As the end of streetcar service in Hamilton neared, repairs to streetcars ended and the remaining cars were run until they broke. When they did, they were placed on the western track of the Birch Avenue right-of-way for storage, which streetcar fans dubbed the Birch Avenue Boneyard. With the end of service in April 1951 all remaining streetcars, work cars and sweepers were put onto the eastern now out of service track. The HSR looked for a potential buyer for the 62 streetcars, but was unsuccesful and the cars were sold for scrap in late April 1951 to the International Metal Company,and removed by the end of June.
HSR #15:2 at the south end of the Birch Ave Boneyard near Wilson & Stinton after the end of streetcar service in 1951. (From Dave’s Electric Railroads, used with permission)
HSR #15:2 in storage at the south end of the Birch Ave Boneyard, May 19, 1951. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
HSR #409 in storage in the Birch Ave Boneyard on May 19, 1951. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
HSR #529 at Birch and Cannon, Summer 1951.
HSR #512 and several more at the Birch Ave Boneyard at Harvey St in early 1951. (Photographer unknown)
HSR #517 at the Birch Ave Boneyard, Summer 1951.
HSR #413 in storage in the Birch Ave Boneyard in 1951. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
HSR #419 in storage in the Birch Ave Boneyard in March 1951. the building on the right is now the Powell Park maintenance building next to 113 Birch Ave. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
HSR #537 in the Birch Ave Boneyard at Harvey St, in early spring 1951. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
HSR #535 in the Birch Ave Boneyard south of Barton, in late spring 1951. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
Not all the cars would be scrapped. Several car bodies would be sold off by the scrapper and turned into everything from cabins to chicken coops. Twenty years later HSR #521 would be rescued from such a fate by the Halton County Radial Railway and moved where she awaits preservation
