The best roundhouse we have ever seen.

We went to Hanna to take a photo of their elevator but as we learned later, it has been torn down. While searhcing for it, Lee spotted what looked like a railway roundhouse. So, we drove back to get a closer look. At the visitor centre we stopped for lunch first and found out that the elevator had indeed been torn down and that the roundhouse could be visited. After an ice cream cone, we drove over to the roundhouse.

There were some vehicles there so we entered the building. It turns out the roundhouse is operated by a volunteer historical society who were there to set up for an event that day. Yes, the inside of the roundhouse is used for parties, concerts, weddings, etc. The inside is both creepy at first and amazing to see. The soot stains from the locomotives are still on the ceiling (it was only used to service coal fueled locomotives from 1916 to 1961). They told us that it originally had 15 bays, but the far end five had collapsed some time ago, so the main building has ten bays, with all but one having had their pits filled in. Even the turntable outside used to move locomotives to their assigned bay still works. What a great experience.

Having grown up (early years) across the street from railyway tracks coming out of the Imperial Oil Refinery in Regina, the memories of the old puffer bellies was a great step back in time. As I write yesterday's blog, I'm still smiling as I think of all the old steam engine trains and what a busy huge roundhouse that would have been.