Exploring the Western Development Museum, Canada

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By James Clark:
I have just visited the Western Development Museum at Saskatoon in Canada and was amazed how many early vehicles they had in their collection, which became clear when I found out they started to collect vehicles for the museum way back in 1946. Which has enabled them to find some great-unrestored cars and preserve them for the future.

One such car was a 1912 Peerless 36, having only covered less than 100miles since new as it was found in a local garage in 1948 after years of storage due to the original sale falling through in Alberta, fitted with a 6 cylinder 9.4 litre engine.

Close by was a 1904 right hand drive Cadillac showing lovely patina, single cylinder 2-speed model that spent its early years in Moose Jaw.

The Museum also looks at the developments over the years in transport and one of these was the experiment of using gas from corn to power vehicles. One example was shown on a Canadian built McLaughlin Model E35 car with the gas storage supported above.  Another form of power shown was in the form of a 1926 Brook Steam car built in Canada and 1 of 180 built Ontario, along side this was a 1912 Rauch & Lang Electric car, which has spent all its life in Saskatoon having been originally purchased by an estate pioneer for his wife.

The museum is well laid out and starts with a typical Canadian street scene from around 1911 complete with period garage. So the next time you visit Canada, you know where to go.

Words and pictures: James Clark

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