Category: AMBULANCE

P872 LWC is a NEAS Cheverolet on a blue…



P872 LWC is a NEAS Cheverolet on a blue light run in Gateshead.



The above ambulance is now parked behind a rapid response (unmarked) Ford Focus. Rapid response cars are being used increasingly in the NEAS area to cut down response times to meet Government standards.

R360 ONL is a Nissan Primera. It has a…



R360 ONL is a Nissan Primera. It has a 2.0 litre engine and is used as a quick response unit. Nissan used this car as a trial for new electronic equipment. A representative would come out periodically and remove the ash tray to reveal a data port. They would connect a laptop computer to download how many times and for how long each gear had been used for. It was intended that the car would cover 100,000 miles in 18 months, which is near impossible as it started its life doing short patient transportation duties before it was converted to quick response! Incidentally, the electronic gear watching equipment made the car no different to drive to any other.



The side view of the Nissan test car.

W706 PFT an ambulance service vehicle. It looks like…



W706 PFT an ambulance service vehicle. It looks like any other metallic green Ford Focus, but place the rotating beacon on the roof, put the flashing light on the dashboard and turn the siren on and you have an emergency vehicle! The NEAS run many of these vehicles, all lease cars, which are replaced every three years. The dashboard-mounted and magnetic roof lights are used to avoid cutting holes in the car which the next owner may not appreciate. Hand-held radios are used to avoid aerial holes too.



An alternative view

Here are 3 views of one of a…



Here are 3 views of one of a fleet of a Mercedes ambulance X286 BVN introduced in 2001. The rear view clearly shows the much increased space from previous models.



The front view



An alternative front view

We start with a West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance…



We start with a West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (WYMAS) VW Collet R231 DFC. West Yorks used to have the distinctive livery of a ‘heartbeat’ down the side of all their emergency vehicles. Notice the orange rotating beacon on the roof which means that it must be based near an airport. This will be used to comply with the Civil Aviation Authority rule that all vehicles on airport taxiways must show an orange flashing light.



The front view