Comments on: Here is a view of the old Rectory St locomotive shop area in what is now London East on the timetable. There is no trace of this facility left, I am told, save for the mainline. One can see a bit of what was a complete circular roundhouse;and a passenger/train order station. Rectory St is just behind the buildings in this eastward looking view, and there also was a watchman’s tower at the road crossing. The photo is taken from the cab of the last in a string of old locomotives; a scrapline, of which I do recall featured #’s 1710 and 1709, but did not record the number of the unit I shot this image from. Perhaps it is an old MLW S-3?? Something like that.

By: james booth

james booth — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 18:40:06 +0000

Arnold,thanks for your reply. Pictures of all the locomotives stored near the CN roundhouse site on Rectory St. bring back good memories. The dead line near the yard office contained locomotives that looked like they were ready to go. Grew up just south of the L&PS & CN tracks. Took my last London pictures in 1987. At 73 I will just stay where I am in AB

By: awmooney

awmooney — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 13:52:03 +0000

Thanks, James. I recall having my picture taken sitting on the carcass of what I thought was 1710, but okay, no, it was 1709; heavily cannibalized by the time I saw it. I was a skinny tyke back then. (sigh)

By: james booth

james booth — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 19:27:10 +0000

The photograph was taken from the cab of 8021. It was in a dead line consisting of 1717,23,1709,8459,8025,8496,8016,8224,& 8021. I photographed these locomotives in London on 82/10/24. Prior to these locomotives being sent to Hamilton there were also two additional dead lines at the Rectory St. site

By: awmooney

awmooney — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 00:36:23 +0000

Thanks, Joe. I have just been informed it very well could have been CN 8021. With a bit of luck someday I will find the rest of my images and convince myself of whatever # it is.

By: Joseph Bishop

Joseph Bishop — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 23:39:32 +0000

Arnold, I just saw a photo on Facebook that would suggest you were inside CN 8139 at the time of the photo

By: Cdntrainphotog

Cdntrainphotog — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 10:34:47 +0000

That’s an interesting perspective for your photo Arnold. Another instance of how low key things actually were back in the 70′s.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 03:12:50 +0000

Round cab window gaskets and no short nose would probably make it an old CN S2, S3, S4 or S7. I always liked these looking-out-the-cab shots