166. Fort Langley Station

Limited Edition Watercolour Lithographic Print (unframed) sn450, ap15, pp10

10 1/4 x 10 1/4 (inches) sn $80, ap$90, pp$100

From a watercolour painting by Brian Croft

The “CN Fort Langley” Station was originally built as “Langley” Station in 1915 for the new Canadian Northern Railroad. Later, in 1918 Canadian Northern was amalgamated into the Canadian National Railway system. The station served the Langley area for nearly 65 years until in 1980 when passenger service was terminated. In the following year the station was declared redundant.

A proud but neglected relic of the grand days of rail and steam, the station faced an uncertain future. In 1983 the Langley Heritage Society mobilized and re-located the station to its current site. The station was then lovingly restored and has become a striking historical marker of our past, eventually being declared and protected as a municipal heritage site.

Today the station’s wooden platform hosts visitors instead of passengers. If you watch closely though you will note that some strange quirk of human nature causes everyone to occasionally and wistfully look far-off down the track for that first glimpse of smoke and steam rolling into view at “Fort Langley” Station.

Brian Croft