Original Vitrolite station tiles

[Johnny Au]

I fear to ask how Torontonians pronounce Gloucester (which is supposed to have 2 syllables).

It is unfortunate that the 63 Ossington bus does not stop at Gloucester Grove (note that it is between Clovelly and Eglinton).

 

[salsa]

I fear to ask how Torontonians pronounce Gloucester (which is supposed to have 2 syllables).

"GLAW-ster"

Definitely not very intuitive.

 

[gweed123]

I fear to ask how Torontonians pronounce Gloucester (which is supposed to have 2 syllables).

People from Ottawa are generally pretty good with it, since one of the former municipalities within Ottawa-Carleton was Gloucester, which encompassed much of the east end of the city (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucester,_Ontario). I don't think I've ever heard a native Ottawan pronounce it any other way than with 2 syllables.

 

[nfitz]

Coming from England with most of my family near Worcester (2 syllables) and Gloucester - I've heard some horrid pronunciations here over the years ... particularly for Worcestershire (which has no hard c or ch sound in it)

 

[Johnny Au]

The part of Toronto with the best pronunciation of Gloucester is probably Oakwood Village, as Gloucester Grove is in that neighbourhood.

Unfortunately, even there, not many people there can pronounce Gloucester Grove correctly.

 

[adma]

What about Gloucester in the Yonge/Church area?

 

[nfitz]

What about Gloucester in the Yonge/Church area?

North of Bloor? I think you thinking of the street north of Wellesley.

Gloucester is easy to remember. From the children's nursery rhyme. "Doctor Foster went to Gloucester, in a shower of rain; He stepped in a puddle, right up to his middle, and never went there again!"

Foster and Gloucester rhyme.

 

[crs1026]

From the children's nursery rhyme.

Well, if we're feeling poetic -


Little Red Gloucester

Sat on the Roster

Outliving the PCC

The Hawkers are gone

And the ALRV’s roll along

We’re still waiting on BBD

- Paul

 

[adma]

North of Bloor? I think you thinking of the street north of Wellesley.

Yeah, forgot that they intersected...

 

[mgl]

You could have one panel with tiles in good condition properly framed to clean up the edges where the new tiles are and then just leave it as is. I wouldn't leave them all exposed, most of them have a lot of damage and glass shards from the vitrolite are very sharp. I noticed that at King where they were repairing the Commerce Court exit framing, you could see the edges of the vitrolite tiles on the sides of the exit. I tried to loosen a fragment, but it all came out in sharp pointy pieces.

I think you're right, it would be more practical to pick the best large block and preserve that behind glass. The preserved tiles don't need to be perfect, just clean before covering up and framing.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

The TTC has removed the ugly slat wall finishings at Osgooode. The original tiling can now be seen. It looked great and intact from the glimpse of it I got on the train.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Oh my gosh they're replacing the ugly Osgoode slats with the even uglier "tiling" from St Andew.

 

[adma]

The TTC has removed the ugly slat wall finishings at Osgooode. The original tiling can now be seen. It looked great and intact from the glimpse of it I got on the train.

Actually, I never much minded the 70s Osgoode/St Andrew makeovers--or at least, they feel less leisure-suit embarrassing than the upper Yonge line stations, or the "in-house" Spadina stations (St. Clair West, Wilson).

But to me, the worst of the 1954-line redos was the well-meaning-but-disastrous last of them: the late 90s re-tiling of Queen with its laughably hideous non-subway font (and yet, the Vitrolite name-ribbon remains, as well as other intact patches at the north end)

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Here's the original tiling. Intact, as far as I can see

The TTC is replacing it with this:

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Actually, I never much minded the 70s Osgoode/St Andrew makeovers--or at least, they feel less leisure-suit embarrassing than the upper Yonge line stations, or the "in-house" Spadina stations (St. Clair West, Wilson).

But to me, the worst of the 1954-line redos was the well-meaning-but-disastrous last of them: the late 90s re-tiling of Queen with its laughably hideous non-subway font (and yet, the Vitrolite name-ribbon remains, as well as other intact patches at the north end)

Why would they do that? Were the original tiles broken like at College?