Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Roundhouse, Railway roundhouse and national historic site in Victoria West, Canada.
The Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Roundhouse is a red brick building in Victoria that was constructed in the early 20th century as a maintenance center for steam locomotives. The structure contains ten repair stalls arranged in a circular pattern around a central turntable, along with workshops, boiler rooms, and auxiliary buildings.
The building was completed in 1913 and served for decades as the main maintenance hub for locomotives operating the Esquimalt-Nanaimo railway line. After World War II, the shift to diesel engines gradually reduced the facility's importance and eventually led to its closure as a working repair center.
The roundhouse was a gathering place for railway workers who maintained the locomotives that connected Vancouver Island communities for decades. The workshops and blacksmith areas show how industrial work was organized and valued in the early 20th century.
The site is best reached by car or city bus, as it sits in a less central area of Victoria. The original buildings are visible from outside, though tours or special arrangements may be needed to access interior spaces.
The central turntable was an innovative mechanical system that allowed heavy steam locomotives to be moved quickly between repair bays without requiring complex track layouts. This rotating mechanism still stands and demonstrates the engineering solutions that made railway maintenance efficient.
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