Going Strong

2026 Update

As I add Bus #5073 to this site, I thought I’d also take this opportunity to throw in an update on 1130 as well. It may have seemed to some like I’ve abandoned updating this website the last few years. I assure there is nothing to worry about - no news is good news! It has been over six years now that I’ve owned 1130 at the time of writing this and it will be my honor to continue keeping this important piece of Calgary Transit history preserved for the foreseeable future.

1130 remains a solid and reliable bus - much like the rest of its counterparts were known for - and continues to serve me dutifully on the occasional exercise run or fan trip I bring it out on. This includes the noble deed of allowing Calgary’s younger generations of transit enthusiasts to experience the timeless GM Fishbowl 13+ years after the fleet’s retirement. Through all these adventures, this bus has generated countless amounts of photographic and YouTube content from numerous individuals and will hopefully continue to do so.

In the spring of 2024, I had a significant mechanical refresh done to 1130 to really future proof the bus behind the scenes and allow it to run reliably for years to come. A big shoutout goes to Matt from Advance Tank Centers in Calgary (who would later work on getting 5073 roadworthy as well) for his thoroughness and expertise in getting this done! A rough breakdown of the work done is as follows:

• Brake replacement

• Steering box rebuilt

• Drag link and tie rod end replacement

• New air compressor and air tanks

• Muffler repair

• Slack adjuster clevis pins repair

• Blower/HVAC system cleaning and corrosion repair

• New rims to replace worn/damaged ones and rusted rims repainted

• Wheel alignment

Besides formalities, this puts 1130 well above CVIP standards overall and arguably makes it now rival Calgary Transit’s latest generation buses in service! Of course, there will always remain more work to be done in every area - bus preservation is a continuous commitment. My investment in Bus #5073 since 2024 has precluded me from doing any more major work to 1130 for the time being but I continue to work on small projects here and there as needed and as resources permit. Some of the work I did get done during 2025 included replacing the wood framing and insulation underneath the rear bench seat that was still brittle and water damaged from the bus’ previous life. As of writing this in June of 2026, I have also recently reinstalled the bus’ original Vultron II front sign and dialpad that the bus came with when I first purchased it, rebuilt the driver’s side air wiper motor which didn’t work properly previously, and refinished the forward emergency roof hatch which had been leaking.

Attached below are a few photos of 1130 in its current state, taken March 2026. These photos show the original front sign installed (now capable of displaying PR messages like the one shown), a few added decals since my last 1130 update nearly three years ago, and interior shots showing now a full complement of interior ads and the original Vultron II operator’s dialpad installed.