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Fire Engine Photos
1950 Commer/Whitson 'A' Type Water Tender
First registered on 20th November 1950 seeing service from 1950 until 1961 at Paulton Fire Station of the Somerset Fire Brigade,this Commer'A'Type with bodywork by James Whitson & Co Ltd was to
see 19 years active service with the Somerset Fire Brigade.
In 1961 until 1967 the appliance continued service at Bridgwater until going as a brigade reserve appliance and finally going out of service in 1969.It was then sold to Rank Xerox Works Fire Brigade
at Mitcheldean,Glostershire in 1969 for just £85.00 before being sold on again in 1976 to the Dean Forest Railway(Steam Centre)in Norchard,Lydney in Glostershire in scrap condition.
Purchased in 1976 by a Mr A Grimstead of Bristol the appliance was restored.It was then sold again in March of 1987 and the restoration work continued,the appliance now being owned by R.Lewis of
Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
This photograph was taken in 2008 at the Amberley Working Museum Fire Show in West Sussex, the appliance being entered in the show by a Mr Nigel Framton from Stubbington,Hampshire who I now beleave is the new owner of this fully restored 1950 Commer/Whitson'A'Type WrT.
First registered on 20th November 1950 seeing service from 1950 until 1961 at Paulton Fire Station of the Somerset Fire Brigade,this Commer'A'Type with bodywork by James Whitson & Co Ltd was to
see 19 years active service with the Somerset Fire Brigade.
In 1961 until 1967 the appliance continued service at Bridgwater until going as a brigade reserve appliance and finally going out of service in 1969.It was then sold to Rank Xerox Works Fire Brigade
at Mitcheldean,Glostershire in 1969 for just £85.00 before being sold on again in 1976 to the Dean Forest Railway(Steam Centre)in Norchard,Lydney in Glostershire in scrap condition.
Purchased in 1976 by a Mr A Grimstead of Bristol the appliance was restored.It was then sold again in March of 1987 and the restoration work continued,the appliance now being owned by R.Lewis of
Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
This photograph was taken in 2008 at the Amberley Working Museum Fire Show in West Sussex, the appliance being entered in the show by a Mr Nigel Framton from Stubbington,Hampshire who I now beleave is the new owner of this fully restored 1950 Commer/Whitson'A'Type WrT.
Thanks Pete for that. My dad looked at it and felt nostalgic!
Added by John Stott on 01 January 2009.
Added by John Stott on 01 January 2009.
I own the appliance that replaced the Commer at station A11 Paulton in June 1961. Its a Dennis F28 Water tender registration 703LYA. It remained in service at Paulton until 1979 when it was replaced by a Dodge.
Added by PAUL PICKFORD on 02 January 2009.
Added by PAUL PICKFORD on 02 January 2009.
Paul, I can't see any pictures from you on this site so would you like to share with us a picture of your Dennis F28 WrT(reg 703 LYA)from ex-A11 Paulton.
Now in preservation, I'd have thought someone would have sent in a picture to
the site having photographed it at a show, but I don't think so...thanks Pete.
Added by Pete Matten on 02 January 2009.
Now in preservation, I'd have thought someone would have sent in a picture to
the site having photographed it at a show, but I don't think so...thanks Pete.
Added by Pete Matten on 02 January 2009.
Paul, I am writing a book about the history of vehicle manufacturing in Hillingdon which includes James Whitson & Co. I would like to use your photo of the 1950 Commer - would you be willing to let me?
Added by Tony Beadle on 09 March 2009.
Added by Tony Beadle on 09 March 2009.
Attention of Tony Beadle:-If its the 1950 Commer/Whitson photograph shown
here that your requiring about to use in a book, then its my photo(Pete).
By all means contact me, maybe I can find something else as well for you.
Thank's for asking before using, its not like one magazine recently that
I purchased(Model Collector-Feb 2009)to find a picture of mine was used
from this site-even the written work was more or less copied.
Most people donating photo's to this site are just an E.Mail address away,
so most are contactable, it would be nice if people would respect that.
Oh yes Tony, you have my permission to use the above photo(Pete Matten).
Added by Pete Matten on 10 March 2009.
here that your requiring about to use in a book, then its my photo(Pete).
By all means contact me, maybe I can find something else as well for you.
Thank's for asking before using, its not like one magazine recently that
I purchased(Model Collector-Feb 2009)to find a picture of mine was used
from this site-even the written work was more or less copied.
Most people donating photo's to this site are just an E.Mail address away,
so most are contactable, it would be nice if people would respect that.
Oh yes Tony, you have my permission to use the above photo(Pete Matten).
Added by Pete Matten on 10 March 2009.
Darlington had a Commer Whitson almost identical to this, which had however been converted to a B type by the installation of a 700 GPM pump from an earlier Leyland machine. It was the brigade's first post-war acquisition, and ran as the second due, with the watch commander and three or four additional crew members on board.
The design was way ahead of pre-war appliances, but it had a couple of weaknesses: 1) the main lockers ran the length of the body and could only be accessed from the rear (hence the low side locker doors) and 2) the hose reels were mounted very high, above these side lockers, and required both the small step and the extra vertical grab handle so a fireman could reach up to grab the reel! It also had to be re-wound by someone climbing all the way up on to the roof from the rear.
The registration number was NHN 999, but I do not know what year it was; it was replaced in 1965 by a Dennis-AEC diesel.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 January 2013.
The design was way ahead of pre-war appliances, but it had a couple of weaknesses: 1) the main lockers ran the length of the body and could only be accessed from the rear (hence the low side locker doors) and 2) the hose reels were mounted very high, above these side lockers, and required both the small step and the extra vertical grab handle so a fireman could reach up to grab the reel! It also had to be re-wound by someone climbing all the way up on to the roof from the rear.
The registration number was NHN 999, but I do not know what year it was; it was replaced in 1965 by a Dennis-AEC diesel.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 January 2013.
NHN 999 eventually ended up with Teesside Airport Fire Service (Darlington Corporation was a partner owning the airport) and was used as a water bowser backing up the crash tenders.
Added by Barrie Green on 31 January 2013.
Added by Barrie Green on 31 January 2013.
The Darlington brigade obviously liked the Commer chassis, because they bought a second one only a few years later. This was RHN 999, with a Carmichael water tender body and a Dennis No 2 pump; it also went in turn to Teeside Airport and is on this site, along with its contemprary stable mates at the airport.
There is also a picture of its replacement, a 1968 Dennis-Perkins V8, turning out from the old Borough Road fire station, with the Whitson's 1965 Dennis-AEC replacement right behind it.
The two Commers shared the appliance room with a Dennis F12 PE (PHN 999) and the rather unusual 1938 Morris-Magirus 27 meter TL (EHN 118) on a Dennis chassis up until 1960, when it was replaced in turn by the even more rare Leyland Firemaster Magirus 30 meter ladder (999 MHN), only two of which were built.
Of all these, only the Firemaster is preserved, thanks to Dr. Barry Hutchinson, and it too can be seen in all its glory on this site.
Added by Rob Johnson on 31 January 2013.
There is also a picture of its replacement, a 1968 Dennis-Perkins V8, turning out from the old Borough Road fire station, with the Whitson's 1965 Dennis-AEC replacement right behind it.
The two Commers shared the appliance room with a Dennis F12 PE (PHN 999) and the rather unusual 1938 Morris-Magirus 27 meter TL (EHN 118) on a Dennis chassis up until 1960, when it was replaced in turn by the even more rare Leyland Firemaster Magirus 30 meter ladder (999 MHN), only two of which were built.
Of all these, only the Firemaster is preserved, thanks to Dr. Barry Hutchinson, and it too can be seen in all its glory on this site.
Added by Rob Johnson on 31 January 2013.
Commer
Added by Paul Warnock on 01 January 2009.