Fire Engines Photos

Thanks Ian.

Could be it. When was this taken?

It was during the 70's when I was younger than 10 years old that I recall seeing it. What was its service life and where was it stationed?

Presume that's the McDonald Road ship in the background?


Added by Scottt on 03 April 2009.

It virtually has to be it Scott - it was the only yellow one that the then South Eastern Area brigade had ! I took that shot not long after its delivery, and you can tell its age by its JFS 741E registration. As you say, that's McDonald Road, which is where it was originally stationed.

Added by Ian Moore on 04 April 2009.

Paid a visit to Lauriston Place museum today. Would recommend it.

Whilst there picked up a free copy of a history of Edinburgh Fire Brigade (a reprint of a publication from the 70s, pre 1975 reorganisation). In it there's a b&w photo of McDonald Road fire station. In the line-up is JFS 741E along with the AEC TL added to this site earlier this week.

The publication also has a photo of McDonald Road's then new Dodge HP and Lauriston's Dodge TL (aka the Rocking Horse). Don't suppose you have photos of either of these or the Bedford HP Ian?

Added by Scott on 11 April 2009.

this was stationed at mcdonald road i think it then went to marionville fire station for a while ,if someone else can confirm this used to live up the road at piershill, so i saw it alot.

Added by Gary Melrose on 13 April 2009.

What on earth was the McDonald Road ship - presumably the structure in back-ground ?

Used for training, maybe ?

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 16 April 2009.

Correct, Pat - that's exactly what it was used for.

Added by Ian Moore on 16 April 2009.

The ship at McDonald Road was used for many years for BA training of Lothian and Borders personnel, new recruits at gullane and also for merchant seamen. "The ship " is no longer used, and BA training in now carried out at Fillyside Road near to Leith Docks. The brigade plan to close McDonald Road and build a smaller station nearby with a reduced number of appliances.

Added by David Cruickshank on 02 May 2009.

JFS 741E was indeed South Eastern Fire Brigade's (the L&B) combined Foam / Salvage Tender. When mobilised as a Foam Tender it took the Hi-Ex Foam Unit on the trailer as in the photo. We went through a number of these demountable Hi-Ex Units, one is at the bottom of the collapsed Michael Colliery in Fife, I wrecked one when it it jumped off the trailer going over a series of brand new unannounced speed bumps (the square expansion chamber turned sort of diamond shape on contatc with the road. When going as a Salvage Tender the trailer was left in the station.
It was built on a Bedford TK chassis and had a horrible wrong way round gearbox. Carried 400 gallons of mechanical foam compound in a tank which could be fed into the rear mounted pump. The deliveries were fitted foam proportionater valves to set up the correct premix.
Original call sign ZF 63

Added by Colin Foster on 11 May 2012.

Mr. Ian Moore, please contact the editor, click on the blue name.

Added by Marcel Sloover on 05 August 2012.

The Mac Road 'Ship' was a structure built to initially represent the structure found onboard general cargo vessels then found around the docks in Leith. Was used to train firefighting at sea but now is still in use as a BA Training Facility albeit without the heat now. L&B use a small facility at Fillyside ( Seafield ) for the hot fire training but plans submitted mean that it may close and a new facility going ahead at newbridge. Great pic though Scott!

Added by Stevie Murray on 06 August 2012.

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