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Caption: One of the difficulties with older photos is trying to pinpoint just exactly where the image was taken. In this case, for those who are familiar with St. Catharines; this shot would be just about right in the middle of the current Canadian Tire car-wash on Welland Av. There has been a lot of change in this area over the years. Gas pumps on the right part of the old Supertest/BP station that used to be there. And before that, it was a swamp.I still remember all the hassle of trying to anchor huge fuel tanks in swampwater surroundings. The tanks just did not want to stay down.:o) The Loblaw store in the background was demolished, there is a modern No-Frills just to the left currently. Apartment buildings and townhouses crowd the present day background. This local ran down to Port Weller Dry Docks as needed, sharing the Lakeshore Rd lift bridge with vehicular traffic back then. In this image, the local is returning to Merritton Yard, which is/was down by the CN Grimsby sub. This month is 20 year anniversary of when these former NS&T tracks were lifted. The SW-8 was retired in 1989.
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Another interesting historic shot from St. Catharines. Your story about that area is fascinating too.
Correction: I believe this is the Lakeshore Spur instead of Grantham.
Do you have any shots of it on the bridge? That’d be awesome to see.
Docta: I think you are absolutely correct. Lakeshore Spur it is. I haven’t any images on the bridge that I recall offhand. Might be some of the local over at the shipyard though. This train always seemed to run when I was either out somewhere else in the province, or, at work.
That’d be pretty cool. Love to see the stuff that I never had the chance to see.
Great picture, another shot of history from the past in St. Catharines. I use to love going to the cinima’s in this area for an afternoon matinee as a kid in hopes of seeing a local going thru. That or going to the old Wolco store, now a Walmart.
Paul: I gotta admit I feel awfully old when I drive along Welland Av these days. St. Catharines is getting run down in spots but along Welland Av., they build and destroy, build and destroy. There was a mall built at that location and was torn down not long after. The cinemas were built later on and they were torn down in only a few years. Now another structure is in place. They might try building something that will last more than 15 or 20 years. Even the Mall annex where the Thrift Store now is was cut back not long after it was built. Eddy’s Place bar/restaurant was a favourite hang out of mine. It was torn down to make room for the Canadian Tire. Seems to me the TIMs was rebuilt at least once as well. It used to be in the mall-turned-plaza. One of the very early TIMs. Like back when a coffee and a donut was a quarter!!!!
Mr. Mooney I’d have to agree with you about Welland Ave. I do remember the Tim’s when it was in the mall now that you mentioned it! Who knows what the next 15-20 years will bring!
Well, Paul; if I haven’t croaked in 20 years I will certainly want to. LOL