The FVHRS formed in 2001 under the advisory of the city of Surrey with a mission to acquire, restore, and operate BCER interurban cars.[3][4][5]
A reproduction of the original BCER Sullivan Station was constructed on the line in 2001. This station was the headquarters of operations and used to store rolling stock from 2001 until 2012.[6][7][8]
In 2004, the FVHRS agreed to purchase BCER interurban car 1225 from the Southern California Railroad Museum, who had bought the decommissioned car from the BCER in 1958. The car was transferred to Canada in 2005.[9][10]
Cloverdale Station platform, the headquarters of the FVHRS.
The FVHRS relocated to the site of the old Cloverdale Station in 2013 after construction of a replica depot was completed in addition to a carbarn. The heritage streetcar system began operation in June 2013 with seasonal return service from Cloverdale to Sullivan station.[1][2][11][12]
From 2013 to 2022, the FVHRS had an agreement with the city of Surrey to run the heritage line from Cloverdale to Sullivan. This agreement was not extended in 2023 and thus the Cloverdale to Sullivan excursion had to be cancelled for the 2023 season. In its stead, the FVHRS launched the new "Heritage Railway Adventure" where guests get to experience riding on a variety of the organizations rolling stock.[16][17]
In the new excursion, guests ride interurban car 1225 for 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi), then take the speeders on a similar route. A video is then played about the history of the BCER on car 1207 and the tour ends with a ride on a velocipede.[16]
In September 2024, an agreement was reached with Southern Railway of British Columbia and BC Hydro to resume service for 5 years between the Cloverdale and Sullivan stations. Approval was required from the two organizations as SRY owns the freight rights on the old BCER track and BC Hydro owns the passenger rights. The restored line can be ridden as part of the 55-minute Sullivan Excursion.[18][19]
Sullivan Station, the first station replica created and former HQ of the FVHRS.
The heritage line is 7.4 kilometres (4.6 mi) long, using only a small fraction of the original 120-kilometre (75 mi) interurban line of the BC Electric Railway that connected Vancouver to Chilliwack.[11]
One of two operational interurbans is run seasonally on weekends, from stations at Cloverdale to Sullivan.[20]
Advocates throughout the Fraser Valley have proposed reviving regional rail along the old BCER tracks. The FVHRS aims to extend the current line to connect to Scott Road Skytrain Station, and is exploring the possibility of converting its trains to be hydrogen powered.[21][22][23]
^ abJennifer Lang (June 19, 2013). "Full throttle for rail revival in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. Archived from the original on April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014. The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society is set to launch weekend runs on the original Interurban passenger rail line from Cloverdale to Sullivan return starting this Sunday.
^ ab
John Buker (June 27, 2013). "Old interurban sparks interest in rail for the Fraser Valley". CKWX News1130. Archived from the original on 2014-04-02. Last weekend, the old interurban electric started rolling the rails again between Cloverdale and Sullivan in Surrey, a heritage project with service on weekends that aims to expand to Scott Road and possibly east into the Valley.
^Bryan, Liz (2011). Country Roads of Western BC: From the Fraser Valley to the Islands. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. 27. ISBN978-1-926613-94-9.
^"Heritage rail station nears completion in Cloverdale". Cloverdale Reporter. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2014. A slice of railway history is coming to life at the foot of 176A Street, where a faithful replica of the original B.C. Electric Railway station that acted as a bustling commuter passenger hub for decades is nearly complete.
