A unique look at two very primitive fire appliances, which can be seen at The Castle Museum, York.
A unique look at two very primitive fire appliances, which can be seen at The Castle Museum, York.
FT 7215 is a Dennis appliance, and was in operation through to the mid 1970’s. It was then used for training.
EBB 302 was used by the City of Newcastle Fire Brigade. Notice the lack of doors on the older black one – any high-speed cornering would spell danger for the rear occupants
Now we have a vintage model fire Engine, with the aged wheeled-escape ladders. They can be disconnected from the engine and wheeled up to the foot of a building before being extended.
AM 2747 This an old (Great Western Railway) Swindon fire engine.
An old appliance from Gateshead. Both engines were run by railway fire brigades, and are were pictured in the National Railway Museum, York. Inset: side plate.
This is a Staffordshire appliance museum piece.
Here are four old fire engines on display: (left to right) A Dodge appliance, an Austin Gypsy, a Land Rover FWC, and a special Land Rover fire engine YJF 962S
A line up of old fire engines
RE51 FRZ is a Land Rover Defender 90 TD5 used by the National Park Ranger Service. It carries a single rotating blue beacon on its roof. The vehicle carries essential fire fighting equipment such as fire beaters and collapsible water storage tanks. It also carries the ATV shown below.
This unregistered Agro Centaur is used by the National Park Ranger Service to carry fire fighting equipment to remote areas. It is almost identical to the ATV used by Derbyshire Fire and rescue service. Equipment that the ATV can carry includes portable pumps, hoses and river damming equipment.
04 M 7918 is a MAN / Angloco fire appliance that is based at RAF Menwith Hill in Yorkshire. This is vehicle ‘4’ and is seen here with its locker up and slide-out shelves for easy access showing.
02 M 8303 This Ford Transit is used by the Defence Fire Service at RAF Menwith Hill.
O4 M 5114 is a Ford Maverick fire car used by the Defence Fire Service. It has a military number plate and is based at RAF Menwith Hill listening base near Harrogate.
04 M 5113 The rear view of a sister Maverick. The only difference is the additional blue beacon at the back of the roof.
The following three photographs are of American military fire appliances used in the UK. They don’t carry registration marks because they are not used on the public roads. Appliance 15 is a P-24 Water Ladder. Notice the red light bar and dark body colour.
This appliance (also numbered 15) is a RIV (Rapid Intervention Vehicle). It can also double-up as a communication vehicle.
Number 14 is a massive P-18 water carrier.
Here is a line up of three fire engine limos that are available to hire from ‘Chariots of Fire’.
K204 VVU This fire limo is operated by fully licensed Essex-based Blazing Squad. The engine is a Leyland DAF with bodywork by Reliance-Mercury. All of the blue lights have been blacked out. It was previously on the run at Eccles fire station in Manchester.
HJZ 4049 This 1980 Dennis appliance is also for hire with Blazing Squad. It carries a Norther Ireland registration and was previously on the front-line at Maidstone, Kent.
F193 EDV This limousine is run by Oddball Limos in the West Midlands. The ladders have been taken off the roof, but the blue lights and livery remain on this fire engine limo.
N696 CVP This is a ‘Partymedics’ ambulance that is also operated by Oddball Limos. It has eight seats and can be hired for any occasion. The vehicle still has it’s high visibility paint-scheme and blue lights in place.
G821 TSP is a Volvo FL6 that has been converted into a fire limo and is used in the Portsmouth area. Notice that all of the blue lights have been switched to amber.
This American fire appliance is used in Glasgow for city tours! It came from Mill Creek, PA when they decommissioned it in March 2006.
YVN 69Y This 1982 Carmichael appliance is used by ‘Mr Fireman’ as a party fire engine limo. The water pump is still operational and all of the blue lights ahve been removed or blacked out.
G793 NGD This Volvo FL6 is available for public hire from The Blazing Squad. The blue lights have either been blacked-out or converted to amber.
H871 XYF This ex-fire engine has been modified for ‘All Fired Up’ in two unusual ways to make it in to a limousine for public hire. It has been resprayed pink and has had its interior extended into where the water tank was. The tinted windows can be seen down the sides where the tops of the lockers were. This is one of four fire engine on this page with registration ‘H8__ XYF’, all ex-LFB.
F867 SHD This Volvo FL6 ex-fire appliance is run by ‘Fire Engine Parties’ for special occasion hire. It still has its blue lights and yellow strip livery, but the brigade wording has been removed.
D177 KPT This Carmichael engine is owned by ‘Party On Fire Limo’. It has been resprayed to its original fire engine red colour, and the hoses still work. The ‘fire & rescue’ wording and blue lights are still in place too.
J857 NJO Red Thunder run this Scania 93M 250 fire engine. It is an ex-Buckinghamshire Water Tender Ladder Rescue Pump, and is still in its Bucks. livery with blue lights.
J86 ORU This is Hot-Hire’s Volvo FL6, an ex-Dorset fire engine. Notice the wording on the side has been changed to ‘Fire and Rescue Limousine’ and the blue lights have been blacked out.
The water pumps tank have been removed and replaced with a larger interior, containing more seats, mirrored walls, fibre-optic lighting, and entertainment system.