Eaton's Special (1930-1972, with reprieve in 1977)

Compiled by Pete Coulman
With additional text by James Bow

The EATON’S SPECIAL began life as a bus service operated by Gray Coach under contract with the Timothy Eaton Company in order to provide an easy ride between Eaton’s two downtown Toronto stores (at Yonge and Queen and Yonge and College). Fares were charged, but no transfers were issued or accepted with linking bus routes. In the early 1950s, the TTC switched the Gray Coaches for TTC “red” coaches, and continued the service until at least the early 1970s. The rise of the Eaton Centre and the exit of the Eaton’s store from what is now College Park likely precipitated the end of this special service.

October 30, 1930 (Thursday)

The Timothy Eaton Company launches the “Eaton Inter-Store Coach” service. Buses operate from the corner of Albert and Yonge via north on Yonge to Hayter (one block north of Gerrard). Buses return via west on Hayter, south on Bay and east on Albert Street to Yonge. The service is initially operated complimentary to Eaton’s shoppers.

November 25, 1930 (Tuesday)

Fares are now charged at a rate of 3 tickets for 5 cents. Tickets are sold at the Enquiry Desk at the Queen and College stores.

June 2, 1932 (Thursday)

On this day, Eaton’s contracts Gray Coach to operate additional coach service linking the Eaton’s stores with the Royal York and King Edward hotels. A number of trips are made during the mornings and afternoons, Monday to Saturday.

June 8, 1932 (Wednesday)

Gray Coach service to the Royal York and King Edward hotels is discontinued.

May 11, 1933 (Thursday)

Gray Coach now operates this service with buses using treadle rear doors. These doors are painted gray on September 27 of this year.

August 18, 1937 (Wednesday)

Gray Coach upgrades service to diesel-electric rear drive coaches.

March 12, 1942 (Thursday)

By this date, the EATON INTER-STORE service operates between 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to Saturday (store hours are 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.)

October 21, 1942 (Saturday)

Last day of service for the duration of the Second World War. By order of the Dominion War Department, the EATON INTER-STORE coach service is discontinued to conserve gasoline and rubber.

June 4, 1945 (Monday)

Service on the EATON’S INTER-STORE coach resumes.

July 19, 1948 (Monday)

Service is temporarily diverted due to trackwork at the intersection of Dundas and Bay. Southbound buses divert via west on Hayter Street, south on Elizabeth and east on Albert to Yonge.

August 9, 1948 (Monday)

With trackwork complete at the Dundas/Bay intersection, regular routing resumes.

Circa 1962

Service transferred from Gray Coach to the TTC. As part of the change, three Gray Coach buses (1295-1297) are transferred to the TTC and renumbered 1395-1397. These buses maintained their Gray Coach livery, with added TTC crests, until they were retired in 1964. The service is operated out of Davenport Garage. No transfers are issued or accepted with connecting TTC routes, and the route does not appear on TTC maps or timetables.

EATON’S SPECIAL

Monday to Saturday, shoppers hours

October 1, 1970 (Thursday)

Fares increased from 15 cents/2 tickets for 25 cents to 15 cents/2 tickets for 30 cents.

March 11, 1972

A Canadian Coach article by Jack Knowles reports, “One of the oldest Canadian contract special bus services was discontinued on March 11th, 1972, when the Toronto Transit Commission ceased to run Eaton’s Inter-Store Service, which was inaugurated October 30th, 1930. Eaton’s service had operated during store hours, except for the period October 31st, 1942, to June 4th, 1945, when it was discontinued due to the wartime shortage of gasoline, tires, vehicles and manpower.”

January 20 to February 5, 1977

With the imminent closure and demolition of the Queen Street store and Budget Annex, the Eaton’s Company launched its “Hail & Farewell Sale”. and chartered a GM New Look bus to operate. On the side of the bus, Eaton’s featured an advertising sign which read, “For Eaton’s Hail & Farewell Sale we’ve brought back the Eaton Connection! This bus runs between the Queen Street and College Street stores from January 20th to February 5th.”

This bus is recorded operating via north on Yonge, west on Hayter (picking up at the south side of the College Store), south on Bay, east on Queen, north on James (picking up at the west side of the Queen Store), west on Albert and, presumably, north on Bay and east on Dundas to Yonge. The special fare for this service is five cents.

Little is known by this author about the operation of the EATON’S SPECIAL after the YONGE SUBWAY opened in 1954. If anyone has additional information, it would be greatly appreciated.

Eaton's Special Image Archive

	This shot from the Toronto Archives (#8135) shows Gray Coach buses loading up outside Eatons on opening day (October 10, 1930).
	Gray Coach bus #56 poses with its EATONS INTER-STORE COACH service sign on October 29, 1930, the first week of operation. This TTC photo is courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	Gray Coach bus #539 sits at Hillcrest signed for the EATONS SPECIAL on September 26, 1933. Photo courtesy the Toronto Archives (#9935)
	Gray Coach bus #1297 sits at the TTC's Hillcrest Shops on March 6, 1955, bearing an EATON'S SPECIAL rollsign. This TTC photo is courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC Twin 38S bus #1722 (ex-Danforth Bus Lines #78) leads another Twin-built bus in EATON'S SPECIAL service in this January 1959 shot. This photograph is by Paul Cordingley and the image was donated from the Pete Coulman collection.
	This Toronto Telegraph photo, taken in 1965, shows an EATON'S SPECIAL bus (Gray Coach #1336?) operating north on the Yonge Street strip, approaching Gerrard. Photo courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC Twin 41-S bus #1371 rests, facing east on Albert just east of James on July 6, 1968. Photo by Douglas Grotjahn, from the Pete Coulman and John Knight collections.
	TTC Twin 38-S Coach #1724 heads northbound on Yonge, passes McGill Street in EATON'S SPECIAL service, circa July 1969. This photo was taken by Richard Glaze.
	Fageol Twin coach #1327 picks up passengers from the Eaton's store at College and Yonge, facing westbound on Hayter (which today doesn't exist) with Yonge Street in the background. This shot was taken by Richard Glaze circa August 1969 (not August 1970. Pat Semple points out these gas buses were terminated by December 1969).
	TTC Canadian Car & Foundry Twin Coach #1371 heads northbound on Yonge, approaching Dundas in EATON'S SPECIAL service. This shot was taken circa September 1969 by Richard Glaze.
	TTC Canadian Car & Foundry Twin Coach #1371 heads southbound on Bay Street at Louisa, in service on the EATON'S SPECIAL. This shot was taken by Richard Glaze circa September 1969.
	A TTC Canadian Car & Foundry coach pauses northbound on Bay just north of Albert in esrvice on the EATON'S SPECIAL service. This shot was taken circa September 1969 by Richard Glaze.
	TTC Twin 41-S Coach #1369 pauses northbound on Yonge at Shuter in EATON'S SPECIAL service circa September 1969. Photo by Richard Glaze.
	TTC Twin 41-S bus #1371 heads southbound on Bay, crossing Dundas Street in EATON'S SPECIAL service. This was taken by Richard Glaze circa September 1969.
	TTC Twin 41-S bus #1371 runs southbound on Bay Street towards Queen in service on the EATON'S SPECIAL in this 1970 shot. The photographer is unknown and the image is from the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC GM New Look #2998 turns from Albert Street northbound onto Yonge during a street festival. The bus is on an EATON'S SPECIAL run. This photo was taken by Richard Glaze circa June 1971.
	The front of an EATON'S SPECIAL bus ticket. Image courtesy Bill Robb.
	The back of an EATON'S SPECIAL ticket. Photo courtesy Bill Robb.