This photo featuring streetcar No.153 shows a meeting of the old and the new.
In 1947 a transit campaign called "Rails to Rubber" was launched with the goal of "modernizing" the entire transit system by converting from streetcars to buses.
Most of the old streetcars were scrapped or burned and such was to be the fate of No.153. The 39-foot car, which had its first run on Feb. 28, 1908, was "decommissioned, repurposed, sold, abandoned, chopped up and abused".
But now, thanks to a series of fortunate events and some dedicated transit hobbyists and preservationists, No. 153 is back and soon to be on display in all of its glory.
West Coast Railway Association is completing the restoration of the 112-year-old streetcar No.153 for installation in the new NVMA Museum.
Located at 115 West Esplanade, in a City-owned amenity space, the purpose-built museum is in the heart of Lower Lonsdale's new Shipyards District and is slated to open late 2020.
The Time Traveller feature offers a weekly glimpse into the North Shore's past, courtesy of North Vancouver Museum and Archives.
Want to know more about the history of the North Shore? Visit nvma.ca or drop into the Archives of North Vancouver at 3203 Institute Rd. in Lynn Valley.
