Fire Engines Photos

I must say that the mounting of those rotating beacons appear unusual, may have been a little distracting if left turned on for anyone working at the head on a low extension. Brilliant, good luck again.

Added by John D on 26 August 2008.

John, the beacon circuit is only completed when the ladder is in the fully down position. As soon as it is elevated a contact breaks and the beacons turn off. picture 1614 shows the 'brother' of the above machine. Whilst talking about beacons the 'flash and flicker' of modern LED warning lights now seem common place, whilst the sweep of a rotating mirror beacon seems far more arresting.

I must admit you have to admire John Sutcliffe for taking on such a restoration task! Restoring relatively modern machines especially those with complex mechanisms like the DL30 ladder is far more difficult than early machines where everything is basic and which were constructed more robustly.

Added by Barry on 26 August 2008.

Thanks Barry, just on the off chance is there a particular reason why they didn't just mount the beacons on the roof of the cab, would have saved that little bit of more complicated electrics or were they just showing off? My first thought is to reduce the chances of them being fouled when the ladder is being housed but then the two tones are up there.

Saw the TL's brother, very nice and am sure it will be great motivator to see them re-united in the future. Is it the phallic nature of a TL that precludes it being a sister machine?

Added by John D on 26 August 2008.

Well done! I'm pleased that this has found a good home at last!

Added by Chris Hall Teesside.(UK) on 02 October 2008.

Hi John (hopefully) Do have any updated photos of this wounderfull TL? It would be great to see your progress.

Many thanks



Added by Phil Davison on 09 January 2013.

Hi John D.! The mounting of the beacons on the basepart of the ladder, is a "trademark" of Magirus!!

Anders F. Sweden.

Added by on 20 May 2015.

VCU 581T was sold in Cheffins Auction 25th July 2015. It went for £3000 (hammer price). Was bought by Andrew Myall of Bassingbourn www.flickr.com/photos/mr-bg/21681262078/in/dateposted/

Added by John Wakefield on 05 December 2015.

The 'Flikr' photograph of it at it's new home (standing outside) looks very much like a bus breakers yard. I hope that this is not the case after all the hard work John Sutcliffe put into restoring it back into a road worthy condition. Does anyone have any optimistic news about it's fate?

Added by Dr. B.A. Hutchinson on 09 December 2015.

Not a bus breakers yard but a bus operator who has a yard full of old buses. They do have a couple of restored coaches a VAM & SB. The fire engine was bought to do some work on a building with the ladder. So back to a similar use it was used for at Newcastle. Sadly once these vehicles go to auction they can end up out of preservation. As you say Dr Hutchinson does seem a shame after all the work put into it by John Sutcliffe

Added by John Wakefield on 15 December 2015.

I was the first driver and operator of that machine at Sunderland Central, Dun Cow Street in 1978.

Added by David E. Robinson on 15 July 2017.

Is the cage with this machine? The cage had a control console so the ladder could be manoeuvred from within the cage. There was also a wired remote for the base operator to plug in and a shoulder/waist harness so that the operator could leave the turntable and operate the ladder by wired remote to give a more comprehensive field of view of the ladder head when using the TL as a monitor without a man at the head.
Quite sad seeing November 3 (VCU 581T's call sign) looking like that after all of the hours Blue Watch spent polishing it. Out of interest the N3 call sign (white letter and numeral about 4 inches high) was sited bottom left of windscreen when officially 'on the run' so that machines could be identified at an incident.

Added by David E. Robinson on 18 July 2017.

David, I have the sister machine to this, Delta 3, which was stationed at Pligrim Street. There are quite a few pictures of RTN144S on this site. Both machines have their cages, although when they were disposed of by the Brigade, neither came with the ladder remote control box.


Added by Dr. B.A. Hutchinson on 18 July 2017.

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