Step back in history with Cloverdale’s heritage railway

Cloverdale’s heritage railway is getting ready to open for 2025.

In roughly six weeks, the Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society is set to welcome back rail-goers for their 24th season.

“The big news for 2025 will be our preparations to offer a full year of activities and special events again,” says Allen Aubert, society secretary. “Following a several-year pause, our wonderful Halloween Monster Express and of course in December our well loved Electric Express” are returning.

Heritage Rail faced several instances of adversity over the past few years, from getting shut down in COVID, to losing their insurance coverage for some of their buildings, to not being able to run trains on the mainline up to Sullivan Station in Sullivan Park for nearly all of 2024, there were many uncertain days and months for the volunteer-run, non-profit organization.

But despite all that, “the Jewel of Surrey” will be fully operational in 2025.

“We will be operating BCER 1225 on the Sullivan Excursion and BCER 1231 on the Heritage Railway Adventure,” Aubert explains, referring to the names of the restored B.C. Electric Railway cars. “We are working hard to complete the certification of BCER 1231 to operate on the Sullivan Excursion and, from time to time, to operate BCER 1225 and 1231 together as two-car consist.”

He notes the platform at Cloverdale Station was doubled a few years ago to prepare for the eventual two-car train runs Heritage Rail wants to send out to Sullivan Station. The addition could double the amount of riders that could visit the rail yard.

“We also anticipate that, from time to time, we will be able to offer one of the cars in the two-car consist to groups interested in reserving the whole car for a special event,” Aubert adds.

Gates will open on May 3 for the 2025 season with entertainment on the platform at Cloverdale Station over the course of opening weekend.

“There will be special musical entertainment to launch each of our heritage railway experiences,” Aubert says. “It officially starts Saturday (May 3) with the start of the Heritage Railway ‘Ride Everything’ experience that takes place exclusively at the Cloverdale railway campus. Sunday (May 4) is the start of the Sullivan Excursion.”

Both experiences will run every weekend until the end of September.

Aubert notes the Cloverdale Station Summer Music Festival returns June 28 and will go until Aug. 31, with different performances on the station platform, rain or shine, each Saturday and Sunday over the late spring and summer.

“The 2024 music festival was a great success,” Aubert adds. “We expect to welcome several new performers (this year.)”

Aubert said Heritage Rail volunteers are working on plans to celebrate the railway’s 25th anniversary in 2026 with several legacy projects currently being taken into consideration.

The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society operates the railway out of Cloverdale Station and the Restoration Car Barn at Highway 10 and 176A Street, in Surrey – which they now call the Cloverdale Heritage Railway Campus.

For more information, or to get tickets for 2025, visit fvhrs.org.