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TIMELINE
for the 1939 Royal Train / Royal Tour of Canada
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CITY
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DATES
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NOTES
This
timeline is very much a work-in-progress. Any additions or
corrections, please email.
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Montreal
- Brockville
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May
1, 1939
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Part
of the Canadian Royal Train made a round trip test run from
Montreal to Brockville, Ontario with six of the Royal Train
cars. CN locomotive 6028 did the honors. |
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London
- Portsmouth
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May
6, 1939
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The
beginning of the Royal Tour of Canada. King George VI, Queen
Elizabeth and their two daughters left Buckingham Palace for
Waterloo Station where the Royal Train (the British version,
altogether different from the Canadian version that is our subject)
was waiting to take them to Portsmouth. From there, the Atlantic
crossing to Canada aboard the liner Empress of Australia
began. (The princesses stayed behind.) Unexpectedly heavy ice
in the north Atlantic slowed their progress and arrival in the
Dominion was delayed by two full days. |
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Montreal
- Smith's Falls
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May
9, 1939
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The
full Royal Train made an overnight round trip test run from
Montreal to Smith's Falls, Ontario with all twelve of its cars.
CP 2850 was the power, as it would be for the first 3,224 miles
of the train's journey. |
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Quebec
City
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May
17, 1939
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Their
Majesties arrive in Canada, the first reigning monarchs ever
to visit the New World. They disembarked the Empress of Australia
at Wolfe's Cove in Quebec City to a crowd of thousands, including
a contingent of Indians from the Huron tribe. After a day of
receptions, the Royal Party spent the night at the Citadel. |
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Quebec
- Montreal
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May
18, 1939
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King
George VI and Queen Elizabeth departed Quebec City on the Royal
Train at 8:30AM enroute to Montreal, stopping at Three Rivers
to pick up officials. After dinner in Montreal, the train departed
at 10PM for Ottawa. |
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Ottawa
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May
19, 1939
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Ottawa
suffered the brunt of the delay in Their Majesties' Atlantic
crossing, seeing their visit shortened from four days to two.
This first day was a day of receptions followed by a state dinner. |
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Ottawa
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May
20, 1939
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The
King's birthday was celebrated in Ottawa (though it actually
falls in December) and Her Majesty officiated at the laying
of the cornerstone of the new Supreme Court Building. |
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Ottawa
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May
21, 1939
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After
the unveiling of the National War memorial, the Royal Train
traveled via Coteau Jct, Cornwall, and Brockville, making brief
stops at Kingston and Cobourg on the way to Toronto. |
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Toronto
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May
22, 1939
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Their
Majesties attended the running of the King's Cup at Woodbine
Park. |
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Port
Arthur
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May
23, 1939
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Travel
was via Cartier, MacTier, White River, Schreiber, Port Arthur
and Fort William (where Their Majesties visited with a settlement
of Ojibway Indians near Port Arthur and with the Cippewa near
Ft. William), Raith, Ignace, before spending the night at Busteed.
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Winnipeg
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May
24, 1939
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Travelling
via Rennie, Their Majesties arrived in the morning for a day
of receptions and speeches. In the evening the train left for
Portage La Prairie, Brandon, and Kemnay where they spent the
night. |
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Regina
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May
25, 1939
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Arriving
via Elkhorn and Broadview, Their Majesties had tea at the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police barracks. In the evening they departed
via Moose Jaw and Waldeck where they spent the night. |
| Calgary
- Banff |
May
26, 1939
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Arriving
via Medicine Hat, Suffield, and Bassano, Their Majesties were
greeted by 2,000 Indians of the Blackfoot, Blood, Peigan, Stone,
and Sarcee tribes. |
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Banff
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May
27, 1939
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Rest
day in the Rockies. |
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Banff
- Craigellachie - Salom Arm -
Kamloops - Keefer
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May
28, 1939
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Left
in the AM via Field, Beavermouth, Stoney Creek, Glacier, Revelstoke,
Sicamous, Monte Creek, Kamloops and Keefer (night). To make it over the mountains, locomotive 2850 had help from class T1a 2-10-4 Selkirk #5919. The Queen even rode in the cab, sitting behind the fireman. The fireman's seat is now preserved in the Revelstoke Railway Museum. |
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Vancouver
- Victoria (via CP ferry boat)
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May
29, 1939
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Arrived
in the morning with receptions following. Took an automobile
tour of the city. Left in the evening by ship for Victoria escorted
by HMC ships Fraser, Ottawa, Restigouche, and St. Laurent, and
by aeroplanes of the RCAF. Stayed at Government House. |
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Vancouver
- Jasper
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May
31-June 1, 1939
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Left
Victoria and travelled via Vancouver, New Westminster, Mount
Lehman, Chilliwack, Hope, Boston Bar, Mount Robson, and Red
Pass Jct to Jasper for a half day stay. |
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Edmonton
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June
2, 1939
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Travelling
via Edson, the Royal Train arrived in Edmonton to the usual
reception, plus 1200 Cree Indians who sang the National Anthem
in their native tongue. The Royal Train departed in the evening
to spend the night in Clover Bar.
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Prairie
Provinces
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June
3, 1939
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The
next few days included brief stops in many towns. Among
them: Wainwright, Artland, Biggar, Saskatoon, Watrous, Touchwood,and
Melville. |
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Prairie
Provinces
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June
4, 1939
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Rivers,
East Tower, Winnipeg, Decimal, Redditt, Niddrie, Siuox Lookout,
Savant Lake. |
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Prairie
Provinces
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June
5, 1939
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Hornepayne,
Fire River, Foleyet, Gogama, Laforest, Capreol, Sudbury Jct,
Sudbury, and South Perry (night). |
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Ontario
Points
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June
6, 1939
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Zephyr,
Toronto, Guelph, Kitchener, Stratford, St. Mary's Jct, Glencoe,
Chatham, and Windsor. |
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London
- Niagara Falls
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June
7, 1939
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London,
Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, and Hamilton. Their Majesties had a front balcony room at the General Brock Hotel. The Royal Train
entered the US at Suspension Bridge enroute to Washington,
DC for a meeting with President Roosevelt. It would be the
first state visit to the US by a reigning British monarch.
Two sleeping cars were added to the pilot train for the American
press corps. A diner, PRR 4500, was added for meals.
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Washington,
DC
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June
8, 1939
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In
the early morning, the royal train got ahead of the pilot
train after the latter developed a hotbox near Williamsport.
The pilot train was 20 minutes behind at Baltimore. The press
corp was not happy they'd miss the royal couple's arrival
in Washington. The pilot train ran at 80 MPH and retook the
lead over the Royal Train in Washington yards. The press got
their coverage. Their Majesties later moved on to a reception
at the White House.
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New
York City/New
York World's Fair
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June
10, 1939
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The
Royal Train traveled to Red Bank, NJ behind GG-1 4838, changing
to steam at Jamesburg. From Red Bank, Their Majesties traveled
by motor car to Ft. Hancock on Sandy Hook. They then traveled
by a US Navy destroyer to the Battery at NY and then by car
to the New York World's Fair. After spending the day at the
fair, the royal couple traveled by car to Hyde Park to spend
Sunday with President Roosevelt and the first lady. The royal
and pilot trains deadheaded to Penn Station and then via Hell
Gate Bridge to Poughkeepsie and on to New Rochelle where they
awaited the return of Their Majesties.
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Hyde
Park - Montreal
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June
11, 1939
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In
the evening the King and Queen left Hyde Park on the Royal
Train for Montreal via the New York Central, Delaware & Hudson
and Canadian Pacific. Their visit to the USA had ended.
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Quebec
Province
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June
12, 1939
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The
Royal Train re-entered Canada at Rouse's Point, NY, then headed
on to Sherbrooke, Leeds Tank, Joffre, Levis, St. Charles, L'Islet,
Ste. Helene, Riviere du Loup and Trois Pistoles. |
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St.
John
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June
13, 1939
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On
arrival at Newcastle, Their Majesties motored to Fredericton.
Between Fredericton and St. John (Fairville),
the track was not sturdy enough to take the weight of the royal
train, so a smaller, lighter train consisting of a locomotive,
four day coaches, and a drawing room car was used instead. At
St. John, they again boarded the Royal Train and headed to Moncton
and Cape Tormentine. |
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Charlottetown
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June
14, 1939
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Arriving
on board HMC Ships Skeena and Saguenay, the Royal Party visited
the Province Building for a reception and speech. The Royal
Party landed at Pictou in the evening and after visiting New
Glasgow and Truro, arrived at Halifax. |
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Halifax
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June
15, 1939
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After
lunch, His Majesty broadcast his farewell address to the people
of Canada from the Nova Scotia Hotel. The Royal Party departed
Hailfax for St. John's by boat on June 15, ending the run of
the Royal Train after a journey of 8,377 miles. |
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June
17, 1939
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The
flagship of the Canadian Pacific Fleet, the Empress of Britain,
departed taking the king and queen back to England. |
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