London Street Railway Company (24 May 1875 - 31 December 1950)
Incorporated 29 March 1873 (Ont.)
Introduced electric streetcars in 1895 and buses in 1923.
Discontinued electric streetcars 1940.
The London Transportation Commission (01 January 1951 - mid 1974)
Municipal operation. Contracted for a time to
Charterways Transportation Limited (Canadian Coach 1970).
(Dawes et al. 1972, photos: Peter Cox).
The London Transit Commission (mid 1974 - present)
(Canadian Coach 1974, Sotnyk 1981, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, photos: Brian Sullivan [Peter Cox collection])
system logo |
Service area population | 290,000 (1991) |
Vehicle fleet | 174 buses (2000) | |
Employees | 509 (1991) | |
Ridership | 19,145,634 (2009) | |
Data sources: | CUTA 1991/2 CTHF/SSG 2000 website 2002 (logo) CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership) |
various private jitney operators (circa 1922 - 1930)
The jitney “problem” continued longer in London than elsewhere
in Canada, helped in part by an unfriendly relationship between the LSRy
and municipal authorities.
Insurance requirements introduced 1926 helped to eliminate many operators.
It was not until the LSRy franchise of 1930 forbid
bus competition that the trade was stamped out.
Jitney operators mentioned in the pages of Canadian Railway and Marine World included:
Eastern Canadian Greyhound Lines (circa 1946 - circa 1964)
Intercity bus operator in Ontario. ECG maintained a small fleet of suburban buses and operated commuter bus service between London and St. Thomas.
(Luke & Metler Old Look Buses p. 42, photo: Jim Husing Coll./NorCalBusFans).
|
South Western Traction Company (04 June 1906 - 20 October 1909)
Line from London, via St. Thomas to Port Stanley.
Known colloquially as
The Traction, a nickname that persisted through to the end of the
line's history in 1918 (Cooper).
Acquired the charter, franchises and assets of the unbuilt
Middlesex and Elgin Inter-urban Railway Company 12 June 1903.
Sold at foreclosure.
(Andreae 1997 indicates the London - Lambeth segment opening in 1902).
(photo: postcard/trainweb.org).
London and Lake Erie Railway and Transportation Company (20 October 1909 - 15 October 1918)
An attempt was made to develop a bus feeder system.
Interurban Motors Limited was incorporated circa April 1917
by L&LE principals and announced it would commence feeder service
from Aylmer to the L&LE at St. Thomas 01 May 1917.
Routes
from Delaware to the L&LE at Lambeth, and
from Sparta to the L&LE at Union were expected to follow immediately.
By March 1918 only the Aylmer route was running and the bus company was named
St. Thomas-Alymer Motor Bus Co. (with the same manager).
(CR&MW April 1917, p. 152; May 1917, p. 199; April 1918, p. 165).
The L&LE was unable to compete commercially with the newer and faster L&PS for
through traffic between London, St. Thomas and Port Stanley.
(photo: trainweb.org)
London and Port Stanley Railway Company (01 July 1915 - 18 February 1957)
Incorporated 1853 as a steam railway and commenced operations as such 25
September 1856 (Formal opening ceremonies 16 October 1856). Line from London, via
St. Thomas to Port Stanley.
Promoted as a private enterprise but the majority of
stock was held by the City of London and other municipalities.
The City of London leased the line and electrified it in 1914. In 1955
the old company was dissolved and ownership of the line vested directly
in the City of London (under the
London Railway Commission).
Electric freight operation ended 31 December 1965 and the line
acquired by
Canadian National Railways 01 January 1966.
Port Stanley Terminal Rail, Inc. (1983 - present)
Seven mile (11 km) portion of the L&PS line operated as a diesel-hauled tourist railway.
The author is always interested in comments, corrections and further information. Please email to: dawwpg@shaw.ca This page last modified: Monday, 04-Jul-2016 21:36:37 CDT