Canada’s passenger rail network has changed dramatically over the history of the county,
with the rise of the automobile shaping our transportation system. In Durham Region, a
regional municipality on the eastern border of Toronto, the region was once serviced by
six VIA Rail stations, with daily departures running to Havelock, Kapuskasing, Ottawa,
Montreal, and Toronto. Today however, only one VIA Rail station remains, with the other
five seeing their service cut and their former platforms abandoned. In this video, we’re
exploring these five lost VIA Rail stations, looking at the service they offered and what
they look like today. My name’s Zach, and this is Transit in History.
The first station on our list is Beaverton, located at the west end of King Street in
Brock Township. Originally serviced by CN intercity trains, the route was taken over
by VIA Rail in 1978. One trip was operated daily between Toronto’s Union Station and
Kapuskasing, Ontario, stopping at Beaverton in both directions. Travel time from Beaverton
to Union was 1 hour and 35 minutes, with the southbound train departing the station at
6:35am daily, and the northbound train arriving at 10:55pm. The station building remained
on site while VIA serviced the station, however had been boarded up several years prior, and
was finally demolished in the 1980’s. A platform on the east side of the tracks serviced
trains in both directions, with a small siding located just north of the platform. VIA trains
serviced this station until January 1990, when the route between Toronto and Kapuskasing
was discontinued, ending all trains at the stop. Today, little trace remains of the
former station, with CN constructing a small maintenance shed to the south of the former
platform. Beginning in September 1996 however, VIA trains began running once again on the
line as part of the Canadian train, however the stop at Beaverton was not reinstated.
The next station on our list is Burketon, located on Old Scugog Road in Clarington.
Originally serviced by CP regional trains, the route was taken over by VIA Rail in 1978.
One trip was operated daily between Toronto’s Union Station and Havelock, Ontario, stopping
at Burketon in both directions. Travel time from Burketon to Union was 1 hour and 19 minutes,
with the westbound train departing the station at 7:31am on weekdays, 8:31am on Saturdays,
and 7:06pm on Sundays. Eastbound trains from Toronto arrived at the station at 6:36pm on
weekdays and Saturdays, while the Sunday train arrived at 10:36pm. The original station building
was demolished in the 1970’s, however VIA constructed a small shelter on the site. A
platform on the north side of the tracks serviced trains in both directions, with a small siding
running through the station. VIA trains serviced this station as a flag stop until September
1982, when service between Havelock and Toronto was discontinued. However, a change in government
brough the service back in June 1985, with trains running for another 5 years until
its final cancellation in January 1990. Today, little trace remains of the former station,
with the platform, shelter, and second track having been removed.
The third station on our list is Claremont, located on Old Brock Road in Pickering. Originally
serviced by CP regional trains, the route was taken over by VIA Rail in 1978. One trip
was operated daily between Toronto’s Union Station and Havelock, Ontario, stopping at
Claremont in both directions. Travel time from Claremont to Union was 53 minutes, with
the westbound train departing the station at 7:57am on weekdays, 8:57am on Saturdays,
and 7:32pm on Sundays. Eastbound trains from Toronto arrived at the station at 6:11pm on
weekdays and Saturdays, while the Sunday train arrived at 10:11pm. The original station building
was demolished in the 1970’s, however VIA constructed a small shelter on the site. A
platform on the south side of the tracks serviced trains in both directions, with two small
sidings running through the station site. VIA trains serviced this station as a flag stop until
September 1982, when service between Havelock and Toronto was discontinued. However, a change
in government brough the service back in June 1985, with service running for another 5 years
until its final cancellation in January 1990. Today, little trace remains of the former
station, with the platform, shelter, and second and third tracks having been removed.
The fourth station on our list is Dagmar, located on Dagmar Road in Whitby. Originally
serviced by CP regional trains, the route was taken over by VIA Rail in 1978. One trip
was operated daily between Toronto’s Union Station and Havelock, Ontario, stopping at
Dagmar in both directions. Travel time from Dagmar to Union was 1 hour and 1 minute, with
the westbound train departing the station at 7:49am on weekdays, 8:49am on Saturdays,
and 7:24pm on Sundays. Eastbound trains from Toronto arrived at the station at 6:19pm on
weekdays and Saturdays, while the Sunday train arrived at 10:19pm. The station site was very
minimal, with a small shelter and platform located on the north side of the tracks. VIA
trains serviced this station as a flag stop until September 1982, when service between
Havelock and Toronto was discontinued. However, a change in government brough the service
back in June 1985, with trains running for another 5 years. Dagmar station was closed
before the rest of the Toronto-Havelock line, with the stop being removed from the timetables
in October 1988. Today, while the station platform is no longer visible, the original
shelter remains standing, having been relocated 100 metres north onto the adjacent private property.
The final station on our list is Myrtle, located
on Highway 7 & 12 in Whitby. Originally serviced by CP regional trains, the route was taken
over by VIA Rail in 1978. One trip was operated daily between Toronto’s Union Station and
Havelock, Ontario, stopping at Myrtle in both directions. Travel time from Myrtle to Union
was 1 hour and 7 minute, with the westbound train departing the station at 7:43am on weekdays,
8:43am on Saturdays, and 7:24pm on Sundays. Eastbound trains from Toronto arrived at the
station at 6:24pm on weekdays and Saturdays, while the Sunday train arrived at 10:19pm.
The original station building was demolished in 1974, with a platform on the south side
of the tracks and a small siding running through the station. VIA trains serviced this station
as a flag stop until September 1982, when service between Havelock and Toronto was discontinued.
However, a change in government brough the service back in June 1985, with service running
for another 5 years until its final cancellation in January 1990. Today, while the station
platform is longer visible, one of the sidings remains in place, with a small signpost being
the only trace of this former stop.
Those were Durham Region’s lost VIA Rail
stations, giving us a look back at the VIA Rail services from decades past. If you haven’t
already, be sure to watch our videos on Lost VIA Rail Stations from other areas in Canada,
which you can access by clicking the button in the top right corner. Don’t forget to
leave a like if you enjoyed this video, and comment down below to join in the discussion.
My name’s Zach, and I’ll be Vanishing Underground, until the next one.