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Important Dates
Next Open House:
July 19 2009
FHVRS will be appearing:
Sept 16 ARM tour
Time to get on board!
A donation of $50 makes you a "passenger on the platform" in the drive to return the B.C.E.R. Interurban train to the original Fraser Valley line.
You can donate on-line, by mail, or in person at any of the FVHRS events.
Don't travel alone, sign up for two, three or more passengers and be ready to see B.C.E.R car 1225 back on the tracks.
Click on Frank Horne's picture to go to the One Passenger at a time page!.
Welcome to FVHRS
Our mission: To restore and to operate heritage interurban cars on the original BC Electric Railway Route through Surrey and the Fraser Valley to link heritage tourism destinations.
Our initial operations are focused on the red section on the above map. The original rail line still exists from the rail bridge over the Fraser river at Brownsville to Chilliwack.
News
Calendar Contest
Our corporate member, SRY Raillink, is holding a calendar contest. You are invited to read the rules (here) and then enter your best images of recent SRY operations, trains, people or equipment. Images must be taken after Jan. 1, 2009.
Please read the rules for submissions and the correct form of submission. Entries are to SRY and may become the property of SRY if selected (Please read the rules.) Entries due by August 1, 2009. Cash prizes and publication with credits.
AGM 2009
The draft minutes of the Annual General Meeting on April 4th, 2009 are now posted on this website. These minutes are not yet approved, and will be accepted and approved at the next AGM in 2010.
Royal Hudson visits
May 2 & 3, 2009 The Royal Hudson brought the huff and puff of steam trains back to the Fraser Valley this past weekend when SRY Raillink and WCRA brought two excursions from New Westminster to Cloverdale.
Royal Hudson 2860, crossing 72nd Ave. Surrey, B.C. Photo by Bill Gumbleton.
Close to 660 passengers were able to detrain and make-believe they were trains as they crossed 152nd St and visited the FVHRS - Sullivan Station. On display were BCER 1304 'Connaught' in front of the replica Sullivan Station, BCER 1225 in the car barn showing off the over 10,000 hours of loving work to prepare for return to the Fraser Valley line next year.
Sunday May 3 - the old and the new returning from Cloverdale, view from Sullivan Station. Photo by Ray Hudson.
BCER 1304 back in the Fraser Valley
April 25, 2009. People waited in a light rain for the return of "The Duke of Connaught" and then the sun came out, and the trailer with BCER 1304 came down the hill and turned into the Sullivan Station compound. Not quite like it last passed by in 1950, but a welcome return to the Fraser Valley line!
The transports arrive. Photo by Bob Webster.
Lots of people turned out to see the return and they were not disappointed. After the unveiling of the 100th Anniversary Graphic on the side of the barn, our guest speakers, Dr. Peter Moogk from SIRS, Councillor Marvin Hunt speaking on behalf of Mayor Watts and Mr. Frank Butzelaar from SRY Raillink joined the spontaneous applause as BCER 1304 arrived. We were sorry that British Consul-General Mr. Alex Budden was unable to join us as planned; we wish him a speed recovery.
Superintendent Ron Powers watches as BCER 1304 is brought into the compound. Photo by Ray Hudson.
Interest was sparked by the media coverage - The Surrey/North delta Leader provided stories all week about the line, the car and the event. Global TV and CTV-BC were also on hand to film the lifting of the car back onto the tracks.
Links to video clips: (Clips start in a new browser window.)
Surrey leader - Story and video clip.
Our own pictures are still being processed. Check back soon for more images.
Please see the BCER 1304 page for information and a short history of 1304.
New Online-Donations
April 6, 2009. We join the internet age with our new Online-Donations web page with our new partner CanadaHelps.org. Go to our Donors page, or you can use this button:
To launch the new FVHRS $1.5 million capital fundraising campaign, themed "one passenger-at-a time" to coincide with the 2010 Anniversary of the Fraser Valley line, we are now offering a convenient way to donate and become one of the 30,0000 passengers we need, at $50 each (with a tax receipt). Reaching the goal of the campaign will make possible the installation of the 600 foot rail spur to connect our Sullivan carbarn to the mainline track, acquire a self propelled replicated BCER baggage car to house our electric generators and to expand the carbarn.
Donations will be directed to FVHRS, and the receipt will be sent from CanadaHelps.org with your request identified. Thank you for help.
Recent work on BCER 1225
Work on BCER 1225 continues in the car barn. the dedicated volunteers are very busy 3 days per week getting the car ready to run again. Having brought the car from its 50 year California vacation, there is a lot of wood that needs replacing to be able to function in the Wet Coast again. Some items have just not survived the 50 + years of use.
Restoration and rehabilitation from the floor up to the roof has been underway since the car arrived. The car has been raised up and the trucks removed for refurbishing and cleaning. The trucks are now at Carr's Machine shop and will be reconditioned and brought up to specifications. August 2008 sees the "A" end mostly complete and effort has moved to the "B" end. While the car is raised up on blocks, this is a good time to visit the car barn to see underneath the car. A rare opportunity to look up at the underside of an Interurban car without getting run-over.
Pictures of the restoration
See more pictures of BCER 1225 rehabilitation on Webshots
- taken by Vice Chair Bob Ashton.
Open House
Our first Open House of 2009 is Sunday, May 17. Visit Sullivan Station and see our full car barn, walk through BCER 1304 'Connaught' and inspect the work on BCER 1225.
We look forward to another year in 2009 with old and new friends at the Sullivan site. If you have any suggestions, or wish to arrange a group visit, please contact the executive.
Visit us at 152nd St. & 64th Ave. Surrey -- Noon to 4pm on our Open House dates. You can see the restoration work on BCER 1225, watch the Chilliwack Run movie, enjoy one (or more) of our wonderful hot dogs and chat with the volunteers who are working on 1225.
We are North of the Sullivan Community Hall on 152nd Street. Enter parking Northbound on 152nd.
Canadian Charities Information sessions
Every year the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides free information for registered charities. As the federal regulator of registered charities, the Directorate provides these sessions to help registered charities understand their obligations under the Income Tax Act. The sessions are free, please see the CRA website: Charities Information Sessions
Contact the webmaster:
For comments about this website, or other inquiries about the society, please contact the webmaster: webmaster @ fvhrs.org
