One of two Newcastle Fire Brigade Leyland Cubs that survived into preservation. Photograph taken at this years Cumbria Steam Gathering on 25th July.
Picture added on 13 August 2010 at 22:43
Comments:
Great Photograph, This was the first fire engine I saw when walking through the daws at Headlam Street when I joining Newcastle and Gateshead joint Fire Service in June 1960.
304 was withdrawn in late 1967. It had an extension owing to Headlam Streets major pump being written off in an accident. It was never used for driver training? That was 302 with Gordon Bell. 304 was sold to Redheugh Metals, Gateshead. I photographed it in there before it went to Yorkshire.
As Ron says, 304 was never used for driver training, and the one that used for that purpose in in 1960 was the rebodied semi-limousine Austin - GLE 878.
Added by Ian Moore on 29 July 2011.
I remember the new concept ERF pump escape at the Commercial Motor Show in 1967. Did NGJFB switch to ERF after that, or did it turn out to be a "one-off"? Did they buy more Dennis-AEC units, like the famous 1965 ET?
The ERF (LBB 913D) was the prototype, and as such had single rear wheels. When operational, these were found to make for what's best described as lest than perfect road-holding, so twins were fitted as per the norm. It was also unusual in that it was fitted with the long-defunct flashing amber lights over the windscreen - though so far as I'm aware these were never connected. It ended its days with Moor-Dale Curtis Coaches as a recovery vehicle, but personally I always thought it to have been a good candidate for disposal since it was the very first ERF based fire appliance constructed.
Added by Ian Moore on 30 July 2011.
Further to my last re-LBB 913D, N&G did have a brief flirtation with ERF based appliances, with a couple of nmore pumps, two PHPS, and the 85' HP being so based.
Added by Ian Moore on 30 July 2011.
I think these ERF's were fitted with roof moniters I know that at the time a few other brigades flirted with this device no doubt borrowed from the US where they had been standard fitment for a number of years by then , I think Essex used to fit them to their pumps as well .
Rob, The Dennis F107 ET to which you refer (EBB 783C) was a one-off within the brigade, and the only other virtually identical machine was Cardiff's HUH 314D. The F107 that Southend had was different in that it was alloy-bodied and didn't have a front-mounted winch.
Added by Ian Moore on 30 July 2011.
Two questions Gentlemen. Where was EBB 303 based and what was GLE 878, K2 or K4?
Added by Eddie Lauder on 28 July 2011.