|
Caption: In the years since this photo was taken, I have learned that you should always take as many photos as you can while visiting a certain area. This is especially true when it comes to any structure of the railway, and the old station that once stood at Hespeler is no exception.
This was my first of only two shots of the station itself. This photo was taken in the spring of 2000, while I came back and visited again in the winter of 2002. Two shots, one photo from each end of the station. Shortly after my last visit in March 2002, word came that the station had caught fire, and burnt to the ground. By the time I made it there after that fire, the crews had already been in to cleanup, and nothing but the platform remained.
Hespeler lost a piece of it's heritage that night the station burned down. I haven't been back there since, as there is nothing else worth photographing in that area. The line is still served by the Goderich & Exeter Railway. And it's just another fine example that you can never get too many photos of one train, structure, etc.
|
I agree Todd. Everything is day by day on the railway. Get all that you can, while you can.
It’s disappointing that this structure was lost. The platform on the other hand remains.
Same thing with me, Todd. One shot from each end. (NOT as nice as this shot) But, dragging that same old excuse out again, it was the cost of film……..an interesting project would be to list all the stations in Ontariowe that fell victim to fire via vandalism, which is the cause of most incidents. There must be a bunch of’em.
@AWmooney – Arnold…I can name these off the top if my head right now: Hespeler, Strathroy, Grimsby, Merriton, Leamington (CASO station – siffered damage but still stands), Kingston (CN, Montreal Street…suffered great amount of fire damage, and still stands…barely)…it’s too bad that especially in the case of the Strathroy station that vandals get off the hook. Mind you that the kids that set fire to the Strathroy station were under age (12-14 yrs old)…but still. How are these stations not all protected under the Heritage Act?
Grimsby was an electrical fire. Overloaded outlet, I think. Thorold was suspicious, as was Winona, Madoc, Welland CR; perhaps others reading this will have a home-town story to contribute. (I never did find out what happened to Beamsville). It makes me wonder what the kids who torched Strathroy think of their efforts this many years later………
@AWM…right. Grimsby was an electrical fire….duh! But what about Merriton? If my memory is correct, I remembered reading the possibility of it being suspicious.
Had no idea about all those others Arnold…Winona, Welland CR, Thorold. But new questions arise…Madoc, I actually knew had suffered fire damage, but thought it was in relation to being on the fairgrounds then? But Thorold…that was the replacement structure right? What happened to the first station, that was a much larger structure?
On a side note too…what we have discussed is those by en electrical fire, vandals, but haven’t included those by weather, or some other form.
@Jacob Patterson…the Hespeler station at one point was made public because of the attempts to try and save it. Hence why the childrens artwork is placed over all doors and windows. Nothing ever came about of the attempt to restore sadly.
Todd: When I saw severe fire damage to Madoc station in 1976 it was in situ. Thorold, well, we are going back too far…..the station I am referring to burned around 1978 and was at least 40 yrs old then. Pretty well every station in the province was replaced at one time or another. Welland CR was empty when I was there in 1974 and when I returned in 6 months or so there was nothing left but a brick chimney. Merritton; disused when it burned…..so it must have been vandalism. The local guys on this list will tell you the area is prone to many fires set to RR structures.
Yet Ingersoll still stands.. amazingly..
@ Stephen – yes, Ingersoll barely stands. I wonder for how much longer though.
Todd, I said this 10 years ago.. get your shots. It’s still here. Get your shots
Hespeler is bittersweet for me. I was standing amongst the massive crowds for the ETR #9/GEXR Tour of the Fergus sub when crowds amassed on the platform for a photo of the train going by. I didn’t like the huge crowds so I decided to dip down to the scenic bridge in Hespeler near the Lens Mill.
A few weeks later, or less, the station burned down. So I know it well, might have a photo… but had a chance to shoot a train going by it (with huge crowds) and blew it.
Fate can be cruel.
As they say ‘get your shots’ while you can 
And a big gold star from me.. glad you documented this Sir.
Mr. Host…thank you for your kind words sir. And thank you for sharing your story of this one. Nice to know I’m not the only one who felt the same way about this station as I did. I wonder how many more rp.ca viewers feel the same way?