Archives Acquires Ken Verrell Collection

Are you a railway enthusiast?

We are currently processing the collection of the late Ken Verrell and have recently added over 1500 photographs of trains and locomotives to our online database. This includes images from over 50 railway lines, including the major lines that ran through Elgin County. This assortment of photographs illustrates the evolution of railway technology, from early steam engines, to electrified, diesel and high-speed rail.

Ken was an active member of his community his entire life and has left a lasting impact in his extensive collection, which has both local and national significance. There are several thousand items in the collection, including photographs, correspondence, lease agreements, maps, plans and drawings . Taken together, these records provide insight into the day-to-day interactions between local businesses, residents and the railway companies that were present in the county throughout its history. These records also increase our understanding of the county’s economic development over time and document changes in the county’s built environment as a result of the development of railway in the area. The collection is undoubtedly invaluable to railway researchers, and significantly contributes to the local historic record.

Please stay tuned as we continue to process the collection and add more records to our database! In the meantime, feel free to browse the processed photographs using the search term “Ken Verrell Collection” in our online database: https://inmagic.elgin.ca/ask/