Category: Fire > Classic

Classic and vintage fire appliances. Some are no longer in existence, some are still around today and preserved.

Fire > Classic

F313 HWL Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue GMC Suburban

F313 HWL
Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue
GMC Suburban
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.

Fire > Classic

FSP 924W Tayside Fire Brigade Dodge G13

FSP 924W
Tayside Fire Brigade
Dodge G13
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.

Fire > Classic

K472 PAG Humberside Fire Brigade Dennis SS / HCB Angus

K472 PAG
Humberside Fire Brigade
Dennis SS / HCB Angus
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.

Fire > Classic

RXP 688 Auxiliary Fire Service Bedford RLHZ Green Goddess

RXP 688
Auxiliary Fire Service
Bedford RLHZ Green Goddess
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 than 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.

Fire > Classic

CYY 630C Auxiliary Fire Service Bedford RL

CYY 630C
Auxiliary Fire Service
Bedford RL
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.

Fire > Classic

E379 DBL Port of Liverpool Dodge G16 / Saxon

E379 DBL
Port of Liverpool
Dodge G16 / Saxon
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 Birkhamstead Docks for at least 10 years.

Fire > Classic

E497 UKF Port of Liverpool Dennis SS

E497 UKF
Port of Liverpool
Dennis SS
Emergency Tender. Formerly with Merseyside. This appliance has been sitting in the corner of a yard in Birkhamstead for at least 10 years. It is looking very rotten and weather-beaten unfortunately.

Fire > Classic

GNB 217 Manchester Fire Brigade Dennis Big 6

GNB 217
Manchester Fire Brigade
Dennis Big 6
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

Fire > Classic

HXA 912 Austin K6 CO2 Tender

HXA 912
Austin K6 CO2 Tender
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.

Fire > Classic

Thorneycroft Nubian TFA 6×6

Thorneycroft Nubian TFA 6×6
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 it’s 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.

Fire > Classic

Mk 5 Thorneycroft/Rolls Royce foam tender

Mk 5 Thorneycroft/Rolls Royce foam tender
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.

Fire > Classic

Mk 5 Thorneycroft/Rolls Royce foam tender

Mk 5 Thorneycroft/Rolls Royce foam tender
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.

Fire > Classic

These historic photos dating from around 1971 show the fire brigade r..

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.

Fire > Classic

8769 W Sanderson Brothers and Newbould Limited Commer PB

8769 W
Sanderson Brothers and Newbould Limited
Commer PB
Built in 1960 and has covered only 631 miles as of 2019. The vehicle left the factory in 1960 as a standard diesel engine van. It was one of a batch of three that were converted by special order to works fire engines for Sanderson and Newbould of Sheffield. The chassis was extended to house the Coventry Climax pump and part of the rear roof was moved forward to make a crew cab behind the driver. It was sold to Adam Industries of Pudsey, West Yorkshire, before passing into private ownership in 1995. It was bought in 2011 by the current owner who has restored it. Notice how it has amber lights to the front for emergency use, pre-dating the use of blue lights.

Fire > Classic

UOH 811S Land Rover 109 Series 3

UOH 811S
Land Rover 109 Series 3
Hand-built fire vehicle from 1978. It is a self-propelled foam deluge unit. It has a 2.6 litre six cylinder petrol engine. It was specially built for Eggborough Power Station in North Yorkshire. The vehicle would have connected to a water supply using lengths of hose to produce a fire-fighting foam. The cannon could deliver the foam over a great area. The vehicle ended its frontline service in 2018 when the power plant was decommissioned. It was kept in service during initial demolition works as a dust supression unit. It was then donated to the National Emergency Services Museum in late 2018.