Sign in or 
| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 23 2009, 8:46 PM EDT (current) | SriMesh | 509 words deleted |
| Oct 23 2009, 8:19 PM EDT | SriMesh |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
Biggar is still a Canadian National Railway divisional point, which the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway established in 1910. Biggar was established and named in 1909 after William Hodgins Biggar who was a General counsel for the GTP. The original GTP train station which opened in 1910 was declared a Canadian National Historic Site in February of 1996 to commemorate Heritage Day.Three Canadian National Railway tracks met in Biggar, the Dodsland branch, the Porter Subdivision and the Grand Trunk Pacific West line which became to be known as the CNR alphabet line. In 1910, Biggar was strategically located on the Canadian National Railway Alphabet line, or Grand Trunk Pacific West. This line left Saskatoon north west from Saskatoon and was laid through Farley, Grandora, Hawoods, Asquith, Juniata, Kinley, Leney, Mead, and Neola before arriving in Biggar. The rail continued through Oban, Palo, Landis, Cavell, Reford, Scott, Tako, Unity, Vera, Winter, Yonker, Zumbro and Artland before arriving in the province of Alberta.The Dodsland branch of the CNR connected Biggar and Loverna. Along this branch were the communities of Argo, Duperow, Springwater, Ruthilda, Downs, Ava, Adine, Dodsland, Millerdale, Beaufield, Coleville, Driver, Smiley, Dewar Lake, Hoosier, and Greene. At the greatest distance there were seven miles between stops, but most were closer together.The Porter Subdivisional branch line of the CNR served to connect Battleford and Biggar. Extending south of Battleford, the train would travel through Dacer, Porter, Charlton, Red Pheasant, Cando, Salter, Lett, Oban, before arriving in Biggar. Two of these stations were nine miles apart, however the rest of the stops were located closer to each other along this branch line.Historically, the Minnedosa, Saskatoon-Edmonton Section of the Canadiian Pacific Railway was established in 1907 . Trains would depart Saskatoon, and travel enroute through Cory, Dumferline, Asquith, Rhyl,Kinley, Perdue, Keppel, Vance to Biggar and leave through Oban, Naseby, Traynor, St. Alphege and Wilkie to the west. Planned at the beginning of the 20th century as a transcontinental line to rival the Canadian Pacific, the Grand Trunk Pacific was beset by managerial and financial troubles which prevented its profitable operation and it became part of the Canadian National Railways in 1920. The railway played a significant role in the development of the western provinces and many settlements such as Biggar, grew up from stations along the line. Its station buildings, like the Biggar example, remain a distinctive contribution to Canada's architectural heritage. – Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Bibliography: Adamson, Julia. "Canadian Maps: January 1925 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Man. Sask. Alta. and West Ontario". Minnedosa, Saskatoon-Edmonton Section of the Canadiian Pacific Railway .. RE-Published online Online Historical Map Digitization Project. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canmaps/1925Waghorn/January1925-42-43.html. Page 42, 72, 75, 78. Retrieved 2009-10-23.Biggar Community Profiles" Enterprise Saskatchewan Sask Biz. Government of Saskatchewan. 2009. http://www.saskbiz.ca/communityprofiles/CommunityProfile.Asp?CommunityID=225. Retrieved 2009-10-22."Biggar railway station". Version 320528237. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 18 October 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biggar_railway_station&oldid=320528237. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
