The three steam locomotives, Samson, Hercules, and John Buddle, that were to provide motive power for the Albion Rail Road (always spelled in old documents as three separate words) arrived at Pictou on board the brig Ythan of Newcastle. H.B. Jefferson: "They were built in 1838 by Timothy Hackworth, today becoming recognized as a greater locomotive genius than better publicized George Stephenson. The formal opening ceremony for the Albion Rail Road took place in Stellarton on this day. The ceremony was premature, in that only 2.5 miles of the railway had been built; this was less than half of the complete railway which was to be 6 miles 403 feet 9.78 kilometres in length. H.B. Jefferson wrote: "The great celebration at Mount Rundell (the General Manager's house on Foord Street in Stellarton) on that date has often been described, with its roast whole ox barbecue, its casks of rum and ale placed on convenient saw horses about the grounds for the edification of the proletariat, and its 'initial running of the locomotive carriages', when John Buddle and Hercules, in that order, made two round trips over the line, each hauling 35 cars and 700 passengers." Samson was held in reserve, and did not run that day. From The Yarmouth Herald of 27 September 1839: The Pictou County Rail Road � The portion of this work reaching from the mines (Stellarton) to New Glasgow � a distance of about two miles three kilometres � has been completed, and steam Locomotives with their trains were to be run on it on the 19th of this month. This, we believe, is the first piece of Railroad, traversed by steam power, ever opened in a British Colony � and the event is certainly one of much interest. The Mechanic and Farmer of the 18th says:� To commemorate the event, it is to be held as a gala day at the Mines. The different Companies under the command of their respective captains, plan walking in procession with suitable emblems; and we believe that no expense will be spared by the Agent of the General Mining Association to render the spectacle as imposing as possible, and to infuse hilarity and animation in the bosom of the immense concourse of spectators who will attend to witness the exhibition. Both steam locomotives will be in town at half-past seven o'clock a.m., for the gratuitous accomodation (free rides) of the onlookers. The Volunteer Artillery Company will also attend to enliven the scene. 1840 May 14 First Trains to Dunbar's Point The first trains run over the whole length of the Albion Rail Road, from Albion Mines (Stellarton) to Dunbar's Point, Abercrombie, in Pictou County. 1845 December 4 Meeting to Discuss the Halifax - Windsor Railway "In spite of stormy weather and almost impassable roads, over 150 inhabitants consisting of members of the Legislative Assembly, clergy, magistrates, and the more weighty and influential freeholders of Windsor and its vicinity" gathered in Windsor on Saturday, 4 December 1845, to discuss transporation in general and, in particular, a railway between Halifax and Windsor. The tollkeeper of the Avon River Bridge at Windsor entered the discussion and produced figures on the amount of traffic passing to and from the western counties: 20/07/02 3:41:20 PM
