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Fire Engine Photos
Ex MFB RFW Simon Snorkel
This is EX MFB's RFW Car 105 retired from service sometime after 1996 and has been bought by a tree lopper in the Adelaide Hills.
MFB had two of these units Car 105 & 106.WA Fire Brigade also had one and SA Metropolitan Fire Service had one which was Reg No.RUK-488,aka the old Headquarters 205 before the Abbey took over,still trying to find out what happened to that one.Interesting unit to operate had an engine for the hydraulics, another engine for the pump, and an emergency engine in case the hydraulics failed plus the normal engine.....and very thirsty for Diesel!!!!
This is EX MFB's RFW Car 105 retired from service sometime after 1996 and has been bought by a tree lopper in the Adelaide Hills.
MFB had two of these units Car 105 & 106.WA Fire Brigade also had one and SA Metropolitan Fire Service had one which was Reg No.RUK-488,aka the old Headquarters 205 before the Abbey took over,still trying to find out what happened to that one.Interesting unit to operate had an engine for the hydraulics, another engine for the pump, and an emergency engine in case the hydraulics failed plus the normal engine.....and very thirsty for Diesel!!!!
So, that adds up to 4 engines in total, on the rig.... very interesting set-up, keeps elaborate power trains to a minimum, and a back-up engine for the hydraulics is a great idea - who would want to be stuck up aloft all day, while they tinker with the hydraulics down below, trying to get it to lower down !?
RFW is ??? MFB must be Melbourne Fire Brigade.......
Regards, from Canada,
Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 14 November 2008.
RFW is ??? MFB must be Melbourne Fire Brigade.......
Regards, from Canada,
Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 14 November 2008.
The Tasmania Fire Service(Hobart)had a very simular RFW/Simon Snorkel.The appliance from 1981 had a 26.3 mtr hydraulic platform and was mounted on a
twin rear axle RFW(Robert Francis Williams-Australian Company)chassis to
carry the massed weight.It was one of the larger appliances in Tasmania.
The appliance, although vertually the same just had the single front-cab
for 2/3 riders.The brigade at Launceston(TFS)also operated one of these.
Added by Pete Matten on 15 November 2008.
twin rear axle RFW(Robert Francis Williams-Australian Company)chassis to
carry the massed weight.It was one of the larger appliances in Tasmania.
The appliance, although vertually the same just had the single front-cab
for 2/3 riders.The brigade at Launceston(TFS)also operated one of these.
Added by Pete Matten on 15 November 2008.
the two tasmanian RFW snorkels were sent to England were the snorkel was reconditioned and remounted on scania chassis then returned to tassie
Added by Andrew Dare on 27 April 2009.
Added by Andrew Dare on 27 April 2009.
Clarence,I have mentioned above the manufacturer of this Simon Snorkel appliance,it was'nt ERF.The company was known as R.F.W.(Robert Francis Williams)and they were a local Australian manufacturer.Pete.
Added by Pete Matten on 13 December 2009.
Added by Pete Matten on 13 December 2009.
His name is Robert Fredrick Whitehead
Added by Mark on 15 December 2009.
Added by Mark on 15 December 2009.
nice shot.
what's the platform-like device at the front of the boom? and it was flipped down? i guess.
Added by Nex on 18 May 2010.
what's the platform-like device at the front of the boom? and it was flipped down? i guess.
Added by Nex on 18 May 2010.
Nex,this was lowered to give access to the ladder on the other boom.The ladder this side can be seen in its housed position.Its turned down,then the bit you've mensioned is flipped down,the ladder on the other boom is turned down this then allowing the cage operator to descend to ground level in the event of a breakdown.
Added by Pete Matten on 18 May 2010.
Added by Pete Matten on 18 May 2010.
The platform-like device is a platform! An escape platform was almost always fitted to "Snorkel's".The ladders folded outwards to enable crews to escape in event of failure,this platform being at the "knuckle" where the ladders also swapped sides/direction. Not a journey for the faint hearted! and only used crew emergency use.
Added by Gary Simpson on 18 May 2010.
Added by Gary Simpson on 18 May 2010.
Yallourn also had one. it had a 75 ft TELESQURT ladder mounted in place of the platform, and was used from 1983 to the mid 90's. I drove it when I worked there.
Added by Trevor Bell on 07 February 2012.
Added by Trevor Bell on 07 February 2012.
can anyone remember in 1988 when this snorkel was damaged in city church fire
Added by Albert Matsa Ex Mfb on 12 February 2015.
Added by Albert Matsa Ex Mfb on 12 February 2015.
Simon
I used to build RFW's, like to see photos of the old girls.
Added by Mark Baker on 24 August 2008.