The Railway History of Wainwright by Don McGuire

 George VI Royal Tour

In May of 1939 the Station was given a fresh coat of paint in preparation for the Royal Visit. A large crowd turned out at the Station on May 31, 1939 to see C.N.R. locomotive #6047 as it traveled westward to Vancouver. This locomotive would have the honor of pulling the Royal Train on the eastward portion of the Royal Tour. (The Westward Royal Train traveled on Canadian Pacific trackage pulled by their 2860 Class “Royal Hudson”).

6047 glistened in royal blue paint with gold lettering. It wore the Royal Coat of Arms under the headlight and had Crowns emblazoned in gold on the sides of the cab. A wide stripe of royal blue ran the full length of the running boards along the side of the boiler.

Thirty minutes earlier, the locomotive that would pull the pilot train also paused at Wainwright for a crew change. Its decor was confined to purple bunting around the cab. The pilot locomotive on this occasion pulled two cabooses, while 6047 pulled several baggage cars and a private car. Mr. J. Kyle, now General Superintendent of Motive Power for the Western Region, and a party of mechanical staff occupied the private car. Engineer McKay brought 6047 in from Biggar, and Engineer Shea took it to Edmonton.

All railway staff involved with the handling of the Royal Train were given complete security checks and then received special uniforms to be worn on the day of the royal visit. Each uniform consisted of a royal blue overall and a cap. All cleared employees wore numbered armbands.

On June 3, 1939, 15,000 people welcomed the Royal Couple, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, to Wainwright. Mayor Dr. J.G. Middlemass and Mrs. Middlemass met them on the platform. The King gave a short speech during the stop.

  • — Sources —

  • Gilt Edge Ladies Booster Club
    • “Wainwright, Buffalo Trails and Tales”
    • Gilt Edge Ladies Booster Club, 1973.
  • The Wainwright Star
  • The Wainwright Star Chronicle

Compiled by Don McGuire during the period from 1990 to 2004 from sources in the Wainwright District Museum. Portions of this work have appeared in the “Wainwright Review,” and in the WRP Society periodical, “The Crossbuck.”