Compiled by Pete Coulman

On September 1, 1963, the TTC restructured routes in Scarborough, providing through service on Lawrence Avenue with the 54 LAWRENCE EAST bus. This lopped off several branches that used to extend from various north-south services, including 15 BRIMLEY. The removal of BRIMLEY service on Lawrence and the extension of service up Brimley and McCowan caused the TTC to retire the 15 BRIMLEY and create a new route, 21 DANFORTH.

Sunday September 1,1963

Service starts on the Danforth bus, operated by the Danforth Division out of Birchmount Garage. Service operates on three branches:

• Progress, via Brimley: From Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road and Brimley Road, looping via west on Ellesmere, north on Midland, east on Progress and south on Brimley to route and return. This service operated Monday through Friday, during rush hours and midday. (Note: due to construction on Midland Avenue between Progress and Ellesmere, this route was temporarily detoured from Brimley and Ellesmere, continuing north on Brimley, west on Progress, south on Cosentino, wyeing in the intersection and returning over the reverse route.)

• Progress, via McCowan: From Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road and McCowans Road to Ellesmere Road, looping counterclockwise through the B.P. Gas Station on the south-east corner, entering off of McCowan Road and exiting onto Ellesmere. Service operates Monday through Friday, during rush hours and midday.

• Brimorton, via Brimley: At all other times, the two branches are merged to operate from Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road, and Brimley Road, looping via east on Brimorton, south on McCowans Road, west on Lawrence Avenue back to Brimley Road, and south on Brimley, returning to Luttrell over the reverse route.

Since this route operates entirely within Zone 2, the normal Pay-Enter-Free Leave system applies, with transfer privileges to all connecting routes in Zone 2.

Note the unusual arrangement for the TTC rollsigns:

Note: at least some of these buses were equipped with rollsigns that used “Ellesmere” instead of the lesser-known “Progress” destination, and they looked as follows:

October 7, 1965

The off-street looping via the B.P. Gas Station on the southeast corner is discontinued. Buses now loop via north on McCowan, east on Huronia Gate, north and east on Lynneford, north on Stoneton and west on Ellesmere to McCowan, returning south on McCowan to route.

February 26, 1966

New rollsigns added to some buses:

May 10, 1968

Last day of operation

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH subway to Warden station, service replaced by 21 BRIMLEY and 16 McCOWAN, operating out of Warden station, and by an extension of 9 BELLAMY operating out of Victoria Park station.

21 Danforth Image Archive

	TTC GM New Look 2986 poses at Birchmount Garage on May 30, 1966. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC GM New Look bus #3308, in service on 21A DANFORTH (the "Ellesmere-Luttrell via McCowan" branch) pulls into Luttrell loop while A8-class all-electric PCC #4456 pulls out in this 1966 shot by Anthony Holt. Image courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	Timetable of the 21 DANFORTH route, effective July 30, 1965.
	Page two of the timetable described above.