21 Danforth (1963-1968)

Compiled by Pete Coulman

On September 1, 1963, the TTC restructured routes in Scarborough, providing through service on Lawrence Avenue with the 54 LAWRENCE EAST bus. This lopped off several branches that used to extend from various north-south services, including 15 BRIMLEY. The removal of BRIMLEY service on Lawrence and the extension of service up Brimley and McCowan caused the TTC to retire the 15 BRIMLEY and create a new route, 21 DANFORTH.

Sunday September 1,1963

Service starts on the Danforth bus, operated by the Danforth Division out of Birchmount Garage. Service operates on three branches:

  • Progress, via Brimley: From Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road and Brimley Road, looping via west on Ellesmere, north on Midland, east on Progress and south on Brimley to route and return. This service operated Monday through Friday, during rush hours and midday. (Note: due to construction on Midland Avenue between Progress and Ellesmere, this route was temporarily detoured from Brimley and Ellesmere, continuing north on Brimley, west on Progress, south on Cosentino, wyeing in the intersection and returning over the reverse route.)

  • Progress, via McCowan: From Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road and McCowans Road to Ellesmere Road, looping counterclockwise through the B.P. Gas Station on the south-east corner, entering off of McCowan Road and exiting onto Ellesmere. Service operates Monday through Friday, during rush hours and midday.

  • Brimorton, via Brimley: At all other times, the two branches are merged to operate from Luttrell Loop via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road, and Brimley Road, looping via east on Brimorton, south on McCowans Road, west on Lawrence Avenue back to Brimley Road, and south on Brimley, returning to Luttrell over the reverse route.

Since this route operates entirely within Zone 2, the normal Pay-Enter-Free Leave system applies, with transfer privileges to all connecting routes in Zone 2.

Note the unusual arrangement for the TTC rollsigns:

 DANFORTH 

 21 

 PROGRESS-LUTTREL 
V I A
 B R I M L E Y 

Mon-Fri evenings
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday

 DANFORTH 

 21A 

 PROGRESS-LUTTREL 
V I A
 M c C O W A N 

Mon-Fri, rush hours and midday.

 DANFORTH 

 21B 

 BRIMORTON-LUTTREL 
V I A
 B R I M L E Y 

Mon-Fri, evenings
All day weekends and holidays.

October 7, 1965

The off-street looping via the B.P. Gas Station on the southeast corner is discontinued. Buses now loop via north on McCowan, east on Huronia Gate, north and east on Lynneford, north on Stoneton and west on Ellesmere to McCowan, returning south on McCowan to route.

February 26, 1966

New rollsigns added to some buses:

 DANFORTH 
via BRIMLEY

 21 

 PROGRESS 
LUTTRELL

Mon-Fri evenings
Monday to Friday, rush hours and midday

 DANFORTH 
via McCOWAN

 21A 

 PROGRESS
LUTTRELL

Mon-Fri, rush hours and midday.

 DANFORTH 
via BRIMLEY

 21B 

 BRIMORTON 
LUTTRELL

Mon-Fri, evenings
All day weekends and holidays.

May 10, 1968

Last day of operation

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH subway to Warden station, service replaced by 21 BRIMLEY and 16 McCOWAN, operating out of Warden station.


21 Danforth Image Archive

TTC New Look 2986 at Birchmount Garage, May 30, 1966

TTC GM New Look 2986 poses at Birchmount Garage on May 30, 1966. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.

21 Danforth Timetable, July 30, 1965, page 1

Timetable of the 21 DANFORTH route, effective July 30, 1965.

21 Danforth Timetable, July 30, 1965, page 1

Page two of the timetable described above.







About this Page

This page contains a chronological history of the 21 Danforth (1963-1968) bus route.

20 Cliffside was the previous history in this collection.

21 Brimley is the next history in this collection.

To see a list of all available bus route histories, return to this page or this page for an overview of all available TTC bus related articles, or the main page for news and other articles in Transit Toronto.