Related railways

• Canadian Pacific Railway
• Grand Trunk Railway
• Guelph Junction Railway

The Guelph Junction Railway was established in 1884 by Guelph business leaders and the city of Guelph. Following the loss of the Great Western Railway, it began as an effort to attract more railways to the city. The plan was to lease it to Canadian Pacific Railway which had expanded into western Canada.

In 1904 the GJR formed the Guelph & Goderich Railway (GGR) which provided access to the nearby communities of Listowel, St. Mary's, Goderich and a couple of other communities. This provided the CPR with the impetus it needed to show more interest in the railway. They built separate stations in Guelph primarily as a convenience for passengers.

The first (CPR) station was established in the John Galt home, built in 1827, It was replaced by the CPR, also in 1911. At the CPR's insistence, the old building was removed from the property and then relocated to Riverside Park. There was no funding to maintain the building. Consequently it was badly vandalized and finally demolished in 1926.

The second CPR station was closed in 1960 and used by the Chamber of Commerce for a number of years afterwards. In 1983 it was disassembled and transported to Cambridge (Galt) for reconstruction and future use as a railway museum. The job has never been completed.

In 1996 the CPR declined to renew its lease. They left the area in 1997. The line is still owned by the city of Guelph and remains in operation by the Goderich and Exeter Railway.