| Picture No: | 11539 | Courtesy of: | Dr. B.A. Hutchinson | Year: | 2008 |

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1954 Dennis ET, OZ9606 - Belfast Fire Brigade
In the days when men were men and ET's were 'proper' ET's this magnificent machine roamed the streets of Belfast along with OZ9607 (see picture #2801). A unique feature of this ET is that it is also fitted with a mid-mounted pump. It was withdrawn from service in the mid-seventies. The livery shown in the picture features a day-glow orange front and 'racing stripe'. I am indebted to Murray Armstrong for providing this picture. Can anyone provide more details and it's eventual fate. Far too good the Lindsey Burney graveyard!
Best wishes,
Barry
(..and yes i would love to have it to join OZ9607 if it is still in the land of the living!).
Picture Added on 05 October 2008.

Comments
Added by Barry on 06 October 2008.
Added by Paul Warnock on 06 October 2008.
Added by Stewart Kaye on 06 October 2008.
If this is still around there'll be a race for it what a stunning appliance
Added by Rick Loudon on 06 October 2008.
I bet this old gal could tell a few stories from a troubled past.
Barry, thanks for sharing this classic appliance picture with us.
Added by Pete Matten on 06 October 2008.
Added by Ian Moore on 07 October 2008.
Added by Barry on 07 October 2008.
What I should have said was chassis number 4045 - the remainder ofd the details I quoted were correct though !!
Added by Ian Moore on 07 October 2008.
Added by Andy Daley on 07 October 2008.
great phota an great engine.....at dint go near the Mc burneys yard as far as i know ther are some private owners of ex dennis fire engine in northern ireland and do like to keep it quiet from what i have been told wood be greta to see this machine
many thanks
Added by Davy on 07 October 2008.
Does the chequer banding on the side indicate a dual or even triple function as a control vehicle I wonder?
A big thankyou to Murray Armstrong.
Added by Chris Wood on 07 October 2008.
As Ian rightly pointed out, this was an F17 TL chassis complete with pump that was delivered as a chassis to the Belfast Fire Brigade. The bodywork was added by the Brigade Workshop Staff.
It was an Emergency Salvage Tender. It also acted as a BA Tender and carried 24 additional Proto Sets.
Whilst not strictly a Control Unit as we know today, it did act as a Control Point at incidents, similar to a level 1 today, (Somewhere for radio messages to be passed through).
It would be very true to say that the appliance could tell numerous stories of its time in Belfast during the worst of the troubles.
Sadly, it was scrapped when it left service. There was a dispute in Belfast at the time about the replacement machine, so it is quite possible that the Fire Authority wanted it totally disposed of. It's proposed replacement, a Commer Walkthru was "blacked" by Firemen and never did go on the run. An AEC, HIA 1748 Pump, was used as an ET until 1984 when a Bedford/Alexander ET was commissioned.
OZ 9606 was a truly lovely looking machine, although a pig to drive, (so i've been told).
Thanks to Barry for posting the original message, and to Murray for sending the photo.
Added by David Lennox on 11 October 2008.
Added by Barry on 13 October 2008.
Added by Chris Wood on 14 October 2008.
One last point from me on this one. Is it possible that Belfast fitted it out, and I ask this as there is nothing on the Dennis records to say that it was supplied to them as a chassis only, the inference therefore being that Dennis supplied it as a complete vehicle.
Added by Ian Moore on 15 October 2008.
In the book, "The Flaming Truth" by local fire historian's Bill Broadhurst & Harry Welsh, (page 210), it is stated that the chassis was ordered in March 1955 from Dennis Brothers Ltd at a cost of £2, 904.19.10 and when it was delivered a short time later, the body & coachwork was completed by the workshop staff to local specifications.
Added by David Lennox on 15 October 2008.
That's fair enough, I'll amend the database accordingly.
Added by Ian Moore on 17 October 2008.


Added by Ian Moore on 06 October 2008.