Fire Engines Photos

Lost for words on this one Bob,so BRILLIANT should I hope cover it.Thanks again for sharing with us your great photo collection.

Added by Pete Matten on 17 July 2009.

i can remember standing outside Cheltenham station as a boy seeing this Appliance coming and going, brings back some memories. Thanks Bob

Added by Des Moore on 18 August 2009.

Thank you for sharing this picture, I have now learnt two things. Gloucestershire still had Escapes in the 70s and that Lancashire was not the only brigade to run Ford D Escapes.

Added by George A'court on 24 October 2009.

Bristol Bob, the coach work on this appliance is quite incredible! Do you have any more pictures of her by any chance? It appears the roof line may have had different warning lights fitted originally? I can remember many years ago a magnificent publicity photograph circulating world-wide of a possibly identical appliance parked on the station forecourt and the engine room doors were timber-stained not unlike this shot. I wonder if this is the location of that historical shoot?? Regards from Perth, Western Australia,,

Added by Pav on 25 October 2009.

Well Pav it's an HCB-Angus and they are the best in the world , sadly no longer in production but if they where they would beat the competition of today hands down !

Added by John Johnstone on 25 October 2009.

Hi Pav,i have a couple more shots,but they are too small for this site,i will e mail them to you.
Re the roof lights,i would guess that the vehicle was built to have 2 beacons,but Gloucestershire,at that time usually only fitted 1 small one.

Added by Bob on 25 October 2009.

A lovely machine,and much more attractive than the Pyrene bodied machine that served as Gloucester's PE("Trumpton" I think the latter was known as).

Added by Gary Simpson on 16 November 2009.

Good photo.At this time, I was serving at Stn 25 Kingswood.Are there any of the Old Dennis F12 LAD 3or 692?

Added by John Needs ex Glos and Avon on 22 January 2011.

Hello John, i may have black and white shots of the Dennis, i will have a search but it may be a while.

Added by Bristol Bob on 23 January 2011.

DDD was the vehicle that was later converted into the brigade recovery vehicle. I'l post a shot of the F12 very shortly.

Added by Ian Moore on 23 January 2011.

Hello All, Cheltenham was rather unique in so far as the wheeled escape carried was a 60 foot version instead of the standard 50 foot.This was especially ordered re the height of many of the regency buildings in Cheltenham.This ladder was originally carried on Leyland Limousine FT 4A Reg EAD 42.An almost Identical Ford D Reg BDG 942K(petrol), was delivered to Patchway in 1972.Difference being in that it was an "off the peg"version carrying a 45 foot Lacon ladder and not specially made to carry an escape.Glos Still had Water Tender Escapes on the run in the early 70"s. These were carried on Miles bodied Commers and Stationed at Patchway, Tewkesbury, Cirencester and Stroud.Re Beacons, Bob is correct, it was policy to only have 1 small beacon fitted on the rhs at the head of the ladder gantry.Danger being the lest than 360 degrees vision, especially emerging from a junction turning left.This was all rectified in 1974 when Avon inherited all the Appliances serving in the south of the County.Twin large beacons were fitted where they should have been, as indicated on DDD as shown.

Added by John Needs ex Glos and Avon on 24 January 2011.

For anyone interested, there is some colour film on you tube of the Leyland PE plus other Glos
appliances, search for Cheltenham municiple offices
fire.
John, i remember you well, feel free to contact me if you want to.


Added by Bristol Bob on 24 January 2011.

Hello Bob
I am creating a history display for cheltenham fire brigade, would you give me permission to put a copy of this picture no. 18375 into it
Thanks


Added by Sue on 05 May 2014.

These later HCB-Angus D series were indeed a lot more attractive than the first ones we sold to Gloucestershire. These, which were supplied in 1967, had a very boxy crew cab behind the standard Ford tilt cab. The OIC had to communicate with the crew by shouting through what had previously been the rear window, now an open hole surrounded by a monster grommet to keep the rain out!

There are some photos of these ugly ducklings on this site. They weren't pretty, but they worked, and the county bought a lot more Fords with the newer body style to replace a number of Commers and Dennis appliances.

The D series did however only rarely turn up with an escape ladder - most were water tenders, plus a few aerials and other specials.

Added by Rob Johnson on 24 August 2017.

George: As one of the Ford team who sold the first D series fire appliances to Gloucestershire, I did a bit of research and discovered that eventually 33 British fire services bought various D series units. Most of these were custom SVO chassis, but a lot of specials were also built on regular commercial chassis. As you mentioned, Lancashire/Greater Manchester were the biggest buyers along with Gloucestershire. Many were sold to fire services in Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and a few other countries as well, in addition to quite a few sold to industrial brigades.

The volumes in the UK were however not sufficient to justify a SVO fire appliance version on the D series replacement, the Ford Cargo, although these did see service in fire brigades in both Turkey and Brazil, where they were locally assembled. A few Cargo units were used by fire services in the UK, but these were all on unmodified commercial chassis.


Added by Rob Johnson on 02 June 2025.

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