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GEXR 583 shoves back across Carter Road into the north siding at Arkell in the evening sun after lifting a few cars for PDI Elizabeth.  The crew would tie back onto their train and proceed northward to Guelph for the evening's work.Carter Road (mile 27.55) marks the approximate boundary between the communities of Arkell and Farnham; a community that began years ago, but failed to fully materialize.  Farnham, originally Farnham Plains, was founded by John Arkell (1802-1881) who immigrated to the Puslinch area in 1831 from Kempsford, South Gloucestershire, England.  He would begin settling 1800 acres about 3/4 of a mile west of today's Arkell with his cousin Thomas Arkell.  An Anglican Church was built in 1854 beside the cemetery as the main component of the community, however few people remained in Farnham as Arkell prospered, likely in part to the coming of the Guelph Junction Railway in 1888.  The church building was moved to Arkell in 1901 as few people remained in Farnham; only the cemetery and Thomas Arkell's house remain today.The Canadian Pacific's Arkell station was built in 1888 and served the community until passenger service ceased on Saturday, August 4, 1962.  Prior to this passenger service was typically operated using a Battery Car, often with CPR 9002, nicknamed "Old Sparky" by residents along the line.  Sparky would be replaced by CPR 9004, a gas-electric doodlebug in the 1940s until 1958 when steam powered mixed trains would take over the passenger service.  Arkell station would be sold in 1963 to the Trustees of the Farnham Cemetery (still in use today) for use as a tool shed, but was later demolished and a replica was built in it's place.
Copyright Notice: This image ©Jacob Patterson all rights reserved.



Caption: GEXR 583 shoves back across Carter Road into the north siding at Arkell in the evening sun after lifting a few cars for PDI Elizabeth. The crew would tie back onto their train and proceed northward to Guelph for the evening's work.

Carter Road (mile 27.55) marks the approximate boundary between the communities of Arkell and Farnham; a community that began years ago, but failed to fully materialize. Farnham, originally Farnham Plains, was founded by John Arkell (1802-1881) who immigrated to the Puslinch area in 1831 from Kempsford, South Gloucestershire, England. He would begin settling 1800 acres about 3/4 of a mile west of today's Arkell with his cousin Thomas Arkell. An Anglican Church was built in 1854 beside the cemetery as the main component of the community, however few people remained in Farnham as Arkell prospered, likely in part to the coming of the Guelph Junction Railway in 1888. The church building was moved to Arkell in 1901 as few people remained in Farnham; only the cemetery and Thomas Arkell's house remain today.

The Canadian Pacific's Arkell station was built in 1888 and served the community until passenger service ceased on Saturday, August 4, 1962. Prior to this passenger service was typically operated using a Battery Car, often with CPR 9002, nicknamed "Old Sparky" by residents along the line. Sparky would be replaced by CPR 9004, a gas-electric doodlebug in the 1940s until 1958 when steam powered mixed trains would take over the passenger service. Arkell station would be sold in 1963 to the Trustees of the Farnham Cemetery (still in use today) for use as a tool shed, but was later demolished and a replica was built in it's place.

Photographer:
Jacob Patterson [515] (more) (contact)
Date: 09/18/2020 (search)
Railway: Goderich-Exeter (search)
Reporting Marks: RLHH 2117 (search)
Train Symbol: 583-18 (search)
Subdivision/SNS: Goderich Sub (search)
City/Town: Arkell/Farnham (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
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Photo ID: 41617

Map courtesy of Open Street Map

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