Rollsigns from Toronto, ON
Wilson Garage
This partial front linen rollsign was retrieved
from Wilson Garage during the time the TTC
was retrofitting their buses with electronic signs.
It is shown on the sign to be a version "W-38". It
has 59 exposures. Exposures that are red,
yellow and black are the original design. From
1985 on, the TTC used only black for regular
service routes to save money. The blue
exposures represent overnight service routes
on their "Blue Night" network. A personal note:
This rollsign was the first I ever owned.
The TTC's Wilson Garage is one of the largest in the system. Located just outside Wilson subway station, Wilson Garage is also
the home of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line's primary yard. Its location is to the west of the north central area of
Toronto. Its routes serve the north central area of the city. It was also the only garage in the system to operate compressed natural
gas buses, as it was the location of the TTC's CNG fueling station. (Note: Queensway garage operated the original demonstrator
CNG Orion I buses, and the first Orion V CNG bus, #9370 while their trial runs were being conducted, however fuelling for the
buses was done at a local gas station.) From 2005 to 2006, the TTC began converting all their 9400 series Orion V buses from
CNG to diesel, and retired all the 9300 series Orion V's and all the Orion VI CNG buses, thus ending CNG fuel use by the TTC.
This partial front linen rollsign's version is
dated October 15, 1987. On the sign it is
shown to be version "W-38". It has 58
exposures. The only difference between
the previous one and this one is it still has
the "96H" exposure. When Davenport
Garage closed, a number of their routes
were given to Wilson. In turn a selection of
routes shown on these signs were
transferred to Arrow Road Garage.
This side linen rollsign was assembled
partially from a sign retrieved from 1990 built
OBI 05.501 Orion V natural gas bus #9370,
and single exposures salvaged from other
Wilson side signs. It was created to
represent a version "W-43". It has 77,
exposures. The version "W-43" sign was
the longest linen the TTC designed.
This side linen rollsign was assembled partially from a
sign retrieved from 1990 built OBI 05.501 Orion V natural
gas bus #9370, and single exposures salvaged from
other Wilson side signs. It was an attempt to create an
"All-Time" black and white exposure Wilson side linen.
Apparently it is only three or so exposures short from being
complete. It has 95 exposures. Ironically, when rolled up,
this sign became so big it wouldn't fit into a side sign box!
This front linen rollsign's version is  "W-41". It
has 72 exposures. In the TTC's continuing
efforts to streamline services, Routes 42 and 53
were added to Wilson Division's roster, and in
turn added to the rollsigns. Wilson 96E and 96H
are missing again, being replaced by the 99
Clayson route. As well, 119 Grandravine was
transferred from Wilson to Arrow Road Division,
and has been removed from this sign version.
This front linen rollsign's version is  "W-44". It has 76
exposures. This final version features the addition of Route
18 Caledonia, transferred from Lansdowne Division, the
addition of the new 42B Cummer branch, and the updated
118 Finch Via Allen route. Other changes include the
renumbering of 7 and 7G Bathurst to 160 and 160A
Bathurst North respectively, the addition of 160B, and the
branches of the 96 Wilson route that go up Weston Rd.
were renamed and renumbered 165 Weston Rd. North.
to go to the earliest
Toronto Transit Commission
electronic sign list page.
This side linen rollsign was unaltered from when it
was removed from service. On the sign it's marked
as a version "W-42". The sign has 73 exposures.
It was research dated to November 25, 1990,
having Route 160 instead of Route 7, and that the
96 Wilson route branches for Clayson Road are
missing, but the ones for Weston Road are still
there. It also still has 96A going to Rumike Road. .
Toronto Transit Commission 1975 built GMC T6H-5307N #8043
was one of the last three buses with rollsigns to operate at Wilson
Garage. Buses #8019 and 8058 from the same series were the other
two. 8043 is seen posed at Wilson Garage in September of 1994.