Compiled by Pete Coulman
Originally Posted by Alan Gryfe
September 20, 1924
Service begins on a new bus route replacing the ASHBRIDGE streetcar line. The streetcar line was discontinued due to unsafe conditions on the bridges on the route. Buses operate from King and Sumach via Sumach, Eastern, Cherry, Villiers to Munitions Street, returning via Villiers, Cherry, Eastern, Sackville and King.
This route is initially called CHERRY (destination sign unknown), but was soon changed to ASHBRIDGE, and assigned route #4.
4 | ASHBRIDGE | KING |
|
4 | ASHBRIDGE | M U N I- |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
December 8, 1924
Rush hour service extended from Munitions via Villiers to Saulter and return via the same route. Destination sign unchanged, although “SAULTER” is used as a window card.
December 3, 1927
Saturday service discontinued after 8:10 p.m.
January 20, 1928
With the construction of the Cherry Street railway subway, service rerouted to operate from King via Parliament, Fleet, Cherry, Villiers to Munitions (Saulter during rush hours), returning via Villiers, Cherry, Fleet, Parliament, Front and Berkeley to King and Parliament.
November 14, 1929
With the completion of the subway beneath the railway tracks, buses return to their regular route.
October 8, 1931
Sunday Service to be operated from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. only.
October 20, 1932
Rush hour service extended from Villiers and Saulter to loop via Saulter, Keating, Carlaw, Commissioners, Logan, Keating and Saulter to Villiers.
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
October 28, 1932
Rush hour service rerouted from Saulter, Keating, Carlaw to Commissioners, returning via the same route.
October 1, 1933
Due to the closing of Sherbourne Garage, ASHBRIDGE buses transferred to operate out of Davenport Garage.
October 15, 1933
Normal Sunday service discontinued. During the summer months, weekend service (including Sundays) is extended south via Cherry Street to Cherry Beach from 1:00 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. These summer periods take place from June 24, 1933 to September 4, 1933, June 16, 1934 to September 3, 1934, June 29, 1935 to September 7, 1935 and June 27, 1927 to September 6th, 1936.
January 11, 1937
Normal route rerouted to operate from King and Sumach via Sumach, Eastern, Cherry, Commissioners, Munitions to Villiers, returning via Villiers, Cherry, Eastern, Sackville to King. During rush hours, regular bus service is extended south on Cherry Street to Carton (Now Polson), returning via the same route. Additional buses loop via Cherry, Commissioners, Carlaw, Keating, Saulter and Villiers to Cherry Street, returning over the regular route to King Street.
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
June 4, 1945
Service extended to replace the old CARLAW bus. Buses now operate from King and Berkeley via east on King, south on Parliament, east on Fleet, south on Cherry, east on Commissioners, looping near Carlaw to return via Commissioners, Munitions, Villiers, Cherry, Fleet, Parliament and King. During rush hours, service continues north on Carlaw to Gerrard, looping via east on Gerrard, south on Boston and west on Badgerow to Carlaw, returning via the reverse route. Additional rush hour service operates from King and Parliament via Parliament, Fleet and Cherry to Carton (now Polson) and back.
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
September 10, 1945
Operation transferred back to Sherbourne Garage from Davenport Garage.
February 11, 1946
Rush hour service to Carton Street discontinued.
July 13, 1946 to September 6, 1946
With the end of the Second World War, summer extension to Cherry Beach resumes, 12 hours a day, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays.
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only | |
ASHBRIDGE |
K I N G |
Summer weekends and holidays |
December 16, 1946 to January 17, 1947
Due to the construction of Parliament loop, ASHBRIDGE buses loop via Front, Princess, King, Berkeley and Front to Parliament instead of via Front, Berkeley, King and Parliament.
January 18, 1947
With the opening of the new Parliament bus and streetcar loop, buses loop at the southwest corner of King and Parliament instead of looping via Front, Berkeley and King.
December 5, 1949
Service revised to operate from Parliament loop via Parliament, Fleet (now renamed Lake Shore Boulevard), Cherry, Commissioners and Carlaw to Gerrard, looping via Gerrard, Boston and Badgerow, during all hours of operation. Additional rush hour service cuts back at Munitions.
February 20, 1955
Sunday service discontinued.
February 21, 1955
Service cut back to rush hours only, Monday through Saturday.
May 2, 1955
Off-peak service, Monday to Saturday, restored.
October 14, 1955
Due to road conditions, routing temporarily changed to operate from Parliament loop, via south on Parliament, east on Fleet, south on Cherry, east on Commissioners, north on Logan, east on Keating, and north on Carlaw to Gerrard, returning via the reverse route.
November 28, 1955
Routing in effect since October 14th made permanent.
September 2, 1956
Assigned route number 3.
ASHBRIDGE |
3 |
G E R R A R D |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | ||
ASHBRIDGE |
3A |
MUNITIONS |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
July 1, 1961
Saturday and holiday service discontinued.
Route changed to run from King and Parliament over the regular route to Lake Shore Boulevard, east on Lake Shore, south on Don Roadway, west on Commissioners to Cherry Street, looping in the intersection and then running east on Commissioners, north on Logan, east on Lake Shore, north on Carlaw to Gerrard. Returning buses follow the reverse route to Commissioners and Cherry, looping in the intersection and then heading east on Commissioners, north on Saulter, west on Lake Shore and north on Parliament to King.
January 15, 1962 to March 2, 1962
Service diverted via east on Lake Shore, south on Saulter and west on Commissioners, back to the route due to poor road conditions on the Don Roadway between Lake Shore and Commissioners.
Although various route diversions due to Gardiner Expressway construction were in effect from November 9th, 1962 to May 25th, 1965, TTC maps from 1963 through late 1965 (and presumably until the opening of the Bloor-Danforth subway) show 3 ASHBRIDGE buses running from Parliament loop via Parliament, Lake Shore, Cherry, Keating, Don Roadway, Commissioners and Carlaw to Gerrard, looping clockwise via Gerrard, Boston and Badgerow, returning via Carlaw, Commissioners, Saulter, Keating, Cherry, Lake Shore and Parliament. 3A ASHBRIDGE buses run from Gerrard to Munitions via Carlaw and Commissioners, U-turning around the boulevard to return east.
November 9, 1962 to October 9, 1963
Various diversions due to the construction of the Gardiner Expressway.
October 19, 1964 to November 10, 1964.
Various diversions due to the construction of the Gardiner Expressway.
February 25, 1966
Last day of operation. With the opening of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY, service replaced by the 72 PAPE route extending north from Gerrard to Pape station.
3 Ashbridge Image Archive
References
TTC O&N #1938-U