Fire Engines Photos

OXT 799 was a 1954 AEC/Merryweather 'A' type emergency tender supplied new to
D61 Lambeth then transferred to Clerkenwell in 1959. The 9.6 litre diesel engine
also provided through its pto, power for the 8kv 110v generator for lighting and
power tools.The appliances went out of active service in 1976 and transferred to
the LFB museum fleet and then finally sold for preservation in 1983.
thanks for sharing this picture with us-its another classic.

Added by Pete Matten on 11 November 2008.

Evening Pete. I can elaborate a little here with some information pieced together since we got her. Among the paperwork handed over upon purchase, there were a lot of dockets showing an allocation to Greenwich in 1959. The previous owner thought this may be a red-herring for two reasons. 1 - The dockets covered visits back to Merryweather for maintenance and 2 - Radio Workshops were apparently based around there at the time. I asked around, and consequently have managed to find a picture of C46 Greenwich shortly after opening, showing none other than OXT poking out of their end bay. I will post the picture soon. My theory on this was - new Station, so they put a newish appliance in there to look good, while they awaited the arrival of their Dennis C431 variant 337ALX, in 1961. It was at this point the paperwork tells us it went to B20 Clerkenwell. Likewise, in 1964, when the new Shoerditch opened, OXT was transferred there. I previously thought that this had occurred in 1965 at the LCC to GLC changeover, but again paperwork gives me B27 Shoredtich as a base. This is confirmed by pictures obtained from the London Metropolitan Archive showing the ET in the bays there with her 27 badge on.

So, with four LCC Stations to choose from, expect to see different stations where the 61 now sits....

With regard to the generator, you're dead right, it's an Erskine Heap unit, which we are looking into repairing. It has a regulator fault we're told. Watch this space. Current work on the vehicle is renovating and adding to the great work achieved by the previous owner on the interior. The rear interior is almost finished, leaving us the cab and foot lockers to do. She runs like a dream - (see youtube videos) -is a dream to drive and is fully stowed.

Mike



Added by Mike Cotton on 15 November 2008.

Hello Mike, this is getting to be somewhat interesting.I have a picture of this
ET in what looks like the rear yard of(61)Lambeth, its original station.But the
numbering on side of appliance shows J27.Did Lambeth become J27 before becoming
as we know today B22?.The appliance did move in 1959, and was replaced by a 1959
Commer ET, ex-Middlesex Fire Brigade(reg 27 WMX).
Do you have records of the LFB post-war showing what station J27 was because
this appliance also served there.Maybe its one of the stations you mentioned
but I can't find post-war numbers of all the stations for the period.
Its something else for you to think about.

Added by Pete Matten on 16 November 2008.

Evening Pete,
J27 was Finchley, and was stationed there as a reserve at various times from 1970-1976. In fact it's last shout was while there. We've got OXT at Lewisham, Heston, Croydon & Paddington. You may or may not know that it was the ET on the run at A21 on the night of the Worsley Hotel fire.

Added by Mike Cotton on 16 November 2008.

Thanks for that Mike.It states quite clearly in the Fire Brigade Society's handbook Post-War London Fire Brigade that J27 was Finchley.I wasn't really sure though whether it was that before the re-orgasation and the many changes
in the brigade during the late 1950's, and the 1960's, etc.
I can remember that tragic fire very well, and the book if I remember was well
written by News reader Gorden Honeycombe, it told the full story of the Watch,
(crews)the days before, and then that fatal night(The Worsley Hotel Fire).


Added by Pete Matten on 16 November 2008.

Morning Pete - any chance of posting the J27 picture at B22 please?

Ta,

Mike


Added by Mike Cotton on 17 November 2008.

Hello Mike, contacting you direct with E.Mail and photo due to copyright.
Its not a brilliant photo, but another for your album/scrap book.Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 17 November 2008.

OXT 779 is recorded in the PSV Circle Regent chassis lists as a Turntable Ladder?
Bodywork was by Park Royal and the chassis was assembled at the Maudslay works at Alcester,
chassis NO. D62106R.

Added by Allan T Condie on 28 April 2009.

Hi Allan, all correct except for the TL part. It's defintely an Emergency Tender.... I should know :-)
Mike

Added by Mike Cotton on 28 April 2009.

Hi Mike i remember meeting and talking to yourself at paddington in october 2002 during a 6pm shift changeover. Your were driving and operating a spare vovo Hp at the time when you took it out and did your vehicle check. I was speaking about the preserverd croydon TL at the time that was kept in the front bay. Its good to see old classic machines such as this preserved. I have a paul slade model of a Dennis F108 London ET. Its reg is JHX 13K with A21's call sign on the side.

Added by Grant Melville on 29 April 2009.

Petros has posted a rear view of this great machine at picture 21754.

Would, originally, this have been an AEC Regent bus chassis and engine; or a special build ?

Great to see her preserved; and read her history.

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 25 January 2010.

The chassis were special build at the Maudslay factory at Alcester with short wheelbase, but were based on the Regent Double Deck design.
Crash Gearboxes were fitted.

Added by Allan T Condie on 25 January 2010.

i was stationed at C27 Clerkenwell from 1968 to 1976 and OXT returned from C21 shoreditch late 1960s until about 1974 when it was replaced by a new et. I loved driving it especially when approaching roundabout at old street on the bell and trying to change down a gear fond memories.

Added by Kevin Watts on 30 April 2010.

Thanks very much Kevin for the message. I have the paperwork and log books from the time which show it was a bit nomadic from it's return from C21 to C27 in about 1969. Clerkenwell got BLO801H in early '71 (email me for pics) at which point OXT travelled between A21, C27, D27, H31 and B22 plying it's trade as just about the oldest vehicle in the fleet.

Added by Mike Cotton on 30 April 2010.

I started work at Mount Pleasant Post Office in September 1964 and I can recall OXT 779 being the ET at C27 (the station is opposite Mount Pleasant)for about 5 years before it was replaced by BLO801H. An interesting point is that there were periods when it was away for (presumably) scheduled maintenace/repair the ET role was undertaken by a reserve pump from Eastern Command and I remember seeing GAN 197, LAN 444, WHV 383 and HJD 203 covering it. I am trying to compile a list of LFB station numbers prior to the enlarged Brigade coming into force in 1965 and if anybody can help in this it would be much appreciated.

Added by Edward Burton on 12 December 2011.

Mike mentions BLO 801H in his message. It may be worth mentioning that the paperwork on this later went walkabout, and it was as a result re-registered FYY 37H.

Added by Ian Moore on 13 December 2011.

Edward, I know LAN 444 was the ex-West Ham AEC Marquis but what were the the other Pumps that stood in for the ET? I'm guessing GAN 197 was ex-West Ham too because of reg prefix (Their TL was TAN 149. Reminds me of just before the Volvo FRU's went on the run some Dodge HCB Pumps were converted to run as ERT's to stand in for the F108 and F131 ERT's.

Added by Kyle Annakin on 13 December 2011.

Hi Kyle, Firstly I made a mistake in referring to LAN 444 - it should have been FAN 333 which, according to the 1965 Firefleet fleetlist I have was an AEC Regent Merryweather P at Silvertown. The PE at Silvertown was GAN 197 which was also an AEC Regent Merryweather. HJD 203 was a similar vehicle and was the P at Stratford alongside LAN 444 which was the PE. WHV 383 is shown as a Bedford TKEL Coventry Climax and was the P at L21 East Ham. Hope this helps.

Added by Edward Burton on 13 December 2011.

the West Ham fleet was as follows
AEC Regent Merryweather DP FAN 333
AEC Regent Merryweather DP GAN 197
AEC Regent Merryweather DP HJD 203
Maudslay Merryweather DP LAN 444
AEC Mercury Merryweather ET NJD 999
Commer 15cwt van TV PAN 294
AEC Mercury Merryweather FoT RJD 344
AEC Mercury Merryweather TLP TAN 149
Dennis F26 Dennis DP VAN 819

These went into the LFB fleet. Anybody with details of the West Ham fleet 1930-1950 please email me off line.

Added by Peter Williams on 07 January 2012.

My father Alan Cobb operated turntable ladder TAN 149 in the WHFB does anyone know if it has survived or scrapped.

Added by Steve Cobb on 05 June 2013.

TAN 149 was taken out of service in 1978, and I believe it was sold, but I don't know who bought it.

Added by Bill Edwards on 16 February 2014.

PMID:97754623

Added by PubMedbs on 19 April 2016.

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