Archives Photos of the Day: Transit

Comments 9 by Rebecca Bollwitt

It was a big week for transit in Metro Vancouver as the Canada Line and the original SkyTrain both celebrated anniversaries. Although it’s been 26 years since we first heard the memorable 3-toned chime announcing the next SkyTrain station it was 25 years ago this week that it was put into regular service. It’s also been 2 years since our trains started reaching Vancouver International Airport. In honor of these milestones, this week’s collection of old-timey photos from the Vancouver Archives has a transit theme.


1890 – Cordova Street trolley. Archives item# CVA 1477-422.


1906 – BC Electric Interurban. Archives item# Out P685.


1925 – Westminster tram cars on Hastings. Archives item# CVA 1376-600.


1945 – Pacific Stage Bus going through the Stanley Park causeway. Archives item# CVA 586-4092.


1946 – North on Granville Street. Archives item# CVA 586-4619.


1946 – BC Electric trolley. Archives item# CVA 586-4378.


1967 – BC Buses on Granville at Robson. Archives item# CVA 780-54.


1978 – Bus shelter. Archives item# CVA 800-115.


1982 – Looking East on Terminal, as SkyTrain track went up. Archives item# CVA 800-3038.

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9 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. Stephen ReesThursday, August 18th, 2011 — 1:20pm PDT

    The image captioned “1946 – BC Electric bus. Archives item# CVA 586-4378” is in fact a PCC streetcar (or tram) – the same type of car illustrated immediately above

  2. Rebecca BollwittThursday, August 18th, 2011 — 1:24pm PDT

    I knew I’d get a comment from you, Stephen! Thanks for the updated caption. I just took what the Vancouver Archives had on their listing. “B.C. Electric bus. – June 1946”.

  3. Henry LeeThursday, August 18th, 2011 — 1:25pm PDT

    I have very fond memories of the Brill trolleys, all those times riding the buses on E. Hastings into downtown: how the interior lights would flash as power was momentarily cut as the contacts on the trolley poles touched overhead intersections or Y-splits, or the sing-song sound of the Brill bells. Thanks, Rebecca, for your article!

  4. ZThursday, August 18th, 2011 — 7:54pm PDT

    Those are some awesome pictures, I’d like to check out the website you found them at.

  5. HayleyThursday, August 18th, 2011 — 8:10pm PDT

    Hard to imagine a Vancouver without a skytrain! I love hearing my parents stories of Van back in the day. dad’s raised here and mom came in early 80s and it’s so weird to think they did similar things in similar places

  6. JanSaturday, August 20th, 2011 — 11:16am PDT

    I grow up on that block! Even applied for a job at Church’s Chicken. The photographer must have been under the awning of the Hollywood Theatre on West Broadway. (1978 – Bus shelter. Archives item# CCVA 800-115)

  7. C OharaSaturday, August 20th, 2011 — 12:08pm PDT

    Wow! I didn’t realize that bus shelter design was so old (1978 picture). Granville Street retains its character from the 1960s though.

  8. KevinSaturday, August 20th, 2011 — 3:33pm PDT

    Wow 1978, look at that Church’s Chicken!

  9. Calvin ChanMonday, August 29th, 2011 — 1:41pm PDT

    Ah the memories, I also have very fond memories of the old Brill Trollies. Egads, am I that old that I go back that far, lol. Actually I was all of five in ’67 but now I am almost half a century. Memories are made of this….

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