Fire Engines Photos

TheFireman, Lou Angeli - ya gotta see this Aerial.... have a look at where they stuck the Driver.

If you are not familiar with British Leyland Buses, and other Double-Decker Bus designs, some interesting thoughts come to mind:

"We wanted the Driver to have maximum all-round visibility"

"The Driver can check the Engine Oil and Coolant Levels, right from his seat"

"Uh, the budget is a bit tight - 3 guys in the crew, so that needs only one-and-one-half Cab-widths to accommodate them - we will save on the other half"

"In the event of a crash, only the Driver gets there first"

With that syren[siren] wailing into his left ear - I bet every Driver, after his first run with the rig, had a long and serious discussion with his Officer, about how often and how long, he was going to blast that #@&%$# !! thing....or, could you tell the veteran Drivers, by their being stone-deaf on left side...(;>)

All kidding aside - glad to see this unique rig safely in preservation, and still a runner.

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 06 November 2008.

What a classic fire engine, thank heavens she was preserved! Well done John and team at MOTAT!

Added by Pav on 06 November 2008.

picture #5844 is a Dennis Pumper, with the same seating arrangement - only you should see the detachable roof it got.....

Pat_R-B, again

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 07 November 2008.

Pat,
What you have to remember though is that the Dennis was built as it was for a purpose, namely to be able to go under a particularly low bridge

Added by Ian Moore on 08 November 2008.

I'll betcha that's one heck of a steering system. I don't think we've (USA) ever came out with anything that odd. Interesting rig.

Added by Thefireman on 10 November 2008.

John,

How about tell the story of when you took Thunderguts to Wellington, when you were buzzed by a couple of airforce jets

Added by Nigel Capon on 06 December 2008.

W-e-e-l-l: picture #2604 has an interesting Pumper; where the Hoseman/Pump Operator is in a pulpit which is mounted ON the front bumper, along with the Front-Mount Pump. The Driver is behind, in a conventional truck cab - 1970's International Lodestar/Superior.

Like Ian's Dennis; it was built for a purpose - chasing grass/grainfield fires on the Great Plains of the American Mid-West.

With Fire Apparatus Manufacturers getting absorbed into vast international corporate entities; to crank out uniform products (eg "Euro-Toasters" et al) for their large market: really get to appreciate all these different-looking machines, with their character and charm.....so glad, for each one getting preserved.

And, John; tell us the story of those Air Force Jets..... was it 2 "Jet Jockeys" trying to figure out that strange-looking, red, moving, object at ground-level ?!

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B



Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 12 January 2009.

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