Compiled by Pete Coulman
Information taken from Louis Pursley’s Street Railways of Toronto

The Winchester Streetcar (1881-1924)

July 26, 1881

Service begins on a new horse car route called WINCHESTER, running from Front and York via east on Front, north on Church, east on King, north on Sherbourne, east on Carlton, north on Parliament and east on Winchester to Sumach Street. The service features a short stretch of single track operation in the easternmost few-hundred feet of Winchester.

October 23, 1891

Experimentally merged with the DAVENPORT route, with cars now starting at the Canadian Pacific Railway crossing on Bathurst Street just north of Dupont, running south to King, east to York and south to Front to connect with the existing route. The two lines were separated within a few weeks and reverted to their original routings.

September 26, 1892

Rerouted to operate via east on Front, north on Church, east on Carlton, north on Parliament and east on Winchester. Service on King and Sherbourne taken up by other routes.

September 28, 1893

Service electrified and changed to run north on Yonge Street instead of on Church.

January 1894

Service combined with the PARLIAMENT streetcar route on a trial basis. Cars run from Front and York via east on Front, north on Church, east on King, north on Sherbourne, east on Queen, north on Parliament and east on Winchester to Sumach.

October 16, 1894

A wye is installed at Winchester and Sumach. In addition, the combination with the PARLIAMENT car ends. Service is combined with the BATHURST streetcar, operating from the CPR crossing via Bathurst, King, York, Front, Yonge, Carlton, Parliament and Winchester.

January 26, 1895

Service separated from the BATHURST car.

December, 1896

Downtown, cars now loop via south on Yonge, west on Front, north on York and east on King.

December 24, 1906

Downtown loop changed to run via south on Yonge, west on Front, north on Scott Street and east on Wellington Street.

October 26, 1908

Afternoon rush hour cars enter service via south on Church, west on Front, north on Scott, west on Wellington, north on Yonge and east on Carlton.

December 18, 1911

Service rerouted to operate from a wye at Adelaide and Victoria via north on Victoria, east on Wilton Square (later renamed Dundas Square), east on Dundas, north on Parliament and east on Winchester.

April 1, 1912

Cars loop downtown via east on Richmond, south on Church and west on Adelaide to Victoria, returning north on Victoria over its normal route to Winchester.

October 21, 1913

Operation changed from Front to King carhouse.

November 1, 1913

In the afternoon rush hour, downtown-bound cars loop from Dundas via south on Church, west on Adelaide, north on Victoria, east on Wilton Square and east on Dundas.

September 1, 1921

The Toronto Transportation Commission takes over Toronto Railway Corporation streetcar operations on this date. Operation of the WINCHESTER car changed back to the Front Street yard.

October 2, 1921

Service altered to operate from the wye at Sumach & Wincester via west on Winchester, south on Parliament and east on Queen, looping clockwise via Church, Richmond and Victoria.

By this time, the line’s days were numbered, as the TTC was busy extending streetcar tracks north on Parliament Street towards Bloor.

January 21, 1922

Front Street yard declared obsolete and closed, WINCHESTER cars now operate from Russell carhouse.

June 30, 1923

The TTC opens the new streetcar tracks on Parliament between Winchester and Bloor and reroutes cars to Viaduct loop. Service renamed PARLIAMENT. Tracks on Winchester from Parliament to Sumach are abandoned, but remain in place for the next few years.

The Winchester Bus (1924-1930)

August 3, 1924

Service begins on the WINCHESTER bus, operating on Winchester from Parliament Street east to Sumach, wying at both ends.

September 27, 1930

Last day of operation. Service discontinued due to lack of ridership.

Winchester Streetcar Image Archive

	Ex-TRC streetcar #1638 (?) heads westbound on Queen, preparing to turn south at Church Street in WINCHESTER service on October 5, 1921, a month after the Toronto Transportation Commission takeover. This photograph is courtesy the Toronto Archives.
	A map of the tracks on Winchester Street in Cabbagetown, circa the 1920s. Image courtesy the Rob Pineault collection.