GMN 999D The Isle of Man’s fire service operate this Ford Transit display vehicle. It is decked out with pictures of fires and safety messages. On the roof of the cab are two double blue flashing lights.
NV09 CCD This VW Crafter is used by the Highways Agency to provide extra equipment at road collisions or other major incidents.
The rear view, showing a major asset of this vehicle: a large variable message matrix sign that folds up from the roof. Notice how the chevron markings on the rear continue down both sides of the van to make it’s overall high visibility livery.
PG04 XWS This Ford Transit police van is used as a dog unit by Merseyside.
This is all weather lifeboat Gough Ritchie II, a Trent Class vessel. It was new to Port St. Mary in 1998 and cost £1.2m.
R1 TOW This Subaru Impreza is used by D&G Cars as a track-side motorsport recovery car.
M11 TOW This Land Rover Discovery is also used by D&G cars and is fitted with a winch to help remove racing cars from gravel traps.
G-CEMS and G-SASH are the two Yorkshire Air Ambulances. It is unusual for them to be seen together as they are based in and cover different areas of Yorkshire. It is also unusual to see them at night, as they are not permitted to fly then. They are seen here under spotlights, on display as part of the tenth anniversary party of the service at York Racecourse. They flew back into normal operation the next morning.
This VW Caddy is used as a bee response unit by an organisation called the Bee Operational Guidance United Society. This newly united society responds to swarms of bees to protect the public and to protect the bees as they are in decline. Manned by two beekeepers, the van is fitted with a personalised registration plate which reads “buzz off”. An appropriate black and yellow colourscheme has been adopted.
The VW is fitted with blue flashing lights after a special dispensation was allowed as the team often travel long distances across the country chasing bees.
The rear view, including one of the crew. Both crew members wear the suits at all times, including when in the vehicle. In the rear is emergency bee equipment including more protective suits, warning signs and honey pots.
In the official press release, chairwoman April Fursed said “Since we were endorsed by the Queen and Sting, we’ve been buzzing. Before getting this van, workers were bumbling along responding on the fly. We’ve now hived together enough funds to take the sting out of buying it.”.
This vehicle was an April Fool!
YJ60 FCU This is a Land Rover Discovery that is used as an armed response unit by North Yorkshire Police.
FJ60 AEP A Land Rover Freelander seen here posed on a snowy road with blue lights flashing. It is operated by Nottinghamshire.
The rear view.
This car was involved in a fail to stop pursuit in April 2012 and was badly damaged by the other vehicle. It was written off in May 2012.
This is a VW Golf GTD in demonstration police livery.
The rear view.
YJ59 TDO Here is a Volvo V70 that is used by the cross-force Yorkshire & Humber regional policing team.
A look at the side of the car, showing the regional team’s logo.
LX06 EVM This is a BMW 530D Touring used by the Met Police in London. It is seen here parked up with a number of police motorbikes where officers are being briefed prior to an operation.
SY58 CBU This camera van is used by the Northern Safety Camera Partnership in Scotland. It carries speed camera signs on all sides and police colours but with amber lights on the roof. Notice that it does not have any ‘police’ signs. The van is not crewed by police officers and is run by a multi-agency partnership, funded directly by Scottish Government. Revenue raised goes direct to the Scottish Court Service and not to the Partnership or the Constabulary.
The rear view, showing a rear window open for the camera to focus clearly on traffic in the distance. The web address of the Northern Safety Camera Partnership is shown. This allows the public to see where the camera van will be located, among other facts.
A Selection of Readers’ Captions:
MOD Plod never did get the hang of hide and seek! – BH
The MOD didn’t like the 4x4s that they had so thought they’d trash one! – AO
North Yorks sell ageing 4×4 fleet and spend money on new “Enforcers” for their Tactical Support Units to aid the speed and execution of premises warrants! – SS
Um Sarge… you know that builder we booked last week…! – KM
I told you pitting him wouldn’t work! – JW
Although the sergeant said they’d got a Greyhound as an addition to the MoD Dog Unit, somehow they doubted it would fit in the jeep! – OC
People will see the car so i think we will lose at hide and seek! – KL
Should have gont to specsavers! – MJ
Time Team in the year 2100: look at this ancient vehicle we’ve dug up from the past! – TC
Delta-Alpha-Two-One to Control – We’ve attended that report of an out-of-control ‘greyhound’. I think you can cancel the dog unit! – MP
KX09 BKL This is a JDC / Scania P310 fire vehicle which is used by Northamptonshire. It is a welfare unit, providing catering and toilet facilities to firefighters spending a protracted time at an incident. The rear pod can be demounted from the chassis using the hook-lift.
The rear view, showing the access to the segregated toilets.
MX56 OLP is the site fire appliance used by the Company Protection team at the Land Rover site in Lode Lane, Solihull. It is staffed by a team who provide security, medical and fire cover on the large site. Other vehicles used but not seen here include several Land Rover Defender patrol vehicles and a Lazer-bodied Ford Transit ambulance which is kitted to the same level an NHS frontline vehicle.
Here are Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service using an aerial ladder platform to practice a rescue at a multi-storey car park.
SN09 BJY This is a Lothian and Borders FRS Emergency One / Scania P270.
This JDC / Scania R340 appliance is unregistered and is seen here prior to going into service with Northamptonshire.
PN08 PSO Lancashire FRS operates this Loglogic Softrak tracked vehicle for off-road fire fighting duties. In the rear is basic fire kit including a water tank and hose. There are also three rearward facing seats. It is towed on a trailer by an Isuzu Easyshift, registration KE07 EHJ (not shown).
This unregistered JDC / Scania P310 is photographed here before coming into service with Northamptonshire. It is a water carrier and was temporarily running with trade plate 513 PC.
SY58 CEU The Scottish Highland and Islands Airports Fire Service operate this Carmichael / Land Rover at Barra Airport. It has had the body extended to accommodate equipment lockers and ladders, meaning the addition of a second rear axle. The reason for having this unusual vehicle is because the main runway is a tidal beach. A heavier vehicle would struggle to drive on the sand.
SY52 EGU Also at Barra Airport is this support Land Rover which is fitted with amber and blue warning lights on the roof.
SY04 ZRX This dark red Land Rover Defender is used at Benbecula Airport, on the Isle of Benbecula in the Scottish Highlands. It is operated by the Highlands and Islands Airport FRS, which cover 11 small airports.
PK09 HNU This Skoda Octavia is use for rapid response work in Liverpool by the North West Ambulance Service.
The rear view of the two-litre turbo diesel Skoda.
RJ10 EXE This Land Rover Discovery is used by Location Medical Services for privately funded emergency medical cover.
The rear shot of the 3.0 TDV6 Discovery.
Location Medical Services operate this unregistered golf kart. It has two seats alongside a full-size stretcher. It is decked out in ambulance colours and is fitted with a blue flashing light on the roof as well as two small lights at the top of the windscreen.
K999 LMS This Toyota Land Cruiser Colorado is used by Location Medical Services Ltd who are based at the Shepperton TV Studios in Middlesex.
Y241 ODC This large yellow truck is an Iveco-Ford New Cargo which is an incident support unit for Yorkshire Ambulance Service. It carries trolleys of medical equipment for use at the scene of a major incident. The truck is fitted with blue flashing lights all round and a siren is mounted on the roof of the cab. It is seen here overshadowing YJ57 XMY, a Vauxhall Zafira ambulance car.