Compiled by Jeffrey Kay, with contributions by Alan Gryfe and Peter Coulman

Looking northeast at the intersection of Avenue Road & Wilson in 1949, a few years before the NORTH YONGE bus was extended west on Wilson (down the right side of the photo) and north on Avenue Road (across the bottom). The sharp-eyed among you may notice that Highway 401 is yet to be built. Gordon H. Jarrett photo/Northway Survey Corp. Ltd.

November 19th, 1952

Service to Armour Heights begins as a branch of the NORTH YONGE route, running from Glen Echo loop via northwest on Yonge Boulevard, west on Wilson Avenue and north on Avenue Road, looping counterclockwise via east on Bombay Avenue, north on Tregellis Road, west on Sandringham Drive and south on Bideford Avenue back to Avenue Road. One bus provides service on a 20:00 minute headway. Service operates Mondays through Saturdays only.

Note that the rollsigns on this route were very simple, showing just the route in white text on a black background compared to the two-colour combined route and destination signs used elsewhere in the system. Until route numbers were assigned in 1956, buses operating on the NORTH YONGE route or its relatives showed only the route name or the destination.

A typical NORTH YONGE route sign read as follows:

TORONTO
RICHMOND HILL
STEELES
WILLOWDALE
LANGSTAFF
ARMOUR HEIGHTS

The NORTH YONGE route was never seen on a rollsign until route numbers were applied in 1956.

January 15th, 1954

Officially becomes a separate route, instead of a branch of NORTH YONGE.

February 22, 1954

All day service cancelled. Buses now operate rush hours only (Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. and Saturdays between noon and 6:40 p.m.).

July 1st, 1954

Routing revised to operate as a shuttle on Avenue Road between Bombay and Roe loop, connecting with the NORTOWN TROLLEY COACH. At the same time the northern terminal loop is replaced by a U-turn in the intersection of Avenue Road and Bombay Avenue.

A photograph confirms a BOMBAY-ROE exposure as early as 1958, but a notice from the Eglinton Division dated September 7, 1956 suggests that some buses could have been signed ARMOUR HTS-ROE

July 3, 1956

For fare collection purposes, route switched from zone 2 to zone 1 operation. Free transfer now offered with NORTOWN TROLLEY COACH, extra fare payable when transferring to Wilson bus. (at an unknown date the route was switched back to zone 2)

September 7, 1956

Route number 1 assigned to ARMOUR HEIGHTS.

July 6, 1957

Saturday rush-hour service discontinued.

September 5, 1967

Midday service added.

March 14, 1976

Operation of this route transferred from Eglinton to the new Wilson Garage.

February 9, 1981

Thirty-foot Orion buses now operated on this route, from Eglinton garage.

Mid 1980’s

Operation of 30ft Orion buses discontinued. In 1983, the TTC noted that the ARMOUR HEIGHTS route was one of the poorest performers on the system, handling 473 passengers per day in 1982, or roughly 2.1 passengers per trip. As no service reduction could be identified which could bring the service up to the TTC’s financial standard, the route was listed as among those considered for elimination, should service changes benefitting more passengers be found elsewhere in the city. However, TTC planners noted, “the Armour Heights route functions essentially as the end section of the Nortown trolley coach and, therefore, may be expected to exhibit performance characteristics typical of route ends throughout the system.” As the route did not duplicate other existing services, it was protected, although the TTC did not feel it justified to string up trolley wires and extend Nortown trolley bus service in its place.

April 2nd, 1990

In conjunction with the inauguration of the 142 AVENUE RD/DOWNTOWN EXPRESS route, ARMOUR HEIGHTS service eliminated during rush hours, running only from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

February 14th, 1992

Last day of service. The next day the 61 AVENUE ROAD NORTH extended north to Bombay.

1 ARMOUR HEIGHTS RIDERSHIP

Year     Daily Passengers     Rank
1978           392          113/117
1979           440          112/117
1980           428          114/118
1981           428          121/123
1982           473          121/123
1983           400          123/124
1984           395          126/131
1985           402          132/137
1986           347          136/138
1987           311          135/137
1988           342          135/137
1991           326          136/138

1 ARMOUR HEIGHTS Images

	TTC “Old Look” bus 970 operates northwest along Yonge Boulevard on Armour Heights service on March 6, 1954. You can see Yonge Street in the background. Photo courtesy the Toronto Reference Library Collection.
	A timetable from April 2, 1990, just after rush hour service had been taken over by the 142 Avenue Road Express.