About Our Bus

1982-2020

Our bus, ex-Calgary Transit #1130, is a 1982 General Motors Diesel Division T6H-5307N “New Look/Fishbowl” 40 foot transit bus, powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V71N engine and Allison V730 transmission. It was delivered to Calgary in 1982 as part of a 69 bus delivery numbered 1093-1161. These would be the last GM Fishbowls delivered to Calgary Transit until the purchasing of three second-hand units in 1999 from St. Albert Transit which were built in 1980-81 and renumbered to 1017-1019. 1093-1161 were delivered in the blue “two-tone” livery (see picture of 1046 below), and were all originally equipped with a Transdot destination sign system, some of which were changed out for the Vultron II system later on.

Notably, bus #1130 was one of a select 25 buses from the 1982 series (1117-1141) that were retrofitted with various features in the early 1990s including power steering, a Recaro driver’s seat, an automated passenger counting system, and an electronic key number box. 13 of these 25 buses including 1130 (1123-1136 less 1124) were also some of the first GM buses to be repainted into the “three stripes” livery around this time as well. 1130, 1134, and numerous other 1982 units would eventually receive full rebuilds later on. 

Rebuilt in the spring of 2004, 1130 was the very last Calgary Transit GM New Look to receive a rebuild. It was retired from service in mid to late 2011 after which it sat parked at Spring Gardens Garage for several months. At some point it was sold either at an auction or as city surplus, and was last seen on Calgary Transit property in April of 2012. It was likely around this time that it was transported to an acreage southeast of Calgary where it would sit for the next 8 years.