Text by James Bow
The transit vehicles of Toronto aren’t always just about moving passengers from home to work, school or shopping. Transit vehicles have been used to move Torontonians and tourists to see the special sights of the city. We already have an article about the BELT LINE TOUR TRAM, but the TTC, and its subsidiary Gray Coach, has operated special sight-seeing buses showing off the city. This article is not a definitive history of the TTC and other sightseeing operations, but here in this gallery, you can see some of the buses that have operated for pleasure, rather than business.
Toronto Tour Buses Image Archive
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Richard Glaze captured this image of TTC Canadian Car & Foundry CD-44A "Brill" bus #1935 heading westbound on Austin Terrace on a charter organized a charter organized by Steve Munro held on July 29, 1972. The rollsign recalls earlier CASA LOMA TOUR Gray Coach service. The iconic building is in the background. |
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In 1975, the TTC invested in a double-decker bus, numbered DD11, which they used in a companion tour service to the BELT LINE tour tram. This poster advertised the services. Image courtesy Bill Robb. |
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The inside of a pamphlet advertising the TTC's double-decker tour bus service for the 1975 season. Photo courtesy Bill Robb. |
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The other side of the TTC's pamphlet advertising its BELT LINE tour tram and double-decker tour bus services, including a map, for the 1975 season. Image courtesy Bill Robb. |
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GO GM New Look bus #1097 lays over on York Street, just north of Richmond in sightseeing service. This photo was taken circa June 1976 by Richard Glaze. |
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In the mid-1970s, a local company operated ex-London Transport double-deckers for local tours of downtown Toronto. This photo by Mitchell Libby shows one of the tour buses emerging from Yorkville Avenue at Bay Street in May 1976. |
