The Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Company was a major player in the mining industry of British Columbia from around 1899 until 1935. They operated copper mines and smelters originally at Grand Forks and later at Anyox. Both operations used extensive railway networks to convey ore from the mines to the smelters and to move the products within the smelters themselves.
The original operation operated mines at Phoenix, above the modern town of Greenwood in the Boundary Country. These mines operated both 36″ gauge railways on the surface and 20″ gauge railways underground. The mines were connected to a smelter in Grand Forks by both the C.P. and the G.N. railways. The smelter had a network of 36″ gauge railways for the slag cars and other movements within the plant. These operations started with open pit mines and underground operations at Phoenix in 1903, followed by a switch to strictly underground operations from 1907-1913, followed by a large open pit mine cleaning up the overburden and boring down into the support structures of the mine from 1914-1919. Both the Phoenix Mine and the Grand Forks Smelter were closed in 1919 and dismantled.
In 1913 railway construction started at the new minesite at Anyox. Constructed entirely for the company, Anyox was a modern corporate town. The mines operated a few miles up the creek while the smelter was at tidewater, with a large hydroelectric dam between. This operation continued in service until 1935. Smaller mines were operated in the surrounding area producing quartz for flux and limestone for the smelter. Coal was produced at the company’s mine near Cassidy on Vancouver Island. Other ore bodies were also mined in smaller amounts on Texada Island. The Anyox site was destroyed by a forest fire in 1923, rebuilt and then operated until 1935 when the Depression caused their operation to become unprofitable; in 1935 there were 45,000 tons of refined copper sitting on their docks (three years production); the company could not afford to keep operating without sales and scrapped the operation.
The company operated several steam locomotives. Two of these were initially used in Grand Forks around the smelter and two others in open pit and surface operations in Phoenix. They were later transferred to Anyox where they were used for construction and utility duties.
- Granby #1, Davenport CN 71, 0-4-0ST (9×14+29″), 15 tons, 36″ Gauge, 10/1903
Supplied by Canadian Rand Drill Company
Operated at Phoenix 1903-1907 at open-pit quarry and #1 Level
Operated at unknown level 1907-1912
Transferred to Anyox circa 1912
Reportedly sold circa 1915 to Cornell Iron Mine Tramway, Texada Island, BC - Granby #2, Davenport CN 72, 0-4-0ST (9×14+29″), 15 tons, 36″ Gauge, 10/1903
Supplied by Canadian Rand Drill Company
Operated at Phoenix 1903-1907 at open-pit quarry and #2 Level
Operated at #2 level hauling 10-ton ore cars from underground to rock breaker
1907-1912
Transferred to Anyox circa 1912
Possibly abandoned at Anyox - Granby #2, Baldwin CN 42397, 0-4-0ST (8×12+26″), 8.5 tons, 36″ Gauge, 9/1915
Operated at Phoenix 1915-1919
Sold or scrapped circa 1919?
Short cab and stack to fit in 5′ x 5′ tunnel. - Granby #3, Baldwin CN 43500, 0-4-0ST (8×12+26″), 8.5 tons, 36″ Gauge, 6/1916
Operated at Phoenix 1915-1919
Sold or scrapped circa 1919?
Short cab and stack to fit in 5′ x 5′ tunnel. - Granby #3, Davenport CN 75, 0-4-0ST (9×14+29″), 15 tons, 36″ Gauge, 11/1903
Supplied by Canadian Rand Drill Company
Operated at Phoenix 1905-1907 at open-pit quarry and #2 Level
Operated at #2 level hauling 10-ton ore cars from underground to rock breaker
1907-1912
Transferred to Anyox circa 1912
Leased to Dolly Varden Mines Railway 1918-1919
NOTE: #3 is identifiable in most photographs by its lack of a rear sand dome - Granby #4, Davenport CN 126, 0-4-0ST (9×14+29″), 15 tons, 36″ Gauge, 3/1905
Operated at Grand Forks 1903-1914 at smelter, hauling 6-ton slag cars
Transferred to Anyox circa 1912
Possibly abandoned at Anyox
- Granby #5, ALCO (Cooke) CN 55418, 0-6-0ST (13×18+??”), 34 tons, 36″ Gauge, 11/1915
Operated at Anyox 1915-?? - Granby #(5), Porter CN 4996, 0-4-0ST (10×16+30″), 18.5 tons, 36″ Gauge, 11/1911
Originally built for C.W. Werdenhoff (Contractor of Minneapolis, MN)
Used to construct parts of the Kettle Valley Railway 1912-1916
Purchased by Taylor Engineering for Dolly Varden Mines Railway 1917
Sold to Dolly Varden Mines Railway 1919
Purchased by Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Co. 1924
Transferred to Anyox circa 1924 - Granby #6, Porter CN 4997, 0-4-0ST (10×16+30″), 18.5 tons, 36″ Gauge, 11/1911
Originally built for C.W. Werdenhoff (Contractor of Minneapolis, MN)
Used to construct parts of the Kettle Valley Railway 1912-1916
Purchased by Taylor Engineering for Dolly Varden Mines Railway 1917
Sold to Dolly Varden Mines Railway 1919
Purchased by Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Co. 1924
Stored at Alice Arm 1921-1924
Operated by Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Co. for logging operations at Alice Arm 1924-1925
Leased to F.L. Housely Logging Company 1926-1927 - Granby #7, Climax CN 1543, Class B-30 (11×12+30″), 30 tons, 36″ Gauge, 9/1919
Originally built for Dolly Varden Mines Railway
Leased by Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Co. for logging operations at Alice Arm 1924-1925
The steam locomotives can be seen in the following photographs:
- Five steam locomotives and two B-B electric locomotives can be seen here. The two electric locomotives are both lettered “Granby R.R.”, but differently with the road number above on one and below on the other.
- One of the Davenport Locomotives operating in the quarry can be seen here.
- One of the Porter locomotives (probably #6) can be seen on the logging railway at Alice Arm here. The skeleton log cars are identical to those provided to the Swayne Lumber Company in California by Pacific Car & Foundry.
- Locomotive #5 is seen here, lettered for “Granby Company”.
- One of the steam locomotives can be seen here.
- Several photographs of an abandoned Davenport locomotive can be seen here. All that is certain is that it is unlikely to be #3, as it has the rear sand dome.
- A Baldwin locomotive built to mine clearance specifications is seen here. This photo is of the loading level on Level 2, with Level 1 and the former pit visible up the hill from the locomotive. Note also the hurricane lantern used as a rear headlight.
Two other steam locomotives are mentioned as working at the Grand Forks Smelter. These are referred to as “Canadian Rand Company” locomotives of “12×14” size. Canadian Rand was a representative for H.K. Porter at this time. The closest potential candidates are a pair of 7×12 Compressed Air locomotives sold by Canadian Rand in 1909 (CN 4475 and 4476) or perhaps the two Porter locomotives mentioned above which may have come into Granby’s possession earlier than thought.
The Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Company also operated several gasoline-powered locomotives:
- Granby #?, ?, 0-4-0GM, 3.5 tons, 24″ Gauge, 1916
Operated at Swamp Point Limestone Quarry with 4-ton ore cars, 0.5 miles of track - Granby #?, ?, 0-4-0GM, 7 tons, 24″ or 36″ Gauge, 1916
Operated at Maple Bay Limestone Quarry with 4-ton ore cars, 1 mile of track
At least one of these locomotives was this unit:
- Granby #1, Baldwin CN 40811, 0-4-0 G/M, 35 HP, 36″ Gauge, 11/1913
Despite the steam and gasoline locomotives indicated above, the primary motive power for the Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power company was overhead electricity, a common commodity as electric power was required for their smelting operations. The locomotives used on the electric railways were of several gauges and application.
Using 20 inch gauge, in the mines at Phoenix:
- Granby #1, Baldwin CN 24923, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 20″ Gauge, 12/1904
Used at Phoenix in #3 or #4 Tunnel 1904- - Granby #2, Baldwin CN 24924, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 20″ Gauge, 12/1904
Used at Phoenix in #3 or #4 Tunnel 1904- - Granby #3, Baldwin CN 25490, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 20″ Gauge, 4/1905
Used at Phoenix 1905- - Granby #4, Baldwin CN 26991, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 20″ Gauge, 12/1905
Used at Phoenix 1905- - Granby #5, Baldwin CN 26992, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 20″ Gauge, 12/1905
Used at Phoenix 1905- - Granby #10, Baldwin CN 29047, 0-4-0 O/H, 16 HP, 20″ Gauge, 9/1906
Used at Phoenix 1906- - Granby #9, Baldwin CN 29170, 0-4-0 O/H, 30 HP, 20″ Gauge, 10/1906
Used at Phoenix 1906- - Granby #10, Baldwin CN 29171, 0-4-0 O/H, 30 HP, 20″ Gauge, 10/1906
Used at Phoenix 1906-
Using 22 inch gauge:
- Granby #5, Baldwin CN 25610, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 22″ Gauge, 5/1905
Using 36 inch gauge, in the Smelter at Grand Forks:
- Granby #6, Baldwin CN 24709, 0-4-0 O/H, 70 HP, 36″ Gauge, 9/1904
Used at Grand Forks Smelter for furnace charging, 1904-1919 - Granby #7, Baldwin CN 27176, 0-4-0 O/H, 70 HP, 36″ Gauge, 12/1905
Used at Grand Forks Smelter for furnace charging, 1904-1919
Using 36 inch gauge, in the open pit mine at Phoenix:
- Granby #13, Baldwin CN 41787, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 11/1914
Used in open-pit mining 1915-1919
Using 36 inch gauge, in Anyox:
- Granby #11E, Baldwin CN 39921, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 6/1913
- Granby #12E, Baldwin CN 39922, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 6/1913
- Granby #23E, Baldwin CN 43687, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 7/1916
Used at Anyox Smelter for Furnace Charging 1916- - Granby #24E, Baldwin CN 43688, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 7/1916
Used at Anyox Smelter for Furnace Charging 1916- - Granby #6E, Baldwin CN 48864, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 36″ Gauge, 6/1918
Used at Anyox (Hidden Creek Mine) 1918-
Replaced previous 24″ Gauge - Granby #1E, Baldwin CN 50625, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 36″ Gauge, 11/1918
Used at Anyox (Hidden Creek Mine) 1918-
Replaced previous 24″ Gauge, 2nd #1E - Granby #2E, Baldwin CN 50626, 0-4-0 O/H, 20 HP, 36″ Gauge, 11/1918
Used at Anyox (Hidden Creek Mine) 1918-
Replaced previous 24″ Gauge, 2nd #2E - Granby #20E, Baldwin CN 39986, B-B O/H, 300 HP, 36″ Gauge, 6/1913
Delivered as Hidden Creek Copper Company #10
Re-Lettered as Granby #10
Re-Numbered as Granby #20 - Granby #21E, Baldwin CN 39987, B-B O/H, 300 HP, 36″ Gauge, 6/1913
Delivered as Hidden Creek Copper Company #11
Re-Lettered as Granby #11
Re-Numbered as Granby #21 - Granby #22E, Baldwin CN 44242, B-B O/H, 300 HP, 36″ Gauge, 10/1916
Delivered as Hidden Creek Copper Company #12
Re-Lettered as Granby #12
Re-Numbered as Granby #22
Photographs of the electric locomotives can be seen here:
- B-B unit #10 (#20E) is seen here, lettered for “Granby R.R.”
- B-B unit #10 (#20E) is seen here, lettered for “H.C.C. Co.”
- B-B unit #10 (#20E) is seen here, lettered for “H.C.C. Co.”
- B-B unti #11 (#21E) is seen here, lettered for “H.C.C. Co.”
- An underground unit is seen here operating at the 400-foot level. Whether this is the 40″ gauge unit in Phoenix or a 36″ gauge unit in Anyox is unclear.
- An 24″ Gauge underground unit is seen here operating at Anyox.
Using 24 inch gauge:
- Granby #1E, Baldwin CN 39429, 0-4-0 O/H, 30 HP, 24″ Gauge, 3/1913
Delivered as 20″ Gauge, converted to 24″ Gauge upon delivery
Transferred to Anyox 1913
Operated as Hidden Creek Copper Company #6
Converted to 36″ Gauge 1916
Sold or scrapped 1918 - Granby #2E, Baldwin CN 39623, 0-4-0 O/H, 50 HP, 24″ Gauge, 4/1913
Operated as Hidden Creek Copper Company #7
Converted to 36″ Gauge 1916
Sold or scrapped 1918 - Granby #3E, Baldwin CN 39624, 0-4-0 O/H, 50 HP, 24″ Gauge, 4/1913
Operated as Hidden Creek Copper Company #8
Sold or scrapped 1918 - Granby #4E, Baldwin CN 39625, 0-4-0 O/H, 50 HP, 24″ Gauge, 4/1913
Operated as Hidden Creek Copper Company #9
Sold or scrapped 1918 - Granby #5E, Baldwin CN 42058, 0-4-0 O/H, 50 HP, 24″ Gauge, 4/1915
Operated as Hidden Creek Copper Company #10
Sold or scrapped 1918
Using 40 inch gauge, location unknown:
- Granby #8, Baldwin CN 29045, 0-4-0 O/H, 100 HP, 40″ Gauge, 9/1906
The Granby company also operated a coal mine near Ladysmith to assure its Anyox smelter of a supply of good quality coal (the Grand Forks smelter had been plagued with coal supply problems due to labour action and other issues). This mine had a C.P.R. spur track from Cassidy Siding (near where the Country Kitchen Restaurant is located today) to their mines. Underground operations were reportedly operated by a pair of “Edison Battery Company” locomotives of unknown gauge (probably either 36″ or 42″ given photographs of their ore cars). This reference is early enough (1913) that the term could have been used generically to represent almost any Battery-Electric locomotive. It is likely that these were Baldwin units although no records have yet been found to confirm this.
The Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Company also operated several shovels in their operations:
- Granby #-, Thew Type 1 Steam Shovel, 1903
Purchased for Level #1 open pit mine
Converted from traction wheels to railroad wheels, 90″ Gauge
Retired 1907 as open pit was closed
Sold or scrapped unknown date
Sized to process 750 cubic yards per 10-hour shift - Granby #-, Thew Type 3 Steam Shovel, 1903
Purchased for Level #1 open pit mine
Converted from traction wheels to railroad wheels, 90″ Gauge
Retired 1907 as open pit was closed
Sold or scrapped unknown date
Sized to process 1500 cubic yards per 10-hour shift - Granby #-, Bucyrus or Marion Steam Shovel, 56.5″ Gauge
Leased circa 1903 from the C.P.R. for Level #2 open pit mine
Directly loading to C.P.R. cars, switched by C.P.R. locomotives
Returned to the C.P.R. unknown date - Granby #-, Bucyrus-Erie Electric Shovel Type 40-R, 56.5″ Gauge, 1914
Purchased as Phoenix upper mine levels were converted to open pit
Transferred to Anyox 1920
Sold or scrapped circa 1924
Thew shovels can be seen here.
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