CNR Norwich

Station Name: Norwich, a.k.a. Norwich (GB&LE)
Subdivision: Otterville
Mileage: 4.06
Station Symbols: W
Train Order: D
Office Signals: NR
Sidings: Yard
  • East: M3.86 to M4.04
  • West: M3.91 to M4.14
    Other Tracks: Yard
    • Borden Milk Co.: S.X (M3.97 off west siding)
    • Lumber Yard, Texaco Oil, Butler Feed & Coal Co.: S.X (M3.97 off east siding)
    • Coal Shed: N.X (M4.17)
    • Norwich Co-op Warehouse: N.X (M4.19)
    Location Main Street West
    Norwich
    (Oxford County, North Norwich Township)
    Date Event
    1875-08-27 PD&LHR opens to Norwich[The Daily Globe (Toronto), Thursday August 28, 1875, p. 8].
    1911-07-28 BRC authorizes GTR to build siding into premises of C. C. Morrison[BRC Order No. 14426].
    1911-11-30 BRC approves location of GTR station at Norwich[BRC Order No. 22932].
    1915-05-31 GTR authorized to build siding for West, Taylor, Bickle & Co. approved[BRC Order No. 23785].
    1915-08-17 GTR authorized to extend spur for Borden Milk Co. at Norwich[BRC Order No. 24093].
    1915-09-07 Clearances at siding for West, Taylor, Bickle & Co. approved[BRC Order No. 24154].
    1930-10-01/1932-09-30 CNR records the following carloads to and from Norwich as part of its Study of Unprofitable Lines.
    • Inbound: 36
      • Apples: Simcoe 9, Clinton 1, Forest 1, Mt. Brydges 2, Vittoria 1, Dutton 1, Thedford 2, Strathroy 1
      • Asphalt: Sarnia 1
      • Ammonia: Hamilton 1
      • Broom Corn: U.S. Points 24
      • Broom Handles: Tweed 1, Orillia 4
      • Barley: Goderich 1, Sarnia 3, Pt. Colborne 1
      • Briquettes: Lykens PA 4
      • Barrels: Sarnia 1, Montréal 3, London 1, Windsor 2
      • Coal: Erieau 10, Ribb AB 1, Pt. Colborne 11, London 1, U.S. Points 105
      • Corn: London 1, Toronto 5, Wildwood PA 1, Halifax 1
      • Cyanide: Niagara Falls 2
      • Cattle: Toronto 1
      • Feed: Woodstock 3
      • Fertilizer: U.S. Points 4, Kitchener 1, Hamilton 3, Chatham 1
      • Gasoline: Sarnia 27
      • Hardware: Toronto 1
      • Horses: Simcoe 1, Grenville 1
      • Household Goods: Kingsville 1
      • Machinery: Montréal 1, Woodstock 19, Boston 1
      • Milk: Ingersoll 9
      • Manure: Wichita KS 1
      • Manure Salts: Locust Point MD 1
      • Oil: Sarnia 4
      • Oyster Shell: U.S. Points 2
      • Oats: Goderich 1
      • Phosphate Rock: Black Rock 12
      • Poles: Sherwood 1, Echo Bay 1, Redwater 2, Cobalt 1, Foleyet 1
      • Potatoes: Woodstock 1
      • Potash: Locust Summit MD 1
      • Posts: Allenford 1
      • Stone: Dundas 25, Ingersoll 7
      • Sugar: Wallaceburg 2, Chatham 2
      • Salt: Sarnia 2, Walkerville 3
      • Sulphate: Hamilton 3
      • Soda: Canton 2
      • Shingles: Vancouver 1
      • Wire: Brockville 1
    • Outbound: 85
      • Apples: Brantford 1, Ottawa 2
      • Brooms: Winnipeg 7, Montréal 6, Sorel 3
      • Fertilizer: Winona 2, Brantford 2, Sarnia 1, Jordan 2, Port Rowan 2, Gowanstown 1, Eden 2, St. Catherines 2, Vittoria 1, Thornton 1
      • Livestock: Hanmer 2, Toronto 2, Montréal 2
      • Lumber: Toronto 2, Oshawa 6
      • Milk: Montréal 35, Toronto 20, Ottawa 5, Winnipeg 7, Vancouver 5, Hamilton 5, Windsor 3, Ingersoll 8, Edmonton 1, Saskatoon 2, Lindsay 1, Québec 1
      • Vinegar: Charolettetown 1, Sarnia 1, Montréal 6, Winnipeg 7, Owen Sound 3
    [NAC RG30 Vol. 10120 File 6340-29]
    1934c

    Norwich Norwich is located one mile from Norwich Junction, and latter station is served by wayfreight service, Brantford to Tillsonburg, and presume said station would not be affected as very valuable high-class traffic is received and forwarded. Norwich is practically the distributing centre for the immediate vicinity, and some well established plants are operated. Following are the firms or industries located at Norwich with commodities handled:

    Imperial Oil Limited Gasoline and oil ex Sarnia, Hamilton.
    Canada Vinegar Company Vinegar, outbound to Western Canada.
    West, Taylor & Bickle Co. Brooms outbound, Broom corn inbound.
    Bordens Limited Outbound canned goods to Northern Ontario, Canadian Northwest and Eastern Canada. Served by private siding.
    Norwich Farmers' Cooperative Inbound fertilizer ex Hamilton, Ingersoll; coal, coke ex Hamilton, Black Rock, Detroit; feeds ex Toronto, Served by private siding.

    Forwarded tonnage as follows:

    Grain 58 tons
    Canned Goods 1630 tons
    Livestock 102 tons
    Lumber 266 tons
    Vinegar 155 tons
    Brooms 150 tons
    Fertilizer 347 tons
    Miscellaneous 497 tons 3205 tons

    We can expect violent protest from industries at Norwich if such station was abandoned; however, the section of line, Woodstock South to Town limits of Norwich is not of sufficient importance to warrant continuation of train service, but as previously mentioned, this section is part of the through Otterville Subdivision Stratford to Port Dover, and in any thought of abandonment, this section could not be removed without breaking the through connection which would involve a general revision of the entire branch service.

    There is no industrial development in this section, and highway service could be established in the serving of Burgessville and Currie, either from Woodstock or Norwich; distance Burgessville to Norwich 3.6 miles and Burgessville to Woodstock 9.2 miles. Some thought would have to be given to the handling of coal and possibly lumber, however, the balance of the commodities could be handled by a transport.

    We have lost extensively at Norwich to motor truck competition; vinegar to the extent of one hundred cars per annum is being trucked to wholesale houses in Ontario as well as the apples inbound for the manufacture of vinegar. We also lose to quite an extent in condensed milk from Bordens Limited plant, canned goods to Toronto, Hamilton, etc..

    [NAC RG30 Vol. 10120 File 6340-29]
    Date Image Notes
    n.d.
    N&DA 2766.056
    Postcard view of the east (track) and north elevations of Borden Milk Company plant at Norwich, which was located across the tracks from the depot.
    n.d.
    N&DA 2768.041
    West elevation of Borden Milk Company.
    1915c
    N&DA 2766.024
    South and west (track) elevations of Norwich station in the GTR era.
    1945-09-04 Image Not Available
    NAPL A9198-081
    Aerial photograph showing Norwich Junction, Norwich and Norwich East.