Start of service: 1930
End of service: June 3 1939
Route: from Cemetery gates on York St to Longwood Loop at Longwood & Aberdeen via York, James, Herkimer, Queen and Aberdeen
Antecessor route: Aberdeen-Stuart route
In 1930 the York & Aberdeen route began service from the Cemetery gates on York St to Longwood Loop at Longwood & Aberdeen via York, James, Herkimer, Queen and Aberdeen.
On June 3, 1939, all streetcar service on York St ended. The York & Aberdeen and the York & King West routes were merged to form the Aberdeen-King West route.
HSR 409 on York St beside Harvey Park, Feb 19, 1938. (Photographer unknown)
HSR #417 passing the Farmer's Market on York, August 10, 1933.
HSR 421 at James and York in 1938. (Photographer unknown)
Start of service: 1942
End of service: June 26 1947
Route: from Gore St turnback at James & Gore to the TH&B overpass on Aberdeen east of Longwood, via James, Herkimer, Queen and Aberdeen.
Antecessor route: Aberdeen-King West route
On May 12, 1941 all streetcar service on Margaret, Main, Locke, Herkimer, Queen, Aberdeen and James South was abandoned, seemingly for good. However, in 1942 the Federal government ordered that all Canadian transit companies restore streetcar service wherever possible, due to surging transit demand and the need to cut back on gasoline and rubber as part of the war effort. The York & Aberdeen route was restarted, but with a few differences. Longwood loop had been sold off in the meanwhile, and so the streetcars now ran from the Gore St turnback at James & Gore to the TH&B overpass on Aberdeen just east of Longwood, via James, Herkimer, Queen and Aberdeen.
Within a year, this service was reduced to rush hours only, with buses handling off-peak service. Operation lasted until after the war, and the York & Aberdeen route was abandoned on June 26 1947.
HSR 413 on Aberdeen at Queen, in 1943. (From the Richard Vincent collection, used with permission)
Sources
Mills, John M. Cataract Traction; The Railways of Hamilton. Toronto: Upper Canada Railway Society/Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association, 1971
Westland, S. I. "Steel City Traction" Upper Canada Railway Society Newsletter May 1971: pg 69-74
