This Saturday (Feb. 25) from 1-4 p.m. join train fans, a railway artist and experts, as well as model train hobbyists from across the Lower Mainland for model train displays, talks and crafts for kids at the Surrey Museum.
The Riding the Rails event features a garden railroad display in the Surrey Museum’s hall, catering to the kid in all of us.
Members of the Greater Vancouver Railway Club will be bringing both electric and steam trains to the Museum on multiple tracks, complete with bells and whistles.
As well, visitors can view the Museum’s feature exhibit, BC Electric Railway: More Than Just a Tram, which explores the new possibilities the BC Electric Railway (BCER) being brought to Surrey and the Fraser Valley. The exhibit continues until March 24.
At 1:30 p.m. join local artist Brian Croft as he presents Riding The Rails With a Paintbrush. Brian is a former fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces and a widely recognized artist who draws inspiration from the around Vancouver. He will narrate a visual tour of his paintings and the history behind them, many of which chronicle the colourful history of the BCER.
Learn how Croft’s research and paint process has created an ongoing historical record of BCER’s streetcars and interurban trams.
He will speak of the evolving nature of his work with a special emphasis on the historical research required to render each canvas as a legitimate portrayal of our past.
At 3 p.m., discover the story of Interurban 1223 with Burnaby Village Curator Lisa Codd.
She will talk about the 100-year history of Interurban 1223, the restored interurban tram car on display at the Burnaby Village Museum. With photographs to share and opportunities for questions, Codd will provide a lively presentation that will make everyone long for a return to the days of electric transportation.
Her talk will include the impact of the interurban system on the development of Burnaby, the early efforts to preserve Interurban 1223 when the BCER went from “rails to rubber” and replaced the electric trams and streetcars with buses, and the recent community project that saw Interurban 1223 fully restored for the public to enjoy at the museum.
Admission to the event, including the lectures, is by donation.
The Surrey Museum is located at 17710 56A Ave. Hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and Statutory Holidays. 2012 admission is sponsored by the Friends of the Surrey Museum and Archives Society. For more information, call 604-592-6956 or visit www.surrey.ca/heritage