Old Time Trains

Runnymede Road

Runnymede Road subway under construction. Looking north towards St.Clair Avenue.
Large house at left sits where Lambton roundhouse would be built. March 23, 1912

Laying streetcar tracks on Runnymede Road (looking south from St.Clair) to reach the planned
Britannia Division car barn north of St.Clair Avenue West, mostly east of Runnymede.

Looking north from the Runnymede bridge showing never-used TTC tracks. Note TTC Runnymede bus and
the jog to bring street into York Township since the City of Toronto would not pay for it! August 31,1957.
Toronto Public Library/Salmon Collection

Looking north on Runnymede, showing TTC track curving into the loop and unconnected tracks going under subway towards St.Clair to reach a planned car barn off Britannia Avenue which was never built. A government inspector (BTC) refused to approve its use since an imobile streetcar would block emergency vehicles. These tracks were visible for decades, then paved over and finally removed during construction of the new underpass in 1982. The building at right (see below) was a coal yard, later a welder's supply. Next to it, out of sight, was once the terminal of Star Transfer, Ontario Northland's truck transport operation. Nearby, just north of the CPR locomotive foreman's office was a small garage on Castleton Ave. for Thibodeau Express, the highway transport arm of Algoma Central. Hume's Transport a local family business had its main terminal on St.Clair across from the roundhouse as well. Hume's had a fleet of over 50 trucks handling mostly Maple Leaf meat products for Canada Packers (in ice refrigerated trucks) with only International Harvester trucks. A IH dealership was located right on St.Clair Ave. near the packers. Billboard at far left is advertising TCP now in both Shell gasolines.

......................................... September 6,1954 Toronto Public Library/Salmon Collection

Perfection Coal at 300 Maria (Mah_rye_ah) Street telephone number MUrray 4044.

This small coal dealer was one of dozens throughout Toronto and suburbs selling coal retail to households. It was delivered to customer in heavy cloth sacks. Each had its own private siding where railway hopper cars containing 50 tons of coal mostly from Pennsylvania were delivered. By now oil heating was popular in the era before natural gas was available.

Underpass rebuilt to allow straight four lane street. Looking north at Maria Street.

Looking south on Runnymede at Maria (Ma_rye_ah) Street. Dundas St. W. in background.
TTC 4574 Dundas route PCC (ex Cleveland) destination sign already reads Broadview station
its eastern end of route is about to turn into Runnymede loop. Note overhead sign.
TTC buses about to pass. Runnymede route northbound (behind) and
"New Look" 2986 southbound likely a Scarlett Rd. route (note separate stop at far left).
June & Bill's Lunch (Long located here, closed c.1968) Note Diamond Taxi sign.
JUMBO Burgers (closed c. 2019) Dominion Bridge sign at right. June 26, 1967

ENLARGE click twice

Back (Use your browser Back button)

ld Time Trains © 2009 2023

O

Runnymede Road

Runnymede Road subway under construction. Looking north towards St.Clair Avenue.
Large house at left sits where Lambton roundhouse would be built. March 23, 1912

Laying streetcar tracks on Runnymede Road (looking south from St.Clair) to reach the planned
Britannia Division car barn north of St.Clair Avenue West, mostly east of Runnymede.

Looking north from the Runnymede bridge showing never-used TTC tracks. Note TTC Runnymede bus and
the jog to bring street into York Township since the City of Toronto would not pay for it! August 31,1957.
Toronto Public Library/Salmon Collection

Looking north on Runnymede, showing TTC track curving into the loop and unconnected tracks going under subway towards St.Clair to reach a planned car barn off Britannia Avenue which was never built. A government inspector (BTC) refused to approve its use since an imobile streetcar would block emergency vehicles. These tracks were visible for decades, then paved over and finally removed during construction of the new underpass in 1982. The building at right (see below) was a coal yard, later a welder's supply. Next to it, out of sight, was once the terminal of Star Transfer, Ontario Northland's truck transport operation. Nearby, just north of the CPR locomotive foreman's office was a small garage on Castleton Ave. for Thibodeau Express, the highway transport arm of Algoma Central. Hume's Transport a local family business had its main terminal on St.Clair across from the roundhouse as well. Hume's had a fleet of over 50 trucks handling mostly Maple Leaf meat products for Canada Packers (in ice refrigerated trucks) with only International Harvester trucks. A IH dealership was located right on St.Clair Ave. near the packers. Billboard at far left is advertising TCP now in both Shell gasolines.

......................................... September 6,1954 Toronto Public Library/Salmon Collection

Perfection Coal at 300 Maria (Mah_rye_ah) Street telephone number MUrray 4044.

This small coal dealer was one of dozens throughout Toronto and suburbs selling coal retail to households. It was delivered to customer in heavy cloth sacks. Each had its own private siding where railway hopper cars containing 50 tons of coal mostly from Pennsylvania were delivered. By now oil heating was popular in the era before natural gas was available.

Underpass rebuilt to allow straight four lane street. Looking north at Maria Street.

Looking south on Runnymede at Maria (Ma_rye_ah) Street. Dundas St. W. in background.
TTC 4574 Dundas route PCC (ex Cleveland) destination sign already reads Broadview station
its eastern end of route is about to turn into Runnymede loop. Note overhead sign.
TTC buses about to pass. Runnymede route northbound (behind) and
"New Look" 2986 southbound likely a Scarlett Rd. route (note separate stop at far left).
June & Bill's Lunch (Long located here, closed c.1968) Note Diamond Taxi sign.
JUMBO Burgers (closed c. 2019) Dominion Bridge sign at right. June 26, 1967

ENLARGE click twice