Hydraulic Platform (TMF 23/12) of the Fire Brigade of Hamburg, Berliner Tor Fire Station, F 22.
Chassis: Mercedes Benz Atego 1629 F Bodywork: Metz / Wumag Year: 2007
Picture added on 02 September 2010 at 14:46
Comments:
In general, the Germans have always favoured the Turntable Ladder over the Hydraulic Platform, and in actual fact, I was once told that there were ever only 2 HPs to be found in Germany. It was interesting then when I saw this appliance being classed as an Hydraulic Platform, when in actual fact its an(ALP)Aerial Ladder Platform. Can anyone provide any information and a photograph of any hydraulic platform operational in Germany today please?.
Now I may be wrong, and apologies if I am but I am sure this is a hydraulic platform looking at the boom layout, which is obscured by the ladders, photo after this one shows a turntable ladder and the whole layout from the slew ring upwards is totally different
I always thought the difference was the cage on a HP was at the rear behind the bodywork and an ALP the cage was in the middle and also a HP extends in a scissor fashion and not sliding booms like a TL/ALP
Added by Jamie Percival on 02 September 2010.
Yes this is a HP with a ladder running along the arm. They are called "Teleskopmast". I think Hamburg has 3 HP Metz and 3 HP Bronto + 1 53m HP Bronto/Ziegler. You can find many HP in German fire brigades nowadays, Mainz, Berlin, Dortmund, Darmstadt... In earlier times, only Private factory FD and airport FD used HP's.
Pete, Your are welcome. It seems that the HP trend is coming back to many FD in Europe who have disregarded this engine for decades and that is the case in Germany and in France as well. BSPP=Paris as an example, considered always the HP as an "Anglo-Saxon" equipment, they have recently acquired 2 HP Scania/Metz. 3 HP same model were also acquired in the same time by the Val d'Oise FD(95). Cheers JP
Added by Jacques PETER on 04 September 2010.
Pete, there is some truth in that statement. As far as I know, there actually were ever only two HPs (in their classic, "scissor" form) in a municipal fire brigade in Germany (industrial brigades are a different story). The owner was Berufsfeuerwehr Stuttgart, the manufacturer was Simon-Wumag (SS-85), the chassis was in both cases a Mercedes-Benz. They were put into service in 1966 and 1970. The German name was Gelenkmast GM 26-1 ('articulated mast').
It was interesting then when I saw this appliance being classed as an Hydraulic Platform, when in actual fact its an(ALP)Aerial Ladder Platform.
Can anyone provide any information and a photograph of any hydraulic platform operational in Germany today please?.
Added by Pete Matten on 02 September 2010.