The Metropolitan railway was a streetcar project which was to extend up to Bond Head through Bradford. Newspapers reported in 1900 that citizens would welcome this track through the towns, although it was a costly endeavour: "The residents of the north end of Newmarket are solicious for the continuance of the Metropolitan Railway track through to their quarter, and have called upon the Council to endeavor to get the company to perform the work."
It also presented issues with the town's current layout, hence changes had to be made: "The contract for removing the Newmarket Exhibition buildings to the South of the track has been let by the Management Committee, and arrangements have also been made for the erection of a grand stand. With these improvements the local grounds will compare favorably with any in the county."
"The Grand trunk have added another lot of five handsomely built first class coaches to their already up-to-date equipment. Already during the past year some fifty of these modern cars have been built and placed in service, taking the place of some of the older coaches, and these new cars have been greatly admired by all who see them." ...
"The Grand Trunk Railway have made an important innovation by installing their passenger train locomotives with a electric light equipment. One of the large type of passenger locomotive constructed at the Point St. Charles works of this company has just been turned out from the shops and is now at work in Montreal and Portland night passenger service, which has, in addition to all the well known modern appliances of merit for the safety and convenience of train operating, a powerful electric lighted head lamp and a number of incandescent lamps, which have been placed in the cab of the locomotive for the purpose of lighting the steam and air pressure and water gauges..."
This article appears in the Bradford Witness many times throughout the year 1900.
Photographs of the renovation of Bradford's train station. This photo is the renovations-in-progress. The finished station are in the Related Descriptions links.
Photographs of the renovation of Bradford's train station. This photo is the renovations-in-progress. The finished station are in the Related Descriptions links.