Sanderson, Newman & Hough Bus Line (19th Century?)
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
Some tokens inscribed
Sanderson & Newman Bus Line.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 470).
St. Catharines Street Railway Company (01 November 1879 - March 1882)
Incorporated 1874 (Ont.)
Service reached Merriton in 1880 and Thorold in 1881.
Name changed to StCM&TStRyCo 1882.
St. Catharines, Merriton and Thorold Street Railway Company (March 1882
- 1893)
One line was constructed in 1888 under the legal ownership
of the related
Niagara & St. Catharines Street Railway Company
(Mills 1967).
Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines and Thorold Electric Street Railway Company (1893 - 08 July 1901)
Incorporated 28 July 1893 to
acquire the StCM&TStRyCo.
Purchased by the NS&T 01 May 1901.
Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway Company (08 July 1901 - December 1960)
Incorporated 1898. Acquired by the
Canadian Northern Railway in 1908 which became on 20 December 1918
Canadian National Railways. After 1922 the railway was designated the
Canadian National Electric Railways: NS&T Railway District.
Local service included St. Catharines, Merriton, Thorold,
and Port Dalhousie. After 1931, bus operations were conducted
by the NS&T under the
Canadian National Transportation Limited name.
The NS&T was formally amagamated with parent
Canadian National Railways December 1960 (Dobell).
(photo Peter Cox).
Canadian National Transportation Limited (December 1960 - 01 September 1961)
Road transport subsidiary of
Canadian National Railways.
Continuation of NS&T operations pending transfer to municipal ownership.
The Saint Catharines Transit Commission (01 September 1961 - present)
City bylaw of 21 August 1961 established the
St. Catharines Transit System (Dobell).
Commission established by provincial law 30 March 1962, retroactive to 01 September 1961.
From the start transit service was operated in St. Catharines and Thorold.
Adopted the marketing name
St. Catharines Transit mid 1974 (Canadian Coach 1974).
Certain regional routes grouped as
Niagara Region Transit from 12 September 2011.
(Mills 1967 also cites
St. Catharines Public Utilities Commission but this is probably an error).
(Dawes et al. 1972, Transit Canada 1975, CUTA 1976-77, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992,
Chow 1998) (photos: W.E. Miller [Peter Cox coll.], Brian Sullivan [Peter Cox coll.], Peter Cox collection)
system logo | Service area population | 124,000 (1991) | Vehicle fleet | 51 buses (2000) | Employees | 155 (1991) |
Ridership | 5,236,416 (2009) | Data sources: | CUTA 1991/2 CTHF/SSG 2000 SCT website 2011 (logo) CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership) |
St. Catharines Bus Co. (? - ?)
Bus operator operating in St. Catharines in opposition to NS&T street railway service
(CR&MW December 1926, p. 667).
Thorold Transit (circa 1995? - present)
Separate from St. Catharines for a period in the 1990's.
By 2000 operated by St. Catharines Transit using StCT buses (CTHF/SSG 2000).
Operated by contractor
5-0 Transportation (CPTdb Wiki 2014).
Perera 1973 lists that the Town of Thorold received transit operating subsidies from the provincial government
separate from St. Catharines.
(photo Bus World, Vol. 19, No. 2, Winter 1996-97, p. 17, Chow 1998, CPTdb Wiki 2014).
Vehicle fleet | 2 buses (1996) | Data source: | CTHF/SSG 1998 (1996 data) |
Animal railway | 01 November 1879 - 1887 | Electric railway | September 1887 - 07 May 1948 | Motor bus | 01 February 1929 - present |
Niagara Region Transit (12 September 2011 - present)
Regional transit service linking
St. Catharines,
Thorold,
Niagara Falls,
Welland,
Port Colborne, and
Fort Erie.
Operation of individual routes is by
St. Catharines Transit,
Welland Transit, or
Niagara Falls Transit.
(website 2011).
system logo | Data source: | website 2011 |
Niagara Region Transit On-Demand (18 August 2020 - present)
Pilot program launched in
Pelham, Lincoln, West Lincoln, Wainfleet, and Grimsby. Service contracted to
Via Mobility.
Initial trial for 12 months, with an option for a further 12 months.
St. Catharines, Merriton and Thorold Street Railway Company
(10 October 1887 - 1893)
Organized from predecessor, the
St. Catharines Street Railway Company in 1882 and electrified that company's 1881 interurban animal
railway line from St. Catharines to Thorold 10 October 1887 (trial run 05 October 1887).
Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines and Thorold Electric Street Railway Company (1893 - 08 July 1901)
Incorporated 28 July 1893
(Ont.) to acquire the StCM&TStRyCo (see St. Catharines).
Purchased by the NS&T 01 May 1901.
Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway Company (19 July 1900 - 28 March 1959>)
Incorporated 1898. Acquired and electrified the bankrupt
St. Catharines and Niagara Central (steam operated 12 October 1887 - 1900). Acquired in 1908 by
the
Canadian Northern Railway which became on 20 December 1918
Canadian National Railways. After 1923 the railway was a component of the
Canadian National Electric Railways.
Main line from St. Catharines to Niagara Falls. Additional points served included
Welland, Port Colborne, Port Dalhousie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Merriton, and Thorold.
Coördinated bus services first introduced 15 January 1931 under the
Canadian National Transportation Limited name. (Mills 1967).
Electric freight operation countinued until 01 June 1960 (RFC). (photo newdavesrailpix)
St. Catharines - Niagara-on-the-Lake | 15 January 1931 | St. Catharines - Thorold - Niagara Falls | 16 September 1947 | Thorold - Port Colborne | 28 March 1959> | St. Catharines - Port Dalhousie | 06 August 1950 | Data source: | RFC |
The author is always interested in comments, corrections and further information. Please email to: dawwpg@shaw.ca This page last modified: Wednesday, 22-Jul-2020 21:50:47 CDT