Compiled by Pete Coulman
Originally posted to the Internet by Alan Gryfe.
April 11, 1927
Service begins on a new bus route operating from the Bloor/Jane intersection via west on Bloor to Church Street (now Royal York Road). This route is not a TTC operation, but owned and operated by the Realty Company to support their new real estate subdivisions.
April 1, 1928
Operations are taken over by the Toronto Transportation Commission after an agreement is reached between them, the Realty Company and the Township of Etobicoke. Buses run from Jane Street via Bloor Street, over a new high-level bridge over the Humber River, then via northwest on the Kingsway and south on Lambton Avenue (now Prince Edward Drive) and west on Bloor to Dundas Street, wyeing at the intersection and returning via the reverse route.
Service is operated by the TTC's intercity subsidiary, Gray Coach.
K I N G S W A Y |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
June 6, 1929
Service is reduced to operate only during the morning and afternoon rush hours on weekdays, and during the morning rush and from noon to midnight on Saturdays. No Sunday or holiday service provided.
June 16, 1929
Normal daytime and Sunday service resumed.
October 5, 1931
Service rerouted from Jane to operate via west on Bloor Street, northwest on the Kingsway, west on Burn (now Kingsgrove Boulevard), south on Church Street (Royal York) and west Bloor to Montgomery Road, wyeing in the intersection and returning via the reverse route. During rush hours (weekdays and Saturday), service extended west from Montgomery to Dundas Street.
Note that, at the time, Saturday rush hour service operated from 8 a.m. to noon. This continued throughout the system until the 1950s when the forty-hour workweek became commonplace.
K I N G S W A Y |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
MONTGOMERY |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
April 1, 1936
Service rerouted to operate from Jane and Bloor via west on Bloor, north on Lambton (Prince Edward, northwest on the Kingsway, west on Burn (Kingsgrove), south on Church (Royal York) and west on Bloor to Montgomery. Rush hour service (weekdays and Saturdays) is extended west on Bloor to Dundas.
KINGSWAY PARK-ISLINGTON |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
KINGSWAY-DUNDAS |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
January 7, 1937
New TTC Twin Coaches are placed in service. (The Twin Coach 23-R was unveiled in 1935. Its revolutionary rear-engine design allowed for a flat, low (17") floor, and it rapidly became Twin's most popular pre-war bus.
February 8, 1937
The rush hour extension is changed to loop via west on Bloor, north on Islington Avenue, northwest on Canning and southwest on Dundas to Bloor, returning east on Bloor to the route.
K I N G S W A Y |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
January 23, 1938
Saturday afternoon service and evening and Sunday service extended from Montgomery to Dundas.
July 5, 1938
Rush hour service rerouted to operate from Jane via west on Bloor, northwest on the Kingsway, west on King Georges Road, north on Prince Edward, northwest on the Kingsway, south on Royal York and Bloor to Dundas, returning via east on Bloor, north on Brentwood, east on White Oak, north on Royal York, southeast on the Kingsway, south on Prince Edward and east on Bloor. Regular service continues to short turn at Montgomery.
May 1, 1939
Rush hour route revised, looping via Bloor, Islington, Canning and Dundas to Bloor.
September 8, 1941
Stops designated and painted. Regular service rerouted to operate from Jane via west on Bloor, north on Prince Edward, northwest on the Kingsway, south on Royal York, west on Bloor, north on Islington to Dundas, looping counterclockwise via Burnhamthorpe Road, Mattice and Grosvenor to Dundas. During rush hours, extra short turn service operated to Bloor and Montgomery.
March 5, 1945
Rush hour routing changed, now running eastbound from Montgomery via east Bloor, north on Royal York, east on Burn, southeast on the Kingsway, south on Prince Edward and east Bloor to Jane Street.
November 26, 1945
Normal route extended via Burnhamthorpe to wye at Kipling Avenue instead of looping via Mattice and Grosvenor. Express, premium fare KINGSWAY COACH service to downtown introduced.
KINGSWAY |
J A N E |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
April 13, 1946
Premium fare KINGSWAY COACH discontinued.
March 10th, 1947
New SOUTH KINGSWAY branch inaugurated. Additional rush hour service provided from Jane Street via west Bloor to Prince Edward, looping via south on Prince Edward, west Glenroy Drive and north Royal York to Bloor. No change in normal service or other rush hour short turns.
KINGSWAY |
J A N E |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | |
KINGSWAY - GLENROY | |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
May 19, 1947
Free transfers initiated between the second zone of the ISLINGTON and KINGSWAY routes.
December 15, 1947
SOUTH KINGSWAY loop reversed, operating via south on Royal York, east on Glenroy and north on Prince Edward.
June 21, 1948
SOUTH KINGSWAY loop extended south, running clockwise (again) via south on Prince Edward, west Sunnylea Avenue, north on Humbervale Boulevard, west on Glenroy and north Royal York to Bloor.
KINGSWAY |
J A N E |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | |
KINGSWAY |
J A N E |
Monday to Saturday, rush hours only |
NOTE: The SUNNYLEA sign above may not have appeared on this date, but it was observed on a TTC bus on May 1954 (see image archive below). It may have vanished on July 1, 1954.
December 5, 1948
By arrangement with Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission, additional rush hour service provided from Jane via west on Bloor, south on Islington, west on Bering Avenue and north Kipling Avenue to the new Hydro Plant, returning via south on Kipling, east on Bering, north on Islington, east on Bloor, north on Royal York, east on Kingsgrove Boulevard, southeast on the Kingsway, south on Prince Edward and east on Bloor to Jane. Afternoon rush hour service operated in the reverse direction.
August 13, 1951
Main route extended via Burnhamthorpe Road from Kipling Avenue to Meadow Bank and return.
July 31, 1953
Service to the Hydro-Electric Power Commission plant discontinued after this date.
October 19, 1953
SOUTH KINGSWAY loop changed to run via south on Prince Edward, west on Glenellen Road and north on Grenview Boulevard.
January 1st, 1954
Coincident with the formation of Metropolitan Toronto, the creation of the Toronto Transit Commission and the extension of the TTC's mandate to serve the suburbs of Metropolitan Toronto, all KINGSWAY service is incorporated into the TTC network from the TTC subsidiary Gray Coach. Red city buses replace Gray Coach buses.
Operation transferred from Gray Coach Lines to the new Toronto Transit Commission. Red city buses replace Gray Coaches.
July 1, 1954
Regular service revised to loop at the west end from Bloor and Islington via north on Islington, southwest on Dundas, northwest on Burnhamthorpe, south on Laurel Avenue to Bloor, returning via east on Bloor to Jane Street. Rush hour short turn service operated between Jane and Royal York, looping via north on Royal York, east on Kingsgrove, southeast on the Kingsway and south on Prince Edward to Bloor. Service to Glenellen replaced by the BERRY ROAD service.
KINGSWAY |
LAUREL |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | |
KINGSWAY |
KINGSGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | |
KINGSWAY |
MONTGOMERY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only |
May 31 to September 8, 1956
Kingsgrove service now operating all day, seven days per week, due to the intersection of Dundas & Royal York being closed for construction of a new underpass, replacing the ANGLESEY service normally operating in the area.
September 9, 1956
Regular operation changed to operate along Bloor Street, Cordova Avenue and Burnhamthorpe Road to Renforth, looping via Renforth, Rexton Road and Mulgrove Drive. A second regular service branch added, operating along Bloor Street past Islington to loop counterclockwise via Roydon Drive (now the East Mall), Lynnford Drive and Tremont Road. Service assigned route number 50.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
ROYDON |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50B |
KINGSGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
KINGSWAY |
50C |
MONTGOMERY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only |
August 6, 1957
Kingsgrove (50B) service enhanced to operate from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in order to accommodate passengers in the area west of Prince Edward between Bloor & Dundas which is under serviced by the diversion of the ANGLESEY bus.
January 6, 1958
Express service launched between Jane and Royal York during the afternoon rush hour. Buses stop only at Prince Edward Drive.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
ROYDON |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50B |
KINGSGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
KINGSWAY |
50C |
MONTGOMERY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50D |
RENFORTH |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50E |
ROYDON |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only |
May 24, 1959
Bloor/Roydon service extended to make a large loop via south on Tremond Road, west on Lynnford Drive, south on Roydon Drive, west & south on North Service Road, west on Dundas Highway, north and east on Municipal Drive, north on Rayside Drive and northwest on Leavenworth Crescent to Bloor Street.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
RAYSIDE |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50B |
KINGSGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
KINGSWAY |
50C |
MONTGOMERY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50D |
RENFORTH |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50E |
ROYDON |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only |
May 24, 1960
Rush hours short turn service extended to the Six Points intersection at the junction of Bloor, Dundas & Kipling, looping clockwise around the traffic island and connecting with the 45 KIPLING bus. Associated with this extension, the Kingsgrove (50B) and Montgomery (50C) branches are discontinued.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
RAYSIDE |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50D |
RENFORTH |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50E |
ROYDON |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only | ||
KINGSWAY |
50F |
KIPLING |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only |
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A TTC 50 KINGSWAY transfer (punched for 30 DUNDAS), effective March 19, 1964. |
September 1, 1963
Bloor-Rayside service revised to operate into the Markland Wood subdivision. Buses operate west on Bloor Street, looping via north on Mill Road, east on Toledo Road and south on Markland Drive to Bloor. Certain buses operate express between Royal York and Jane during the afternoon rush hours, stopping only at Prince Edward. The 50D Renforth express branch is replaced by a redesignated Kipling local branch.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
MARKLAND WOOD |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50C |
MARKLAND WOOD |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only | ||
KINGSWAY |
50D |
KIPLING |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
K I N G S W A Y E X P R E S S |
50E |
ROYDON |
Monday to Friday, afternoon rush hours only |
January 23, 1966
Operations changed from Parkdale Garage to the new Queensway Garage.
May 24, 1966
Express (50C and 50E) and short turn (50F) services discontinued with buses redistributed among the remaining branches.
KINGSWAY |
50 |
RENFORTH |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
KINGSWAY |
50A |
MARKLAND WOOD |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
May 10, 1968
Last day of operation. Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Islington station, service west of Islington is replaced by the new 49 BLOOR WEST and 50 BURNHAMTHORPE services. Service east of Kipling is replaced by the new 3 KINGSWAY bus operating from Jane station to Highway 27 via Bloor and Dundas streets.
50 Kingsway Image Archive
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An official TTC map of the Roydon and Kingsgrove portions of 50 KINGSWAY operations, effective January 1, 1958. Item donated by Pete Coulman. |
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An official TTC map of the Renforth branch of 50 KINGSWAY, effective January 1, 1958. Item donated by Pete Coulman. |
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The front of an official TTC timetable of 50 KINGSWAY operations, effective January 3, 1967. Item donated by Pete Coulman. |
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TTC GM "Old Look" bus #1507 sits at Parkdale Garage on May 30, 1954 signed for the "Sunnylea" branch of KINGSWAY. Photo by James Victor Salmon, courtesy the Toronto Public Library and Pete Coulman. |
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An expansion of this official TTC photo by James Victor Salmon shows TTC Twin 41-S bus #1707 at Parkdale garage, bearing a 50 KINGSWAY "Kingsgrove" exposure. Item donated by Pete Coulman. |
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TTC Canadian Car & Foundry bus #1901 rests at Parkdale Garage, bearing a "Jane-Laurel" KINGSWAY exposure in this early 1955 shot. This TTC photograph was donated from the Pete Coulman collection. |
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TTC GM New Look bus #2943 picks up passengers at Jane loop in service on 50 KINGWAY on January 22, 1960. This photo is courtesy the TTC. |
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TTC GM New Look bus #2945 in a all-maroon paint scheme departs Jane loop in service on 50 KINGSWAY. A PCC and an Old Look GM bus are there to greet it. The photographer is Bob Halperin and the photo was donated by William Paul. |
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TTC GM New Look bus #3942 operates on Bloor in service on 50 KINGWAY's "Markland Wood" branch in this 1966 shot. The photographer is unknown; photo from the Pete Coulman collection. |