Untitled Document

ROSELAND BUS LINES
by Raymond L. Kennedy

Roseland Bus Lines Fitzjohn Cityliner on Roselands route is in front of the Subway Hotel on Keele Street in the Junction. It will back around onto Vine Avenue, then swing left to go north on Keele under the subway (underpass) beneath the C.P.R. West Toronto yard. It will then proceed via Weston Road to Mount Dennis and Roselands. Streetcar tracks are those of the T.T.C. used by the Weston Road cars whose terminal was slightly to the rear of the photographer. April 1953.

J.V.Salmon Collection Toronto Public Library Baldwin Room
Courtesy of West Toronto Junction Historical Society

NOTE: This is the only known photograph of a Roseland bus.
If you have another please contact me: rlkennedy.raymond@gmail.com

Roseland Bus Lines was a small independent operation , it served a part of York with a single route and operated an interurban route between Weston and Woodbridge, It was owned by David R.Murray, and apparently was not even incorporated as a business back in those simplier years!

Dateline

1925

Weston-Woodbridge service commenced.

May 10,1926

Toronto Suburban Railway abandons its interurban service between Weston and Woodbridge.

June 13, 1942

Roselands service started between the Junction (Keele & Dundas) via Keele Street, Weston Road and Lambton Avenue to Jane Street. June 21st War time restriction cuts it back to start at Northland Ave. (City Limits).

November 1,1944

War-time restrictions lifted, service returns to the Junction business district with buses wyeing at Keele and Vine Ave.

September 11,1946

Woodbridge service extended on some trips to Pine Grove.
Also, in 1946 service extended through Weston from Humber Street to Lawrence Avenue. .

July 1954

Acquired by T.T.C.

Roster of buses at time of T.T.C. takeover

Make Model Seats Year Type Condition Disposition

2 Reo School 25 1941 School Fair scrap
6 Fitzjohn Duraliner 28 1947 Interurban Good GCL 616
10 Fitzjohn FTG 35 1952 Suburban Good TTC 1766
12 Ford 19B 29 1940* Suburban Poor TTC 528
NOTE: Acquired 1947 from London Street Railway 93

20 Ford 19B 27 1942* City Poor TTC 529
NOTE: Acquired 1947 from London Street Railway

24 Fitzjohn Cityliner 35 1947 Suburban Good TTC 1752
NOTE: Originally a Demonstrator

26 Prevost 49PU33 33 1949 City Good TTC 1785
28 Flxible 33B148 33 1948 Interurban Good GCL 610
30 Flxible 33B149 33 1949 Interurban Good GCL 611
32 White 706M 25 1938 * Suburban Poor TTC 530
NOTE: Acquired 1950 from a Catholic convent in Hamilton

34 Prevost 50P133 33 1950 Suburban Good GCL 618
36 Fitzjohn Cityliner 35 1950 Suburban Good TTC 1753
38 Fitzjohn Cityliner 35 1951 Suburban Good TTC 1754
39 Fitzjohn Cityliner 35 1951 Suburban Good TTC 1755
40 Prevost 52P133 33 1952 Interurban Good GCL 619
42 Prevost 52P133 33 1953 Interurban new GCL 620

NOTE: Roselands suburban service assigned 12, 20, 24, and 38
Woodbridge interurban service and charters, all other.

NOTE: Final acquisition was 9 buses, 6 coaches and 1 scrapped.

Business:

Total value of 17 buses was $167,000 ,depreciation was on a straight line basis with 12 years' life. Properties added another $70,247,50. Goodwill and everything included totalled $600,000 for acquisition by the T.T.C.

This was a cosy little business, what with the "office" in the owner's home, a job and a car for the owner and a profit as well! It provided employment for a manager, (the owner), 9 drivers and 7 others, 4 of whom were also drivers. The 54 year old Manager and one 45 year old driver both had 24 years service on February 1,1954. Net profit of the business ending December 31,1953 was $14,109.51.

Properties:

Garages were located on a T-shaped property at Weston Road and Lambton Avenue in Mount Dennis. Addresses were 980 and 1004 Weston Road. A 33x100 foot brick garage over 50 years old with a 32' x 33' concrete block addition, 10 years old. Another 41' x 110' concrete block garage built in 1947 was located at the rear of 6 Lambton Avenue where a 2 storey brick house, over 60 years old was being rented to an employee.

Two-storey, 6 room, 20' x 30' solid brick home and office at 6 St.Marks Road (note the coincidence of this number!) was said to be "in a splendid state of repair throughout and in a desireable residential area", which was in the Jane and Annette Sts. area. This house was 18 years old, valued at $17,675 and 1953 taxes were $200.93!

Routes and Service

Roselands suburban service between the Roselands area of York Township, Mount Dennis and the Junction business district of West Toronto.
Buses "wyed" at Keele Street and Vine Avenue in the Junction and operated north on Keele and then Weston Road to Lambton Avenue in Mt.Dennis, then west along Lambton to Jane Street and Bexley Crescent to East Drive, the Roselands area.

SERVICE was daily from 6.15 a.m. (10.45 a.m. Sundays) until 12.15 a.m. Trip time for the 5.38 mile round trip was 30 minutes, headway (frequency) was 15 minutes in rush hours and 30 minutes at all other times and on Sundays. This required 1 bus in Base service, 2 in A.M. rush and 3 in P.M. rush.

RESTRICTION: Prohibited from handling local passengers in competition with the T.T.C.
This would be within the City of Toronto along Keele and Weston Road between the Junction and Northland Avenue which was the City Limit.

FARES: Roselands; Prior March 9,1951 Adults: 5 cents (11 tickets for 50c)
Children: 3 cents
After March 9,1951 Adults: 10 cents (3 tickets for 25c)
Children: 5 cents

Woodbridge interurban service between Weston, Thistletown, Woodbridge and Pine Grove.
Operated from Elmsmere Avenue (between John and King Sts. north of Lawrence Ave.), north on Main Street (now Weston Road), and along Albion Road through Thistletown, then Wodbridge Road (now Islington Avenue) to Highway 7 in Woodbridge with certain trips extended north to Gamble Street in Pine Grove. On return buses ran down Main Street, east on Lawrence to South Station Street, north to John Street, west to Main and north to Elmsmere.

SERVICE was operated daily from 6.30 a.m. (8.30 Sundays) until 11.00 p.m. Trip time for the 15.75 mile round trip was 60 minutes, headway was 30 minutes in rush hours, 60 minutes at other times, except after 9.30 p.m. it was 90 minutes. This required 1 bus in base service and 2 in rush hours.

RESTRICTION: Prohibited the handling of local passengers within the Town of Weston in competition with the Town's own service operated for them by the T.T.C.

FARES: Weston to Thistletown; Adults 15 cents Children 10 cents
Weston to Woodbridge; Adults 25 cents Children 15 cents

OPERATING STATISTICS 1951

Route Annual miles Passengers Revenue Expenses Profit

Roselands 96,000 506,000 $38,000 $34,000 $4,000
Woodbridge 102,000 312,000 65,000 37,000 28,000
Charters and 200,000 120,000 74,000 46,000
Special services (school)
Total 398,000 223,000 145,000 78,000

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