Fire Engines Photos

Originally at Tarrant Rushton airfield Dorset with Flight Refuelling, 1 of 3 similar vehicles, the other 2 went to Blackbushe airfield.

Added by Bob on 24 October 2008.

Bedford, what year, model and engine ? ; interesting rear-mount Foam Monitor which must require a minimum 2-man crew, ? with a separate engine-and-pump ? ; pump capacity, water capacity, foam capacity & etc.... love that quick-access cab.

It was a neat little rig, handy for small air-ports; and must be from a small manufacturer - too much personality to be a "Euro-Toaster". I, too, would love to learn more about her, from our Knowledgable Readers.

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B



Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 02 November 2008.

Pat, I would suggest that this appliance is late 50s early 60s certainly pre 1965, the monitor looks to be a 10X, water capacity maybe 400 gal and 100 gal foam compound, we had a slightly similar appliance at Teesside in 1966 but 500gal water.

Added by Barrie Green on 02 November 2008.

Pat, there were lots of these around well into the eighties at small airports all over the UK. Engine was the standard Bedford, pump usually a Godiva 650gpm. Water was around 400 gals with a 35 gal foam compound tank. Plumbing was mostly local workshops on ours at Leeds Bradford, the individual machines being tailored to local needs. Stowage was sparse, usually a few lengths of delivery, suction and branches etc in locker space. I am sure others will have a lot to add, but they were slow and tank capacities poor. On a positive note, cheap to run and very reliable.

Added by John Stott on 02 November 2008.

What nobody has as yet mentioned is that the VXX registered batch (believed to have been VXX 201 to VXX 341) were chassis/cab or chassis/scuttle vehicles that were part of the originial AFS fleet. None were bodied, some had water tanks, as it was considered that if the need for their usage arose, the bodywork was virtually extraneous to requirements. It is NOT to be confused with tailor made appliances as such.

Added by Ian Moore on 02 November 2008.

I belive that the builders were Carmichael, they certainly converted 1 so they probably did all 3, from memory the monitor was a 20X, the airfield also had 2 Austin Gipsy vehicles, 1 of the Bedfords did not have a monitor but the other 2 were identical.

Added by Bob on 02 November 2008.

Just seen the rear shot, maybe it was a 10X monitor !

Added by Bob on 02 November 2008.

I've just found some very old pictures of a couple of these I photographed
way back.The first is of one at Blackbush Airport when I first had a lift
by airplane to collect a car from the ajoining car auctions near Blackbush,
(actually the largest car auctions in the UK), the pilot was a friend and he
asked me and another friend to drive 2 cars back home he'd bought from the
auctions for his showroom, the other pictures are of one at an airshow which
I attended, which I beleave was actually Biggin Hill in the early 90's.
I will send in the pictures but know very little, only that there Bedfords.

Added by Pete Matten on 19 November 2008.

I would suggest that it's a 4x4 Bedford RL.

Added by Steve Prosser on 24 January 2014.

I agree, Steve, and iy is an early one with single rear wheels. The later versions had twins. The single rear tyres reduced the load capacity significantly - hence only a 400 gallon tank. Later RLs, like the tanker operated by Cambridgeshire, carried up to 1, 000 gallons, but they were arguably a bit less capable off road. Despite what looks like a primitive crew cab, other shots of this rig show that it had only two seats, which begs the question of why start with a chassis cowl? Most other two man Bedford RL airport trucks and tankers used the standard factory cab.

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 July 2014.

See picture 41256 for another VXX with similar bodywork.

Added by Petros on 30 August 2019.

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