As the Trail Pipe Band celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, the future looks bright with 12 pipers and seven drummers proudly playing for this iconic Trail band.
Photos provided by the Trail Historical Society
Trail Pipe Band
The Trail Pipe Band has played continuously under this name since the 1920’s when William McCleary of Nelson came to work at the foundry in the CM&S (now Teck Trail) central shops and congregated pipers and drummers from a variety of local bands to play together.
Playing in parades wearing personal gear of a mixture of kilts and trews; the first official uniform was white pants with a tartan stripe down the pant leg.
As the head of the foundry, Pipe Major McLeary had the original plaid broaches cast and finished in the shops.
In 1942, the band was measured, and purchased the pattern they wear today, modeled after the uniform of the Scots Guards: Royal Stuart tartan kilts and plaids; with green tunics for the pipers and red tunics for the drummers.
The band adopted feather bonnets in the early 1960’s for use with the formal uniform; and continued to use the Glengarry with a cock feather for the warm days of summer when they wear the white cotton shirts and ties.
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