The last of the TTC's "fishbowl" buses were retired at the end of 2011, thus drawing to a close over 50 years of service. These iconic GM buses, more officially known as "New Look," were introduced in 1959 and carry a reputation for being one of the most resilient public transit vehicles of all time. When the TTC retired the fleet, a number of the buses went to scrap but a few of them have been saved for historical purposes -- and not just by the TTC. While the Commission retained two buses for nostalgia's sake, a group of bus enthusiasts in Ireland also got its hands on one (thanks to a generous donation from the TTC). Number 2290, which last did service on the 52 Lawrence route, was shipped to a farm just outside of Dublin, where it can be seen cruising the Irish countryside.

"In the 1980s, Bombardier manufactured buses in Ireland for local use," blogTO reader and transit enthusiast Brad O'Brien explains. "They used the same engine as the TTC New Look buses, which is why the group wanted to preserve the bus." The picture of an old TTC bus plodding along the opposite side of the road is at least somewhat bizarre to imagine, but in a good way. Long live the fishbowl.

Photo by Brad O'Brien