The real story behind the title 'Queen Elizabeth II' - relates to a train going through Burlington

By Pepper Parr

October 16th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Alan Harrington is an accountant, sometimes called a number cruncher, which isn’t really accurate either.

Harrington has a thing about dates, which are numbers.

He revels in dates that don’t mean a thing to most people.

Take last Thursday – for Harrington it was important because 70 years ago on that date Princess Elizabeth was in Burlington.  True!

Take the following with a grain of salt!

“October 1951: HRH Princess Elizabeth and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh arrive in Toronto to ride a ten-car Royal train made up of equipment provided by CN and CP.

“It included two government cars used by Elizabeth’s parents on the 1939 Royal Tour; the train was powered by CN Northern No. 6401.

“It departed Toronto for Niagara Falls early on the morning of October 14 most likely passing through Burlington. “I have vivid memories of my journey across the country in 1951,” she said of the trip.”

“OK she was only a princess at the time – and she was riding westbound at high speed past the station – at about 7:00 am so she probably didn’t even see it through her royal passenger car window.

“If she was looking – she would have seen a Union Jack Flag hanging there for her.

“Less than four months later, upon the death of her father King George VI, the princess became Queen Elizabeth II.

The Princess with her husband Duke of Edinburgh – were they stopped in Burlington?

“But “that second” at the Station must have been so dear to her – that even to this day – she still calls herself Queen Elizabeth “the Second”

The above was a “humorous” email to the members of the Freeman Station. The G&M newspaper is obviously photo shopped.

It is true the princess was in town on that day and many people showed up to see the train – but it sped past without slowing and all the curtains were drawn and people left disappointed.

That original Union Jack flag from the Station is STILL around and currently on display in the Fort Macleod museum in Alberta !!

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