Dunrobin to Return Home

After more than forty years in Canada, Fort Steele's 1895 vintage Scottish locomotive Dunrobin is returning home to the UK. Originally built for a private railway owned by the Earl of Sutherland, it has been acquired by the Beamish Museum located near the Scottish border in the North East of England.

Dunrobin and its small four wheeled coach came to Fort Steele in 1967 after the BC Government purchased them from a businessman in Victoria. It pulled visitors around the park railway for a number of years until it was relegated to standby service with the arrival of Shay No. 115, and in turn by No. 1077, both of which are larger and more representative of locomotives used in BC. Dunrobin continued to be used until 2005 when it finally reached the point that major repairs could no longer be postponed. Unable to fund such a major expenditure and faced with the task of keeping locomotive No. 1077 running, the Friends of Fort Steele Board determined that it would be better to find a responsible purchaser for Dunrobin than to leave it stored out of public view.

Numerous enquiries eventually lead to a proposal by the Beamish Museum. The museum had been searching for a small passenger locomotive and were very excited at the prospect of acquiring Dunrobin. The offer included the small four wheel coach which originally accompanied Dunrobin to Canada and had also served on the Earl of Suther'and's private railway.

Too fragile for regular service, the small coach has seen little use at Fort Steele and for many years has languished in the back of the engine shed. Despite being kept undercover, its wood paneling has suffered under the dry East Kootenay climate and its future would be more assured if it were to accompany Dunrobin to the UK.

Dunrobin and its small coach were both property of the Governement of BC, and ownership had to be transferred to the Friends of Fort Steele before the sale to Beamish could be finalized. Having verified that neither vehicle had historical significance to BC, the transfer was approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Investment on November 23, 2010. Once Dunrobin and its coach have been prepared for shipment, it is expected they will be trucked to Halifax for ongoing transfer by sea. Proceeds from the $160,000 sale will be used for continued restoration of locomotive No. 1077 and other improvements necessary to keep Fort Steele's steam railway in operation.

Closing the chapter of Dunrobin's time in Canada opens a new one for its return to the UK. "While we are sorry to see Dunrobin go, we are very pleased that it will be in good hands at the Beamish Museum where it will be restored to operating condition and appreciated as a valued addition to their heritage railway." said Bob Whetham, Friends of Fort Steele Secretary.

For more on this topic visit these media links:
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2084036
www.northern-times.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8095
www.dailybulletin.ca/article/20110120/KIMBERLEY0101/301209998/fort-steele-locomotive-heads-home
www.heritagetimes.co.uk/news/dunrobin-has-done-roaming-and-is-coming-home

Travelling Exhibit Opening Jan 29, 2011

Two Views: Photography by Ansel Adams and Leonard Frank
January 29th - April 23, 2011. Open Daily, 10am - 4pm. Admission is by donation.

Created by the Japanese Canadian National Museum in Burnaby, this temporary exhibit is an extensive collection of black and white photographs taken by Ansel Adams and Leonard Frank during the internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians in the early years of World War II. This wartime measure called into question the nature of civil rights, national identity, and nationalism, and had a lasting effect on generations to come. This exhibit is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase and reflect upon broader themes and different times in British Columbian history.

Join us for the Exhibit Grand Opening on Saturday, January 29th from 5pm - 7pm.

Fort Steele to receive $1.8 million from Province for Infrastructure

The Minister of Tourism, Trade, and Investment announced a $1.8 million grant to be spent over the next four years on upgrading infrastructure at Fort Steele Heritage Town. The funding will contribute to the upgrade of sewer, water, and fire suppression systems to safeguard health and safety, and to protect the irreplaceable artefacts. "Our historic buildings, structures, and cultural landscapes attract tourists from all over the world, creating jobs for British Columbians and supporting sustainable communities," siad Margaret MacDiarmid, Minister of Tourism, Trade, and Investment.

Visiting the Kootenay Alpine Cheese Co.

We visited the Kootenay Alpine Cheese Co. yesterday in Lister, BC. What a wonderful place set right beneath the mountains. We are happy to report that we will be selling their cheese right here at Fort Steele come next spring!. Visit their website in our links section for more information about their cheese and where to find them in the Creston Valley.

Historic Building Condition Assessment Updating

We have begun the process of updating condition assessments for the historic buildings at Fort Steele. Previous assessments took place in 1993 and 2006 (for most buildings) and it is time to take a closer look at each of them once again and update this important info. These reports form the basis of planning work that needs to be done, which of course leads to planning where the resources can come from to assist with completing work that needs to be done. Some work is small and quick to complete, other work are large scale projects to keep the conservation of the buildings on track. What is great about this process is it pulls together many of us and when we are present in the building together there is always a good possibility we'll learn something about the building that we never knew before. Love that! This week's work will begin on the Opera House and Masonic Lodge.

Sir Sam Steele Collection at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta holds a very significant collection of letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, and other items from Sir Sam Steele and his family. The collection is currently being processed and some is available online to view at this link. http://steele.library.ualberta.ca/?page_id=2. There is even a recipe for 'Johnny Cake' at this link, still a favourite for visitors at Fort Steele Heritage Town, where it is served with our own blend of cinnamon ice cream!

Heritage Christmas

The Christmas season begins November 1st with the opening of our Christams Gift Shop at the Fort Steele Mercantile. A festive season of family activities is planned, including sleigh rides (wagon rides if the snow eludes us!), showings of 'The Polar Express' holiday favourite (come in your pj's for this one and hold onto your ticket so the Conductor can help you aboard!), 'Christmas on the Town' (enjoy a holiday feast, then take a horse-drawn sleigh ride to the theatre for a special viewing of the film 'Joyeux Noel'. An ice rink will be built and maintained in the townsite as weather permits. Father Christmas will visit us as well so come and have your picture taken (furry friends welcome for pictures as well!). Check out our event listing link for dates and times for all our Christmas events.