stuff going on to catch a boy's attention, that's for certain.

 

 

I'm wondering just where the photographer was perched.    There weren't any toy camera drone choppers in those days ya know! 

 

I clicked on that Nova Scotia Archives link.  A larger version of the photo in Vince's last post comes up which can be enlarged further.  On the landward side of the wharf there's two buildings.  I'm guessing the photographers perch may have been in one of them.  

[Jones1945]

Miningman

Lots of goings on here. CPR ship arriving, CPR steam and ancient coaches there to greet the steamship and take travellers home. The Canadian Pacific not only spanned the world but it served its communities very well in its day, ( when civilization existed).

But... hold on a bit... what about that boy so prominently captured in the image. No one there to meet him?.. no one. He has well cleared the activity behind him and is lugging it on his own. He is the right age that he could be still around, a classic dude like most of us. He does look determined to get home and paying no mind to the steam locomotive or the train. Perhaps never became a railfan. Not sure that scenario of going it alone would play out today. Call the cops!, a visit to the parents by Child Welfare, maybe make the news.

There's a lot of activity on the CPR wharf in Digby, N.S. as the Princess Helene has arrived and passengers and automobiles disembark. It is a hot summer day as passengers hang out the windows on the old wood coaches. I can't however make out the number of G2 class engine. In the back is a mid-1950s Jaguar Saloon preparing to take it wealthy owners probably
to the Digby Pines Hotel. A CPR hotel, it was very popular as a tourist destination much like The Algonquin
in St. Andrews NB. Meanwhile in the forground "junior" isn't met by anyone it seems and he has to
hoof it with his bag in hand. Canadian Pacific Railway/Steve Morris Collection 

 

Wharf Rat Rally, Digby, Nova Scotia "Nowaday":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3YGYddBlq4

No steam engine, no steamship, not even the drone is steam-powered......