Category: FIRE

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.

REG 999
Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade
Land Rover 101 Forward Control / Dennis M Series
No longer operational on the front line, the vehuicle isused for publicity. It was new in 1963 to Baker Perkins works fire brigade.

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.

E572 HRV
Land Rover Defender 110

L61 GYK
London Fire Brigade
Austin Maestro Van