Manitoba Transit Heritage Association
Non-profit organisation in Manitoba, Canada
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The Manitoba Transit Heritage Association Inc. (MTHA) is a non-profit tax charitable organization whose members volunteer in the restoration, maintenance and display of Manitobaâs largest collection of vintage transit vehicles.
Current logo designed by Ron Zaballero while studying under Prof. Al Guzzi at Red River College in 2010[1] | |
| Formation | July 21, 1989 |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Registration no. | 88775 1659 RR0001[2] |
| Legal status | museum and charitable organization |
| Location | |
| Website | mtha |
The mission of the Association is to restore old transit vehicles for historic purposes; to create a transit museum for display of transit vehicles and related transit-industry memorabilia; and to provide restored transit vehicles for public parades and community event displays.
The MTHA has a fleet of operational historic vehicles, and further vehicles which are awaiting restoration. These buses were previously used in public transportation service (both public and private companies) between 1937 and 2019.
History
The genesis for MTHA was a search in summer 1987 by retired Winnipeg Transit employees Ron Alexander and John Kapusta for old Studebaker automobiles in rural Manitoba. During that search, they found an old electric streetcar in a farm field, and were inspired to found a preservation group for bus, streetcar, and trolleys in Manitoba along with other current and retired Transit employees on July 21, 1989. The group's charter was "restoring old transit vehicles for historical purposes; creating a transit museum for the display of vintage transit vehicles; [providing] restored vehicles to transport senior citizens, disabled persons, school children and other such groups for tours and outings; and [providing] restored transit vehicles for public parades and displays".[3]
Historic collection
Buses
The group's first restoration project was the 1941 Twin Coach 30GS, which had been abandoned in a farm yard in Grand Marais; it was purchased by MTHA for one dollar. The second project was the 1937 Twin Coach 23R, which was in the yard of King's Welding of Ladywood; it was acquired by MTHA in October 1990 and the restored vehicle was unveiled on November 2, 1991. Also in 1990, the group began restoring the 1946 Ford 69B; although work was substantially complete by 1992, it was not fully operational until 2018 due to other projects.[3]
As of 2019[update], the 1979 OBI Orion I is intended to serve as a mobile transit museum.[3] MTHA's vehicles have appeared in several television shows and movies filmed in Manitoba, including Less Than Kind and The Don Cherry Story.[3]
| Year | Image | Manufacturer | Model | S/N[6][7][8] | Agency | Fleet No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Twin Coach | 23R | 95582 | Winnipeg Electric Company | #111 | Found at Ladywood, MB;[9] acquired in 1990 for $750.[10] | |
| 1936 | Dodge/Lawrie | 4024R9 | Winnipeg Electric Company | #501 | Unrestored[6] | ||
| 1941 | Twin Coach | 30GS | 108770 | Winnipeg Electric Company | #214 | Found at Grand Marais, MB[9] | |
| 1946 | Ford Transit | 69B | 66116X | Winnipeg Electric Company | #565 | Found at Fisher Branch, MB[9] | |
| 1948 | CCF/Brill | C-36 | CCB-CD36-47-2329 | Winnipeg Electric Company | #707 | Unrestored[6] | |
| 1950 | CCF/Brill | T-48A | 8151 | Winnipeg Electric Company | #1768 | Last electric trolley coach to operate in revenue service (Oct 30, 1970).[11] | |
| 1954 | GMC | TDH-4801 | TDH4801-249 | Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority | #6583 | Representative of several "Old Look" types previously operated in Winnipeg. Donated in 2016.[12] | |
| Sacramento Regional Transit District | |||||||
| BC Transit | |||||||
| Regina Transit | #200 | ||||||
| Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg | #188 | ||||||
| 1956 | Western Flyer | T-36-2L | MBPGSIN6458 | Grey Goose Bus Lines | #20 | AKA Scenic Cruiser, donated in fully-restored condition in 2009 by New Flyer.[13] | |
| 1958 | Western Flyer | T-40 | RD115412 | Royal Canadian Air Force | #119A35-1815 | Donated in fully-restored condition in 2009 by New Flyer.[13] | |
| 1963 | GMC | SDM-4502 | C006 | Beaver Bus Lines | #33 | Donated in 2009.[14] | |
| 1966 | Western Flyer | Canuck P-41 | 3966 | Canadian Coachways | #42 | ||
| 1971 | GMC | T6H-4521A | T6H4521814 | Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg | #751 (ex-#132) | Donated to MTHA in 2000.[15] | |
| 1979 | Orion Bus Industries | Orion 01.503 | 90810167 | Beaver Bus Lines | #43 | Donated by Vintage Railway Society; assigned Fleet No. 953/963, used as "Rolling Museum Bus".[16][17][18] | |
| 1984 | Flyer Industries | D901-10240 | D102403025 | Winnipeg Transit | #107 | Donated in 2009. First Flyer bus in the MTHA fleet.[14] | |
| 1984 | Motor Coach Industries | MC-9 | 1M89CM6A9DP038668 | Northern Bus Lines | #112 | Donated by Northern Bus Lines in 2015. | |
| 1988 | Motor Coach Industries | TC40-102N Classic | Winnipeg Transit | #316 | |||
| 1990 | New Flyer | D40 | Winnipeg Transit | #858 | |||
| 2002 | New Flyer | D40i | Winnipeg Transit | #907 |
Artifacts
In addition to historic vehicles, the MTHA has a large collection of related transit-industry memorabilia such as badges, uniforms, passes, tickets, transfers, transfer punches, fareboxes, decals and manuals.