Compiled by Jeffrey Kay
Originally published in Transfer Points, March 2005. Updated for Transit Toronto
Map by John Calnan
See Also
As the city grows in the years after World War II, the township (later borough) of Scarborough became a bedroom community for many people who worked in Toronto. Transit service was extended north from The Danforth to serve the newly urbanized districts. Some of these routes operated for a short distance along Lawrence Avenue East. By 1963 TTC buses from five routes ran on parts of Lawrence Avenue East between Leslie and Orton Park. These routes were 25 DON MILLS, 70 O’CONNOR, 23 DAWES, 17 BIRCHMOUNT and 15 BRIMLEY. Finally, in the fall of 1963, when suburban routes underwent a major re-structuring, a new through service was introduced on Lawrence East in the form of the new 54-LAWRENCE EAST route. This article details the development of route 54 from its inauguration to the present day.
Today, with just under a 54 kilometres round trip, the 54A branch between Eglinton Station and Starspray is the longest TTC route that operates seven days a week, inside the City of Toronto There are a couple longer routes that are extended into York Region, but they only operate during limited hours.
September 1, 1963
Service begins on a new route offering through service along Lawrence Avenue East as part of a major reorganization of suburban bus routes. 54 LAWRENCE EAST operates from the corner of Yonge and Eglinton via east on Eglinton, north on Leslie and east on Lawrence to beyond Markham Road, looping via north on Orton Park, west on Brimorton and south on Scarborough Golf Club Road. Buses operate seven days a week, eighteen hours a day.
A second branch, serving the community of Churchill Heights, operates from Eglinton and Yonge over the normal route to Bellamy before operating north on Bellamy, east on Painted Post, west on Brimorton, south on Markham Road and returning west on Painted Post and then south on Bellamy over the regular route back to Yonge. Service operates during the daytime, Mondays through Saturdays.
At Eglinton and Yonge, there is not enough platform space at Eglinton station on the YONGE SUBWAY, so incoming buses loop via south on Holley, west on Soudan and north on Yonge. Transfers are required between LAWRENCE EAST buses and other services at Eglinton station.
Buses operate out of Birchmount Garage. Service operates through fare zones one and two, with the zone boundary on Leslie Street, just north of Eglinton, at the Columbia Records building.
LAWRENCE EAST | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54A | CHURCHILL HTS |
Monday to Saturday, daytime | ||
December 15, 1963
Following the construction of three additional bus bays at Eglinton station (platforms 11, 12 and 13 and a subsequent reorganization of bus bay assignments), 54 LAWRENCE EAST buses now enter Eglinton station instead of using the on-street loop at Yonge. Buses run on Eglinton to just past Yonge, then through Bay #3, leaving the station through the east exit, returning north on Yonge and east on Eglinton.
September 8, 1964
The Churchill Heights loop is expanded, with buses now operating east on Painted Post beyond Brimorton, then north on Scarborough Golf Club Road, west on Ellesmere, and south on Markham Road to Painted Post.
By this date, rush hour buses were operating express on Eglinton Avenue between Eglinton Station and Leslie with intermediate stops at Mount Pleasant, Bayview, Laird and Brentcliffe. This service was not running in September 1963 when the route was inaugurated, but the exact start date is not known.
August 19, 1966
The Churchill Heights branch is discontinued, replaced by an extended branch of the 86 SCARBORO route. A new branch extends service east on Lawrence beyond Morningside, looping via south on Beechgrove, west on Coronation and north on Manse. A new short turn service is established between Eglinton Station and McCowan Road, looping via south on Valparaiso, east on Hollyhedge and north on McCowan.
LAWRENCE EAST | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54A | BEECHGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54B | McCOWAN |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
October 31, 1966
The peak period short turn service is extended east on Lawrence to Markham Road, looping via north on Markham, then east and south on Greenholm Circuit.
LAWRENCE EAST | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54A | BEECHGROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54B | MARKHAM RD |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
October 2, 1967
Evening and Saturday service is added to the Beechgrove branch. Buses now loop at Beechgrove counterclockwise in the morning and early afternoon. Service operates clockwise after 4 p.m. until the end of evening service. No change in destination signs.
May 10, 1968
The last day of operation for the Markham Road short turn service. All buses now operate to either Orton Park or Beechgrove.
April 17, 1972
The Eglinton rush hour express feature is eliminated from this route. A bus lane opens on Eglinton East, allowing all buses to speed up on their way too and from Eglinton station.
January 2, 1973
Service is extended east on Lawrence beyond Beechgrove to an off-street loop serving Rouge Hill GO station beyond Port Union Road. Service on Beechgrove, Coronation and Manse is replaced by a branch of the 86 SCARBORO route.
LAWRENCE EAST | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54A | PORT UNION RD |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | ||
January 21, 1973
The two zone fare system within Metropolitan Toronto is eliminated, and 54 LAWRENCE EAST passengers no longer have to pay a second fare when crossing the zone boundary on Leslie Street north of Eglinton.
July 22, 1973
Sunday and holiday service is added to the Port Union (54A) branch.
January 2, 1974
Service is extended on a new branch east to serve the growing Rouge Hill neighbourhood. Buses run east on Lawrence, then north on East Avenue and west on Island Road to an off-street loop near Port Union, returning over the reverse route. Buses operate Mondays to Saturdays during the day, replacing the 54A Port Union branch during those times.
LAWRENCE EAST | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54A | PORT UNION RD |
Monday to Saturday, evenings | ||
LAWRENCE EAST | 54C | ROUGE HILL |
Monday to Saturday, daytime | ||
September 4, 1974
At all times except early Saturday mornings, the Rouge Hill 54C extension is replaced by the new 13 ROUGE HILL route. Trips that ran to the loop on Island Road now turn back at Port Union Road.
December 6, 1976
A new permanent TTC loop is established at Rouge Hill GO station, and buses are extended to serve it.
March 23, 1985
Coincident with the opening of the SCARBOROUGH RT, all buses in both direction begin serving the bus terminal at Lawrence East station, located beneath Lawrence Avenue East, between Kennedy and Midland.
March 16, 1987
A new afternoon peak period short turn service is established over the busiest portion of the route (between Don Mills and Morningside). In the west end, buses loop via south, west and north on the Donway on the south side of Lawrence Avenue. In the east, buses loop via north on Morningside and southwest on Kingston Road.
LAWRENCE | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54A | PORT UNION RD |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54C | ROUGE HILL |
Early morning Saturdays, only | ||
LAWRENCE | 54D | MORNINGSIDE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
July 27, 1987 (or late June 1987?)
Some Port Union trips are extended further east on Lawrence to a new off-street loop on the north side of the street near Starspray Boulevard.
LAWRENCE | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54A | PORT UNION RD |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54C | ROUGE HILL |
Early morning Saturdays, only | ||
LAWRENCE | 54D | MORNINGSIDE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
LAWRENCE | 54E | STARSPRAY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
September 4, 1988 (or earlier)
54A route signs are officially changed to read “ROUGE HILL GO STN” instead of “PORT UNION RD”
February 3, 1989
The afternoon peak period short turn service between Morningside and Don Mills is discontinued.
LAWRENCE | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54A | PORT UNION RD |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54C | ROUGE HILL |
Early morning Saturdays, only | ||
LAWRENCE | 54E | STARSPRAY |
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday | ||
January 8, 1990
Weekday evening and Saturday daytime and evening service (from 10 a.m. until after midnight) added to the 54E Starspray branch. Saturday morning service continues on the 54C Rouge Hill branch.
July 22, 1990
Sunday service is added to the Starspray branch. And all peak period trips that previously turned back at Rouge Hill GO station are extended to Starspray, effectively discontinuing the 54A branch.
January 20, 1991
The looping arrangement at Orton Park is revised. Before 3 p.m., buses operate via north on Golf Club Road, east on Brimorton and south on Orton Park. After 3 p.m., this looping is reversed.
February 23, 1991
New Saturday morning service on 13 ROUGE HILL replaces the 54C branch. All 54C buses now operate to Starspray on the 54E route.
May 10, 1992
A new peak period service is introduced between Lawrence East RT station and Morningside, looping in the east end via north on Morningside and southwest on Kingston Road. This loop was later revised to operate via north on Morningside, east on Kingston Road and south on Collingsgrove.
LAWRENCE | 54 | ORTON PARK |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
LAWRENCE | 54B | MORNINGSIDE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
LAWRENCE | 54E | STARSPRAY |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
January 3, 1993
Operation of this route is now shared between Birchmount Garage and Eglinton Garage at Eglinton station. This is the day that Davenport Garage closed and the base for many routes was changed.
September 6, 1994
The peak period branch operating east from Lawrence East Station is revised, and the service is reorganized. In the morning peak, the new express buses operate local from Starspray to Markham Road and then express to Lawrence East Station, stopping at McCowan only. They return east out of service. In the afternoon peak, buses operate express eastbound and out of service west bound. This express service is redesignated 54E, as part of a system-wide shift of using E and F letters for express branches. Buses on the normal Starspray-Eglinton station service are redesignated 54A.
EASTBOUND |
|
WESTBOUND |
||
54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
TO ORTON PARK |
TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
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|
TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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54E |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54E |
LAWRENCE EAST |
E X P R E S S |
E X P R E S S |
|||
Monday to Friday, rush hours only |
||||
February 18, 1996
Operation of this route is now shared between Malvern Garage and Eglinton Garage at Eglinton station. On this day, Lansdowne Garage closed, resulting in the alteration of many route assignments. With this change 33 years of operation of this route from Birchmount Garage ends.
Also on this date, morning 54E buses provide local service eastbound from Lawrence East station to Starspray.
May 4, 1998
During the morning peak period, eastbound 54E buses operate local from Lawrence East station to Morningside only and then run non-stop to Starspray (this pattern of operation may have started at an earlier day, but the wording of this operation was clarified on TTC routing sheets effective this date).
June 12, 2000
Two new westbound stops are added during the morning rush hour on the 54E express service. Buses now stop at Rushley Drive and at Midland Avenue. These stops were in operation since at least February 2000 but only became official as of this date. Afternoon buses continue to deadhead on their westbound trips for a short period of time but at a later (unknown) date, buses were scheduled to be in service in their “off peak” direction in both peaks.
March 31, 2002
The old Eglinton Garage at Yonge Street is closed and operation is shifted to the new Eglinton Garage on Comstock Road. Some buses continue to operate out of Malvern Garage.
March 1, 2004
The original bus terminal at Eglinton station is closed and a ‘temporary’ bus terminal is opened at the south end of the old Eglinton bus garage. 54 LAWRENCE EAST buses enter and leave through the new terminal via south on Duplex, one block west from Yonge Street.
February 17, 2008
Service is made accessible with all trips operated using Orion VII low-floor buses.
November 23, 2008
The route is now operated exclusively from Eglinton Garage on Comstock Road. On this day Mount Dennis Garage opened, affecting the base service of many routes through the system.
May 25, 2009
Buses on this route are equipped with bike racks.
June 22, 2014
As part of a system-wide revamp of the TTC’s route branch designation system, all eastbound 54 LAWRENCE EAST “Orton Park” buses are redesignated 54B. All westbound buses to Eglinton Station continue to show just “54”.
EASTBOUND |
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WESTBOUND |
||
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|
|
54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
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TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
|
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54B |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
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TO ORTON PARK |
|
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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54E |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54E |
LAWRENCE EAST |
E X P R E S S |
E X P R E S S |
|||
Monday to Friday, rush hours only |
||||
October 11, 2015
Additional service is added early Saturday mornings, late Saturday evenings and during the late evenings on Sundays and holidays to ensure that service operates at ten minute intervals or better between Eglinton station and Orton Park whenever the subway is open.
September 5, 2017
A new express stop is designated for the 54E (Lawrence East Stn-Starspray Loop Express) branch eastbound at Midland Avenue to align with the westbound stop.
August 31, 2018
Last day of operation of the 54E express branch. As part of the TTC’s expansion of its express network, service is rebranded to the 954 LAWRENCE EAST EXPRESS route operating from Lawrence East station to Starspray the following Tuesday.
EASTBOUND |
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WESTBOUND |
||
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|
|
54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
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TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
|
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54B |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
|
TO ORTON PARK |
|
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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June 23, 2019
Due to the closure of the Leslie/Eglinton intersection during construction of the EGLINTON-CROSSTOWN LRT, the 54 LAWRENCE EAST route is revised to operate three new branches. One is designated 54C, running between the temporary Leslie/Eglinton bus loop, via north of Leslie, east of Lawrence, to Starspray loop, returning via reverse route. The other is designated 54G, operating from the Leslie loop and Orton Park via north on Leslie, east on Lawrence, north on Golf Club Road, east on Brimorton and south on Orton Park before 3 p.m., (the loop is reversed after 3 p.m.). A third branch, designated as the 54D, operates between Eglinton station and Lawrence East station via east on Eglinton Avenue East, north on Don Mills Road and east on Lawrence Avenue East, looping through the Lawrence East station bus loop before returning via the reverse route. These branches operate daytime and early evenings to 10 p.m. on weekdays and daytime to 7 p.m. during weekends and holidays.
At all other times, during late evenings on weekdays and evenings during weekends and holidays, the regular 54A and 54B branches operate between Eglinton station and Starspray Loop or Orton Park respectively, diverting around the closure by operating via Eglinton Avenue and Don Mills. During these periods, service on Leslie and Lawrence between the Leslie/Eglinton and Don Mills/Lawrence intersections is provided by the 51C LESLIE route.
Service on the 354 LAWRENCE EAST NIGHT and 954 LAWRENCE EAST EXPRESS remains unaffected.
EASTBOUND |
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WESTBOUND |
||
54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
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TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
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Monday to Friday, late evenings |
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54B |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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|
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TO ORTON PARK |
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Monday to Friday, late evenings |
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54C |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54C |
LAWRENCE EAST |
TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
Monday to Friday, daytime and early evenings |
||||
54D |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54D |
LAWRENCE EAST |
TO LAWRENCE EAST STN |
TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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54G |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
|
TO ORTON PARK |
|
|||
Monday to Friday, daytime and early evenings |
||||
August 22, 2019
With construction finished ahead of schedule, the intersection of Leslie and Eglinton reopens and normal service resumes on the 54 LAWRENCE EAST route though the schedules did not revert back to its May 2019 levels until September 1.
EASTBOUND |
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WESTBOUND |
||
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54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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TO EGLINTON STN |
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
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54B |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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TO ORTON PARK |
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
May 7, 2023
A daytime and evening weekend tripper service is established over the busiest portion of the route (between Don Mills and Morningside). In the west end, buses loop via south on Don Mills, west and north on the Donway on the south side of Lawrence Avenue. In the east, buses loop via northeast on Kingston Road and south on Collinsgrove Road. Three buses are used on the trippers. This service replicates the 54D branch that was last operated between 1987 to 1989.
EASTBOUND |
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WESTBOUND |
||
|
|
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54 |
LAWRENCE EAST |
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TO EGLINTON STN |
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54A |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
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TO STARSPRAY BLVD. |
|
|||
7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54B |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
|
|
TO ORTON PARK |
|
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7 days a week, 18 hours a day |
||||
54D |
LAWRENCE EAST |
|
54D |
LAWRENCE EAST |
TO MORNINGSIDE |
TO DON MILLS |
|||
Weekends and holidays, daytime and early evening |
||||
54 Lawrence East Image Archive
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TTC GM New Look bus #8059 heads eastbound on Lawrence Avenue at Pharmacy in 54 LAWRENCE EAST service at dusk in this November 1976 shot by J.D. Morgan. |
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The September 1964 issue of the TTC's Headlights describes the extensions of 7 BATHURST, 34 EGLINTON EAST, 41 KEELE, 54 LAWRENCE EAST, 83 TRETHEWEY and 84 SHEPPARD plus changes to 23 DAWES |
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TTC rebuilt GM New Look 2097 is seen here in 2001 operating eastbound on Lawrence east of Carnforth Road with the Main Toronto CPR Line in the background. The bus is in service on 54 LAWRENCE EAST to Orton Park. Photo by David Cavlovic. |
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An official TTC map of 54 LAWRENCE EAST operations, effective June 22, 2014. |
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TTC GM Classic 6237 operates westbound on 54 LAWRENCE EAST service, about to cross Midland Avenue enroute to Eglinton station in this 2002 shot. Note that since being rebuilt, this GM is sporting the MCI logo. Photo by David Cavlovic. |
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TTC D40-87 Flyer bus #6306 prepares to turn into Eglinton subway station, in service on 54 LAWRENCE EAST in this December 1987 shot. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the John Knight collection. |
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TTC New Flyer D40-87 bus #6310 seen leaving Elinton station on route 54 LAWRENCE EAST in August 1989. This photo was taken by Bob Hussey and donated by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos. |
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TTC New Flyer D-40-90 rebuild 6573 is seen here running eastbound on 54A LAWRENCE EAST, approaching Victoria Park with GM rebuild 2097 following. Photo by David Cavlovic. |
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TTC GM New Look bus #7388 heads back to Birchmount Division after a days work on 54 LAWRENCE EAST. Seen here at Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton. Photo by Pete Cox. |
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TTC Orion VII bus #7404 pulls up to a stop at Lawrence East station, in service on the 54E LAWRENCE EAST express bus on February 25, 2014. Photo by James Bow. |
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James Bow caught this image of TTC Orion VII bus #7414 at Rouge Hill GO Station in service on 54 LAWRENCE EAST on June 14, 2011. |
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Orion V bus 7451 arrives in Eglinton Station during evening rush hour, turning onto Duplex Avenue. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin on June 19, 2012. |
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TTC Orion VII bus 7531 poses at Starspray Loop at the eastern end of 54 LAWRENCE EAST on March 7, 2011. Photo by James Bow. |
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On February 25, 2014, at 4000 Lawrence Avenue East, TTC Orion VII bus 7682 heads westbound towards Lawrence East station, in service on the 54E LAWRENCE EAST express. Photo by James Bow. |
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TTC GM New Look #8327 operates on 54 LAWRENCE EAST, eastbound on Eglinton at Leslie on September 5, 1986. The photographer is unknown and the photo is from the John Knight collection. |
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TTC Novabus #8924 picks up passengers at Lawrence East station, in service on the 54B LAWRENCE EAST "Orton Park" branch on the afternoon of November 14, 2018. Photo by James Bow. |
