Clarenville is a town on the east coast of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
The town grew in importance after it became a junction on the Newfoundland Railway where a branch line to the Bonavista Peninsula left the main line.
The three stall roundhouse was built in 1944. Nothing is left but a vacant place nearby the old train station.
"Detail of the Railway in Clarenville
By Mike Stacey
Planning the Newfoundland Railway:
Railway developers were reluctant to include Clarenville along the proposed mainline route. The developers recommended bypassing Clarenville and its hills on its way heading west. The people of Clarenville, though, were very much against this. In the end though, despite the hills (including the island's second highest slope along the mainline), Clarenville won out and would get the railway to pass through. Perhaps not only the strong support from the people, but the importance of Clarenville, as a port and service area, led to the railway arriving in Clarenville.
Timeline
1881 – The railway in Newfoundland officially begins in St. John's
1889 – General proposed route between Clarenville and Hall's Bay is defined.
1891 – Road bed construction reaches Clarenville
May 24, 1892 – William Duff Reid and Manager Noble take members of the Legislative Council and Members of the House of Assembly on a special train to the end of the line, at Lower Shoal Harbour River from St. John's. The trip took about six hours.
Summer 1893 – Robert Reid builds a 40 mile access road from Shoal Harbour to Trinity.
1898 – The railway begins operating through Clarenville. Clarenville becomes one of four division points. The St. John's Division would run from St. John's to Clarenville, the Clarenville Subdivision would run from Clarenville to Bishop's Falls, the Bishop's Falls Subdivision would run from Bishop's Falls to Corner Brook, and the Corner Brook Subdivision would run from Corner Brook to Port-aux-Basques.
November, 1909 – Construction begins on the Bonavista Branch.
March 22nd, 1910 – Legislation is officially passed to extend the railway by way of branch lines.
November 8th, 1911 – The Bonavista Branch is opened, with its junction from the mainline established near the mouth of the Shoal Harbour River. To mark the opening, a special train with a large party including Governor Ralph Williams, Premier Sir Edward Morris, W.D. Reid and a seven-member bagpipe band travels the branch line to Bonavista. Around that time (before or after) the Shoal Harbour Station was constructed.
1937 – The Colas Company Asphalt plant is established in Clarenville.
1937 – Gord Tavernor starts his railway career, working at the coal yard in Clarenville.
1938 – The Colas Company is renamed to Colas (NFLD) Limited.
1938 – Wilson Stanley starts his railway career, working at the coal yard in Clarenville.
1939 – Railway operations begin at the Colas (NFLD) Limited asphalt Plant.
1941 – Colas (NFLD) Limited is sold to Flintcote Company (NFLD) Limited.
1944 – A new three stall roundhouse and machine shop is built in Clarenville."
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