Category: Fire > Classic

This ex-works fire brigade Land Rover is in preservation. Here it is seen adorned with white ribbons and being used as a wedding car. It is being used to transport the bride and groom to their wedding reception to the great delight of the assembled guests.

Ex-Hertfordshire Water Tender, undergoing restoration in Birmingham. It was previously in use as a mobile coffee shop.

This classic GMC Suburban served with Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue at Burnham. It is equipped with roof-mounted ladders and blue beacons and is painted in a distinctive red livery with blue and yellow stripes. As a US-built vehicle, it stands out from typical UK fire appliances and is now preserved.

This Dodge G13 was used as a command/control unit. Featuring a red and white checkerboard design, it was equipped with communications equipment and blue lights. Vehicles of this type were common in the late 1970s and early 1980s but are now rare to see. Thankfully this one is in preservation.

It has been restored and is seen participating in public displays, including water pump demonstrations.

This Dennis SS fire engine served with Humberside Fire Brigade. It features HCB Angus bodywork and was commonly used throughout the UK in the early 1990s. Now preserved, it retains its original livery and operational equipment and appears at historic vehicle shows.

This preserved Bedford RLHZ 'Green Goddess' was used by the Auxiliary Fire Service and is painted in traditional military green. The vehicle includes pumping gear and hose reels. Also shown is a large water reservoir that can be used to ensure enough water is available for pumping. These vehicles were deployed during firefighter strikes and remain iconic in British emergency services history. The interior reflects its utilitarian military design.

This appliance is finished in deep burgundy and has been preserved with its traditional bell, ladders and pump controls.

This Bedford RL truck was used by the Auxiliary Fire Service as a general support vehicle. It is fitted with a canvas-covered rear and painted in military green with 'AFS' markings. These trucks accompanied pumping appliances and carried equipment or personnel. It has been converted into a camper so that the owner can stay in it when it is displayed at events.

This vintage Austin fire appliance that served with the Bertram Mills Circus, now in preservation.

This former Bedford fire appliance has been converted into a food truck, named 'Bombay Boy'. It retains its blue lights red and silver colour scheme.

Fitted with a Simon SS70 hydraulic platform. This is a former Buckinghamshire appliance (as seen from the enhanced-contrast photo of the door). It is in a very sorry state inside and out due to sitting unused in Birkenhead Docks for at least 10 years.

Emergency Tender. Formerly with Merseyside. This appliance has been sitting in the corner of a yard in Birkenhead for at least 10 years. It is looking very rotten and weather-beaten unfortunately.

Dating from 1965 this pump escape was seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale

A 1940 Dennis pump escape seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale. Driven by museum curator Bob Bonner who is getting a good workout trying to manoeuvre the vehicle in the car park

Dating from 1957, this 125 ft turntable ladder was seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale

Dating from 1963, this pump escape was seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale

Dating from 2003, this water ladder was seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale

Dating from 1971, this salvage tender was seen at Fireground Fire Museum in Rochdale

Was based at Fordingbridge and now in preservation

Used by Grassington volunteers circa 1985

Used by Grassington volunteers circa 1990

Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting

Based at Broad Oak Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

This truck has four banks of six 60lb CO2 cylinders. Each bank of cylinders has its own operating lever situated on the outside of the cylinder housing and an effective discharge time of 2 minutes. It was built on an Austin K6 3ton chassis and was the first Crash Tender to employ CO2 gas only as an extinguishing medium. It came into service in 1945. The total discharge of the tender is approximately 11,500 cubic feet of CO2 gas. Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

The MK7 was introduced in 1965 to supplement the MK6 fleet, and basically consisted of a DP2 chassis fitted with a Rolls Royce B81 Petrol engine and MK6 foam equipment. With its improved reliability, a suction eye and water pumping capability, the MK 7 was a more versatile primary one foam tender. It was also easier to transport by air and saw service world wide. This vehicle has a 700 gallon water tank, a foam liquid tank capacity of 110 gallons and a foam output of 5000 gallons per minute through monitor and two side-lines or through double-jet monitor. Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

The Mk5 Crash Tender was one of the first of the post war vehicles entered service in 1952. It carried 400 gallons of water and 60 gallons of foam. Primarily a RAF appliance this vehicle could also be used for domestic (structural) firefighting. It had a foam output of 2300 gallons per minute through two hand side-lines. Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

The Mk5 Crash Tender was one of the first of the post war vehicles entered service in 1952. It carried 400 gallons of water and 60 gallons of foam. Primarily a RAF appliance this vehicle could also be used for domestic (structural) firefighting. It had a foam output of 2300 gallons per minute through two hand side-lines. Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

Seen at the Museum of RAF Firefighting.

These historic photos dating from around 1971 show the fire brigade responding to a fire call as a crowd gathers on the pavement. They are at a 'persons reported' call where there is information that someone may be trapped in a house fire. Two ambulances have also arrived on scene to deal with any casualties. Furthermore two police cars have also arrived to assist. The scene is at Avenue Road in Gateshead.

BBB 22J is the ERF fire engine (in brighter red)

ATN 336B is the AEC fire engine, recognised by the non black roof and conical blinker lights. This was always a Fossway engine but must have been in the reserve fleet at the time. It is maroon and parked immediately outside the house.

EBB 783 is an Emergency Tender 'Charlie 4' from Pilgrim Street, Newcastle. It is the maroon vehicle parked on the opposite side of the street.

The two ambulances are based at Gateshead.

WPT 214J is a British Leyland Mini Van from 1971. A second Mini Van is seen in the foreground. From 1969 the Austin and Morris badges were dropped and they were just known as the Mini Van. It is either a 848cc or 998cc version which were cosmetically the same. The vehicles are operated by Durham Constabulary during the short period of time when they covered Gateshead. In 1969 Gateshead county borough police merged into Durham county but just five years later in 1974 Gateshead was taken over by the newly formed Northumbria Police as part of the local authority boundary changes and the formation of the county of Tyne and Wear.

No longer operational on the front line, the vehicle is used for publicity. It was new in 1963 to Baker Perkins works fire brigade.