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RyPN Briefs October 15, 2006
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FVHRS Workshop

BCER 1225 at Marpole Street station in 1949. Photo by John Koschwanez.

The "deconstruct" stage on BCER 1225's journey of rehabilitation has come and gone. The reconstruct stage by volunteers of the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society is well under way. At this time the target date of Fall 2008 for completion is still manageable. To help reach the target date the Board of Directors realized in the winter of 2005 that a complete fully functional workshop/storage area was required.

FVHRS workshop under construction. Workshop photos by Robert Ashton.

To acquire a good portion of the funds required the society applied for a capital project grant via the BC Lottery Corporation. The grant application was successful and in March 2006 the society was awarded $40 000.00. During the Spring months the plans were submitted to various agencies for approval and a flexible contract was awarded to a local company. Once the area had dried out sufficiently, after a couple of wet months, ground was broken and work begun.

Along with a generous donation of time by a society member and his tractor, the donation of the foundation cement by a local cement manufacturing company and a donation of wood by a local lumberyard the workshop/storage area was completed, under budget, in August, 2006.

Interior of completed workshop.

A local demolition company allowed members to secure enough used wood to make all the workbenches. Next to the shop is a storage area where new wood, interior bulkheads and doors and various parts new and used are stored.A number of metal shelving units were donated. One was placed in the storage area where it was modified and slots were built. Each slot is now housing a bulkhead partition or door. Another holds all the seats and seat frames.

Volunteers can work inside out of the weather.

The workshop will be insulated and heated, thus allowing volunteers to work in comfort come the change in season.