It may look strange, but there’s a story behind our acquisition of the former S5509, a 1976 GMC T6H4523N coach.

This coach has been converted to a communications hub and command centre for volunteer radio operators and emergency social services volunteers in the City of Vancouver. The group is known as VECTOR —  Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization. This bus goes to major special events as volunteers provide communications for the safety of participants. The bus also serves at emergencies such as apartment fires or evacuation scenes. It is deployable as an alternate communications net control or site command for the City if needed in a disaster.

It’s transit history: Originally Kensington Transit Centre 5631 in 1976 to STC 7507.To Oakridge Transit Centre 3515, then to BTC as 5561 in March or April, 1986. 7507 was first bus repainted into BC Transit red/white/blue/black; VS2-6 trans., HELP bumper installed after accident; Renumbered into permanent series, Winter, 1996; to STC Fall/96(JB). 5509 was one of the oldest coaches fitted with a new workstation (including power steering).

5509’s future role with TMS is unclear. It could be used as a parts bus, though being eight years younger than 4612, there will be several differences in specification. Another possibility is a museum bus (instead of 4107), or some other form of community engagement vehicle. Our mechanical team will access the condition of the coach and make recommendations to the Board.

TMS President Bryan Larrabee receives the keys for 5509 from VECTOR President, Darryl Pogue. Yes, we said keys — for the front door and various cabinets inside!

In the Fall, 2010 edition of TRAMLines, Bryan Larrabee who helped guide the project to acquire and convert 5509, wrote of his experiences. You can view the article here.

Canada Day was a blast!

“Head host” Aden and Oscar were there opening 730 at 5:00 pm. We were near Patterson SkyTrain Station. This was the first major event where our younger volunteer hosts would take the reins from Lawrence.   We did have a wee bit of a problem with power but it is rare that the wonderful staff of all the Burnaby events let us down! One, Doug, welcomed me back…… before long the organizer Amber showed up with a battery pack, but unfortunately it was dead. No problem Doug saw the problem and had a generator to us by 6:30,  long before dark.  Aden made the executive decision to have sales because we had no power and up to our hips in people. Good choice, they sold everything. Almost the bus too! (Photo, below: Aden Wong)

Everything went smooth. We had over 4000 guests visit 730. Milan decided to wait until the fireworks started before we tore down…… didn’t want to interject my experience in too much so we did.  And now the young ones know why I started load up early,  by the time we left the thousands of people that were just enjoying the fireworks were now trying to trample us to get past us
to get on the SkyTrain… ooohhh myyy! I thought that Aden did an outstanding job managing the event!
Feel very sorry for driver Evan!

Years ago when Harry was our driver, he always stayed until the end of the day. He didn’t host and at first I wasn’t sure what he did. Then one day I realized that he was across the street, out of sight taking in what was going on at the bus. So I always kept my eye open to find Harry and he would give me a wink when I did. Well I find myself doing the same now, watching, making sure everyone is ok and there in case the new leaders need some advice.
Sure was nice to not have to stick around until the bus left.

A big “thank you” to: Bryan Larrabee (delivering driver), Evan Russell (return driver) and hosts:

Aden Wong. (Leader), Matthew Walker (who also took photographs), Oscar Kapsa, Sue Walker, Francis He, Ewan Streit, Max Chang  and Rod Chew.                          

Lawrence Walker

And the day marked a successful return to duty of museum bus, TDH4512 (#730). Our mechanical team led by Sean Keating overhauled and resealed the Torus fan. It suffered an oil leak last year. Sean investigated the incident and discovered that somone had ‘bodged’ a fix to a problem of a blocked radiator. We can speculate that BC Transit mechanics looked at the problem and decided that a workaround was cheaper than flushing or recoring the radiator. R They deactivated the radiator shutters, and bypassed a valve to run the fan constantly. It is not unreasonable to assume they did this because the coach was very new to its retirement.

• The Torus is a fluid coupling device that connects the engine to the radiator fan.
• It uses engine oil and a vernatherm valve (a temperature-sensitive valve) to regulate the amount of fluid in the coupling.
• As the engine heats up, the vernatherm valve allows more oil into the Torus, increasing the fan speed to improve cooling.

This system was designed to provide variable fan speed based on engine temperature, improving efficiency and reducing noise compared to a direct-drive fan. Explanation courtesy of Bus Conversions magazine via Co-Pilot.

It was an easy expedient, but had one rather signiciant downside: when the engine was started, until the oil warmed up, rather thick fluid put extreme pressure on the fan seals. These leaked oil, covering the engine hood with engine oil. After years of service, these eventually gave up, allowing oil to pour out of the fan. Thank you, Sean and the mechanics!

The weekend of June 28th saw lots of activity here at the Transit Musuem!

On June 28th Angus McIntyre drove our 1964 GMC ‘New Look’ between River Rock Casino and VanDusen gardens carrying happy couple Eric and Nicole and their guests to their wedding ceremony.

“Now that the dust has settled on the day a little bit as a newly married couple, we wanted to extend another thank you to you both, Bryan and Angus, for helping us to both fulfill a need for passenger transportation as well as being able to incorporate such a beautiful piece of history into our wedding! As a transit loving kid, I never would have thought something like this would one day be possible! The bus was a great hit with all of the guests, from the old to the young and I distinctly recall there was a loud gasp of “oh yesss, I remember!!!” from guests when Angus explained and demonstrated the coin dispenser. From listening to Angus’ history and knowledge I can tell both of you are very passionate about the organization, and it truly made our day. Please also thank the detailing crew for us, as it was sparkling clean right down to the shine of the tires and it was noticed.”

Eric Lee

Look at those tires and rubber wheel well sections! People arriving at the parking lot really noticed – photos were taken. Rear wheel rim is gleaming white. At 61 years old it looks like it just came out of the factory. 

Angus

Thanks also go to Francis He and Iyck Igbinedion (Ike) for washing 4612 for its shuttle assignment. It goes to show how important it is to carefully clean and detail the bus.  Special thanks to Jason who even detailed the tires and Angus who weaves his magic on every charter he drives for us.

Bryan

I made sure my shoes were as shiny as the bus.

Angus

Meanwhile at our Langley facility…. three ‘Jimmys’. Matthew Walker took these photos. Interesting to note that really only two years separate the two designs. Our ‘Old Look’ was built in 1957, while the ‘New Look’ design made its debut in 1959!

Jason Sharpe washes 730: thanks to our maintenance team, the oil leak was repaired and the coach will attend events this summer!

 

(Photo: Aden Wong)

On Monday, June 23^rd, a work party travelled to our satellite storage in Deroche.  There were two teams – mechanical to start buses, swap batteries: Sean Keating, Milan Streit and Jason Sharpe. The other, cleaning, was composed of Bryan Larrabee, Rian Fatemi, Aden Wong and me. 

At the site we have Fageol Twin M48 stored indoors, but Flyers 3334, 2649, 3106 and Brill 3404 are stored outdoors. The was some mildew growth on the exteriors of these coaches, and some mold on the interiors.  Numerous insects had made their way into the buses, some were still alive, others were dead.  But there was nothing some “elbow grease” couldn’t cope with. 

The decision was made to wrap up 3404 in the RV cover Savannah Dewolfe and Bryan had repaired while at Langley. UV rays had made some areas of the cover tissue-thin. We will probably have to revisit 3404 to repair some of the unavoidable damage that occurred on covering the coach. 

UV plays havoc with the destination curtains and electronic flip-dots – Jason Sharpe made sure that 3106’s display was as near blank as possible.  There is not a blank screen, so it is a matter of switching off the coach while it is in the middle of refreshing the sign. After four or five tries he managed to do it, but there still are a small number of stray dots visible. 

Jason was also tasked with backing 3106 into its parking spot — it was tight, and other vehicles parked nearby made it even harder!

It was a long day – thanks to the crews who volunteered! 

Burnaby’s biggest annual street festival attracts over 60,000 attendees every year. There is a colourful parade, vintage car show, thrilling race, live music, fun entertainment, delicious food, and lots of activities appropriate for all ages. This year’s event was held June 7th. TMS attended with 4612, our 1964 GM ‘Fishbowl’ bus. Though our coach ran in North Vancouver, other members of the 35′ vehicle class were regular performers on many Burnaby local routes connecting with the trolleybuses at Kootenay Loop.

TMS would like to acknowledge and thank the following for volunteering to help host our coach: Evan Russell (driver), Ewan Streit (Host team leader), Oscar Kapsa (Host team leader), and hosts Rian Fatemi, Aurora Power, Francis He, Lawrence Walker, Sue Walker and Matthew Walker.

It was a glorious day on Saturday, May 24^th, for the 53^rd Annual Hyack Parade in New Westminster. There were over eighty entries taking part, including our 1964 GM ‘New Look’ Transit bus, #4612. In charge of our entry were Sue & Lawrence Walker. They were aided by Anthony Sherst, who drove the bus, a TDH4519, Jackie Sherst , Stephen Goodman and Matthew Walker.

(L to R, Lawrence Walker,Anthony Sherst, Jackie Sherst, Stephen Goodman, Matthew Walker and Sue Walker.)

The parade began at the corner of Eighth Avenue & Sixth Street, travelled down Sixth to Queens, along Queens to First St and then into the park. It lasted for two hours.

The weather gods were with us this weekend; the temperature around 17 degrees. So many entrants, those in our area just a bunch of happy people. We chatted with so many interesting people. We all had a wonderful time!

Sue Walker.

Says Sue: We had the Dune Buggy Club behind, and Cap’s Cycles in front.

The gentleman in green is Gordon Hobbis. He is the current owner of Caps Cycles in Sapperton. He is the son of the founder Gerald Hobbis, whose nickname was “Cap”. Gerald sold his first bike in 1932. There was a museum in the basement, displaying all type of items from the world of cycling, including these two “penny-farthings”. (That was a UK term for the bike, which had a big front wheel “the penny”, and a smaller back wheel, “the farthing.” They represented two British coins, the large penny, and the smaller farthing. There were 4 farthings to the penny.)

Thank you to our volunteers, and to Matthew Walker for the photos.

Jason has been a long time member of the Transit Musuem Society. Here he is interviewed by TMS Vice-President, Michael Taylor-Noonan. His discusses his love of buses, and why he is a member of the Transit Musuem Society (8 min)

Here are a few memories from 2007 when we were allowed to go onto the property at the Oakridge Transit Centre (OTC). We had just acquired our 1982 General Motors “New Look Hillclimber” T6H5307 #4107 which had been kindly donated by BC Transit.

A “friend” at OTC pulled some strings and allowed us to conduct a “parts raid” on the bone yard lanes. All the buses photographed were destined for scrap. Our only instructions were that we couldn’t damage the air system as the buses couldn’t be moved otherwise.

Our volunteers happily removed destination signs, mirrors, seats and various parts until we came upon bus #4112. When we opened the engine compartment, we found a pristine newly rebuilt 6V92T engine. When we checked the dipstick, the oil was still a gold colour. We HAD to have this engine!

After much discussion with the management team, we were given permission to have #4112 towed to our shop which was located at the Surrey Transit Centre at the time. Since we didn’t have access to a forklift or tow truck, we used our old #7701 Fishbowl to pull buses out of the way. That bus is long gone but you can see the “Greet Hornet” in one of the photos.

The new Vancouver Transit Centre on Hudson Street opened the year before this so the old Oakridge Transit Centre had lots of space for decommissioning buses, and I couldn’t help taking photos of bus history as it was passing. Even our “Green Hornet” is long gone.

GMC Fishbowl Museum Project

Exciting progress is being made on our 4107 GMC Fishbowl Museum Project! The restoration and transformation of this iconic bus into a mobile museum is well underway, and we are thrilled to share the latest developments with our members and supporters.

One of the major milestones we have recently achieved is the completion of vinyl coverings for all the windows. This crucial step prepares the bus for the application of various transit logos that will showcase the rich history of public transportation in British Columbia and beyond. Some of the logos under consideration include those from Metro Transit, Coast Mountain Bus Company, TransLink, BC Transit, BC Hydro, and many more. These visual elements will help tell the story of how transit has evolved over the decades, making the 4107 a rolling time capsule for enthusiasts and the public alike.

In addition to the exterior restoration, we are pleased to announce a new digital component to the museum bus, made possible by our continued partnership with BC Tech. Thanks to their generous support, we will be

equipping the 4107 with a state-of-the-art computer system, including two interactive kiosks. These kiosks will provide an engaging and educational experience for visitors, allowing them to explore transit history through multimedia displays, interactive maps, and archival footage. The kiosks will also feature sound and voice interaction to accommodate visually impaired visitors, ensuring accessibility for all.

Further enhancing the digital experience, we will be installing six display monitors at the back of the bus three on the left and three on the right where images and historical photos can be changed regularly to showcase different aspects of transit history. Additionally, a center TV, similar to the setup in Unit 730, will provide a focal point for educational videos and presentations. These features will help bring the past to life in a dynamic and engaging way.

Austin and Michael will be leading the development of the kiosk programming, ensuring that the content is both informative and userfriendly. With these cutting-edge tools, visitors will be able to dive deep into the history of transit, learn about the evolution of vehicles like the GMC Fishbowl, and engage with a wealth of historical data in an exciting and interactive way.

This project is moving forward step by step, and we appreciate the support of our members, volunteers, and partners who are helping bring the vision of a fully functional transit museum bus to life. We will continue to provide updates as we reach new milestones, and we encourage everyone to stay tuned for more exciting developments!

Thank you for being part of this journey. Each step brings us closer to making the 4107 a truly unique and immersive museum experience.

The rails of the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society in Cloverdale, that is! In collaboration with the FVHRS, we offered our first fantrip of the 2025 Summer Season.

Lawrence, myself and Milan believe  that everyone had a wonderful time. We had many opportunities to chat with everyone.  The people we chatted with were very happy with this excursion. I myself was very impressed on the trip. The Heritage Railway was very welcoming to everyone and invited us to their BBQ. Lawrence and Milan did a great job in organizing this trip: Milan picked wonderful places on the second part of the excursion.  The area that 4612 was for a photo shoot was fantastic. It was a bonus that there was a train that also came by. The fans were over the moon with that photo opportunity.  The weather was fantastic! Great first 2025 excursion for The Transit Museum Society.

Sue Walker