Compiled by Peter Coulman
Originally Published by Alan Gryfe
October 10, 1914
With the arrival of Toronto Suburban Car 25, service begins on a new radial railway operation extending from Weston to the village of Woodbridge, near the Woodbridge hotel on Pine Street. The 18 kilometre extension had taken two years to build, following the west side of Weston Road north and then northwest along a route eventually occupied by Albion Road. The line crossed the Humber River on a trestle, stopped in Thistletown, and continued parallel Albion Road before turning north along the east side of Concession Road (likely Islington Avenue). A mile north of Albion Road, the line swing into the Humber Valley and followed a private right-of-way into the village of Woodbridge.
The tracks initially reached Woodbridge in 1913, but a dispute between the Suburban Railway’s owners and the village of Woodbridge regarding the location of the terminal delayed service until this date.
Service initially operated between Woodbridge, south through Weston, all the way to the corner of Keele and Dundas Streets. Service operated from 7 a.m. to midnight, charging a ten cent fare.
April 1, 1918
- Timetable of Toronto Suburban Railway Operations, effective 1918 - (PDF - 490 Kb)
November 15, 1923
Toronto Suburban Railway operations within the City of Toronto transferred from Canadian National Railways to the Toronto Transportation Commission. Canadian National Electric Railways continues to operate the Weston-Woodbridge line on Weston Road north of Avon Avenue.
April 1925
Service begins on a competing private operation called Woodbridge Bus lines (owned by George Watt of Thistletown), connecting Weston and Woodbridge. Service uses two REO’s and two Ford Transits.
November 28, 1925
Service on the Weston-Woodbridge line south of Oak Street transferred to the Toronto Transportation Commission through the Township of York Railways. Canadian National Electric Railways continues to operate the remainder of the WOODBRIDGE route.
May 10, 1926
Toronto Suburban Railways WOODBRIDGE route abandoned. Bus service between Weston and Woodbridge maintained by Woodbridge Bus lines
1945
Woodbridge Bus Lines purchased by Roseland Bus Lines. Service now runs out of a garage on the west side of Weston Rd, north of Lambton Ave. 980 Weston Rd, Owned by D. Murray (Due to limited garage facilities, painting, major overhauling and other major work is contracted out).
September 1st, 1946
Service extended to Pine Grove on certain trips.
November, 1946
Service extended south to Lawrence Avenue, instead of from Humber Street in the Willage of Weston.
June 1, 1952
Service operates from Elsmere and Main Street in Weston via Main Street (Weston Road), Weston Road and county roads through Thistletown to Woodbridge for a round trip of 15.75 routes miles. Certain trips are extended during rush hours to Gamble Street in Pine Grove. At the south end, buses loop via Lawrence Avenue, South Station Street and John Street and Main to Elsmere.
This route is an inter-city bus service between Weston and Woodbridge. No local service is offered within Weston itself. Buses operate from 6:30 a.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and 8:30 a.m. on Sundays, and finish at 11:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, service operates at 60 minute headways until 4:30 p.m., half hour frequencies until 6:30 p.m., 60 minute frequencies until 9:30 p.m., with one more bus at 11 p.m. On Saturdays, buses operate at 60 minute headways until 11:30 a.m., half hour frequencies until 6:30 p.m., hourly frequencies until 9:30 p.m., and one more bus at 11 p.m. On Sundays, buses operate hourly from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with one more bus at 11 p.m.
September 15, 1952
A total of 12 buses (fleet numbers 2/6/9/10/26-36 [even]/39/40) are used on the WOODBRIDGE route, operating out of a garage at 980 Weston Road (on the west side of Weston, north of Lambton Avenue) owned by D. Murray. Painting, major overhauling and other major work is contracted out.
July 1, 1954
With the expansion of the Toronto Transit Commission’s mandate covering all public transit within the boundaries of Metropolitan Toronto, all independent suburban bus operators are bought out by the TTC. The WOODBRIDGE route is transferred to Gray Coach Lines. Buses operate from Lawrence and Weston via Weston Road, Albion Road, Thistletown, Woodbridge Road (today’s Islington Avenue), Highway 7, 8th Avenue and Pine Street to Pine Grove Road, looping via Pine Grove and Willis Road. Buses return along 8th Avenue, Highway 7, Woodlawn Road, Albion and Weston, looping clockwise via John Street, South Station Street and Lawrence Avenue.
Service provided 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, with Sunday trips operating through the Thistletown Hospital grounds.
December 12, 1955
Service transferred from Gray Coach to the TTC and operated with red city buses. In areas where no designated stops exist, operators pick up and discharge passengers on request. Zone 2 fares are charged from Lawrence Avenue to Wilson Avenue. Zone 3 fares are charged up to Thistletown and Main Corners, Zone 4 fares are charged up to Steeles Avenue, Zone 5 fares are charged up to the Hilltop Spray Shop, Zone 6 fares are charged up to Wallace Avenue in Woodbridge, and Zone 7 fares are charged beyond Wallace Avenue to Pine Grove.
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WOODBRIDGE |
W E S T O N |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | |
July 1, 1956
Zone 5 and 6 combined into Zone 5, Zone 7 renamed Zone 6.
September 1956
Route assigned number 93.
WOODBRIDGE | 93 | PINE GROVE |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
WOODBRIDGE | 93A | PINE GROVE |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
The TTC’s Coupler magazine summarizes the 93 WOODBRIDGE route thus:
Woodbridge Route
Sharing loop facilities in Weston with the Rexdale-Malton and Westmount buses, is the Woodbridge bus.
Routing of the Woodbridge route follows the Weston trolley coach line on Main Street, north to Weston Road. At Walsh Avenue, it veers left and continues northwesterly on the Albion Road to Thistletown, then turns north to Woodbridge.
The round trip mileage on this route is 18.40 miles, which is completed in one hour. During the morning and evening rush hours two buses on this route provide a thirty-minute service.
The Albion Road, like Weston Road and other thoroughfares in the district was in use as early as 1831. It was planked through to Thistletown and Brampton in the 1840s.
About this time, there was a daily stage coach service from Weston to Toronto. This connected at Thistletown with the “Albion” stage from Bolton.
The electric railway which ran from West Toronto to Weston by the Toronto Suburban Electric Railway was extended through Thistletown to Woodbridge in 1914. This new link gave a great impetus in the growth of the village, which is in Vaughan Township. The community of Thistletown, formerly known as St. Andrews in the 1840s, became a police village in 1933.
April 7, 1957
Effective this date, Sunday trips through Thistletown Hospital are canceled due to the hospital’s closure.
January 5, 1958
Service combined with the 87 WESTMOUNT route, operating from Dundas and Runnymede. After looping east on St. John’s Road, north on Fiskin Avenue and west on Dundas, buses operate via north on Runnymede, west on Henrietta, north on Castleton, west on Pritchard, north on Jane, west on Fox well, north on Scarlett, east on Lawrence and northeast on Little Avenue, before following the existing route to Pine Grove. Additional short turn service offered between Dundas and Runnymede in the south and Wilson Avenue in the north, looping via east on Wilson and northwest on Blondin.
WOODBRIDGE | 93 | PINE GROVE |
7 days a week, 18 hours a day | ||
WOODBRIDGE | 93A | W I L S O N |
Occasional short turns | ||
July 29, 1958
Sunday service cancelled
July 27, 1959
Blondin loop opened on the east side of Weston Road south of Albion Road. Buses on the 93A “Wilson” service short turn here. Through service to Woodbridge does not enter the loop.
January 31 to February 27, 1961
Southern looping reversed (east on Dundas, south on Fiskin and west on St. John’s Road) due to sewer construction work.
February 27 to March 24, 1961
Southern loop diverted to operate via south on Runnymede, west on St. John’s, north on Beresford and East on Dundas due to continuing sewer construction work.
September 15-November 20, 1962
Bridge reconstruction forces a diversion in Woodbridge. In the mornings and up to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (1:30 p.m. on Saturdays), buses now operate north on Islington Avenue from Highway 7 to Pine Grove, returning via the reverse route to Highway 7, and then looping via Wallace, Pine and Eighth to Highway 7, and then returning via the reverse route to Dundas. In the afternoons, buses loop via Wallace, Pine and Eighth before heading north on Islington Avenue to Pine Grove.
January 31, 1963
In order to accommodate passengers in the shelter at Runnymede loop, northbound buses now operate through the loop rather than stopping on Runnymede, north of Dundas, opposite the loop. No change to the southern loop arrangement.
February 18, 1963
In Woodbridge, service extended a quarter mile north of Pine Grove Road to St. Margaret Mary Church, looping counterclockwise through the driveway in front of the church.
September 21, 1963
Buses operating southbound from Woodbridge now loop counterclockwise through Blondin Loop on their way to Dundas Street.
July 27 to September 21, 1965
Short turn service temporarily extended north from Blondin to a temporary loop at the northwest corner of Albion and Weston Roads due to road construction related to the building of Highway 401.
January 24, 1966
Route transferred from Parkdale Garage to Queensway Garage
February 26, 1966
Coincident with the opening of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY, service south of Blondin loop partially replaced by the 79 SCARLETT ROAD bus. A new short turn service operates between Blondin Loop and Steeles Avenue. Buses loop counterclockwise through Blondin loop.
WOODBRIDGE | 93 | PINE GROVE |
Monday to Saturday, 18 hours a day | ||
WOODBRIDGE | 93A | S T E E L E S |
Occasional short turns | ||
May 18-29, 1967
Resurfacing of the St. Margaret-Mary church yard forces the diversion of the north end loop via west on Davidson Drive, north on Waymar Heights Boulevard and east on Gamble Street.
July 21-27, 1967
Sewer construction in Woodbridge forces a diversion in both directions via north on Eighth Street, east on William and south on James.
September 14 to October 14, 1967
Sewer construction work on Islington Avenue forces a diversion in both directions via Gamble Street, Waymar Heights Blvd and Davidson Drive.
October 10-26, 1967
Sewer construction on 8th Avenue forces a diversion. Northbound buses operate via north on Islington, west on Pine, looping via north on James, west on Williams, south on 8th Avenue, east on Pine and north on Islington before looping at St. Mary Margaret’s Churchyard. Buses returning southbound follow the reverse route to Pine and 8th Avenue, skip the looping on James and Williams, and travel east on Pine and south on Islington.
April 24 to May 1, 1968
Sewer construction work on 8th Avenue forces a diversion northbound via north on Islington, west on Pine, north on 8th Avenue, east on William, south on James and east on Pine. Southbound buses operate via north on 8th Avenue, east on Williams, south on James, east on Pine and south on Islington.
April 28, 1969
Service north of Steeles Avenue outside of rush hours now terminated. All other times, Mondays through Saturdays, buses operate from Blondin Loop via Weston Road, Albion Road and Islington Avenue to Satterly Road, looping clockwise via east on Satterly, north on Plunkett and west on Steeles to Islington Avenue.
It is also assumed that the quarter-mile extension to St. Margaret Mary Church is discontinued on this date.
June 23, 1969
Fares increased outside of Metropolitan Toronto to 15 cents cash fare per zone for adults, 10 cents cash fare per zone for children (or tickets, 6 for 50 cents). Students pay adult fare.
December 15, 1969
93A “Steeles” buses start using a new off-street loop on Steeles Avenue, just west of Islington. The last bus to use the on-street looping via Satterly departs at 8:40 a.m.
January 12, 1970
Special student tickets made available through the local board of education, applicable to Zone 3 (immediately north of Steeles) only.
September 4, 1971
Service on the 93A “Steeles” branch is discontinued, partially replaced by an extension of the 37 ISLINGTON and 73 ROYAL YORK buses. Rush hour service (operating hourly) from Blondin Loop to Pine Grove remains.
September 7th, 1971
Trial service on a “shoppers” branch of 93 WOODBRIDGE begins, operating between Blondin Loop and Braeburn Woods via Weston, Albion and Arcot Boulevard, looping counterclockwise around Tandridge Crescent, returning over the reverse route to Blondin Loop.
WOODBRIDGE | 93 | PINE GROVE |
Monday to Friday, rush hours only | ||
S H O R T | 93S | WOODBRIDGE |
Mondays to Fridays | ||
December 31, 1971
Braeburn Woods Shopping Service discontinued due to low ridership.
July 10, 1972
Looping through Blondin Loop reversed.
July 23rd, 1973
Fares raised outside of Metro Toronto to 20 cents cash fare per zone for adults (tickets 6 for $1), and 10 cents cash fare per zone for children (no tickets). Special “Senior Citizens Public Transit Identification Card” available only from the Town of Vaughan offices in Maple allow seniors to purchase special tickets at a rate of 12 per $1, for use in zones 3 and 4 only, on this route and 41 KEELE.
January 6th, 1975
Route changed: morning trips now run from Blondin Loop via Weston Road, Albion Road, Islington Avenue, Highway 7, Kipling Avenue, Woodbridge Avenue and Islington to Pine Grove, returning south via Islington, Woodbridge, Martin Grove and Highway 7, then south over the regular route to Walsh Avenue (Blondin Loop). Afternoon trips reverse this, operating northbound on Martin Grove and southbound on Kipling.
August 29th, 1975
At the request of the Town of Vaughan, service on 93 WOODBRIDGE ends following the 5:35 p.m. trip between Blondin Loop an Pine Grove. Effective the following Tuesday, service begins on a new Vaughan Transit route, using minibuses, operating between Woodbridge and Steeles Avenue.
93 Woodbridge Image Archive
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A map of railway services through Woodbridge, including the Toronto Suburban Railway's WOODBRIDGE operations. Image courtesy Rob Pineault. |
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A map of WOODBRIDGE operations, effective June 14, 1950. |
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A list of equipment used in the Roselands Bus Service WOODBRIDGE operations circa June 1952. |
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TTC Twin 41-S Coach #1371 pauses at Wakelin's Service Station in Pine Grove on July 19, 1954 in WOODBRIDGE service. To acquire the right to loop through the gas station, the TTC agreed to buy at least ten gallons of gas every day for each bus to use the loop. The date, confirmed by the 1954 license plate, is at odds with the official history of this route. In 1954, the service was supposed to be provided by Gray Coach vehicles, so it's odd to have a TTC bus here, and bearing a WOODBRIDGE rollsign. This TTC photograph was donated from the Pete Coulman collection. |
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A WOODBRIDGE bus pauses near Lawrence and Main Street (Weston Road) beside REXDALE and WESTMOUNT buses in this June 1956 shot. The photographer is unknown. |
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Information on the TTC's 93 WOODBRIDGE route, effective January 1, 1958. |
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A map of the TTC's 93 WOODBRIDGE operations effective January 1, 1958. |
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TTC GM New Look #3931, bearing a 93 WOODBRIDGE rollsign poses outside the Princes' Gates on November 11, 1966. |
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The front of a 93 WOODBRIDGE timetable, effective September 2, 1969. |
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The back of a 93 WOODBRIDGE timetable, effective September 2, 1969. |
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TTC Western Flyer rebuilt trolley coach #9206 and TTC GM "New Look" bus #2996 meet at Blondin Loop on Weston Road just north of Highway 401 as the latter, serving on 93 WOODBRIDGE service, connects passengers to the 89 WESTON trolley bus route, heading to Keele station and the subway downtown. This photo was taken circa February 1971 by Richard Glaze. |
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TTC Flyer D700 bus #7510 poses with a 93 WOODBRIDGE exposure (even though WOODBRIDGE had been abandoned by this point) in this September 1977 shot. The photographer is unknown. |
