Fire Engines Photos

Thankyou for another gem Bob! I was getting nostalgic about ACRTs and their Winkworth gong, then remembered the amount of broken half shafts they suffered because of the weight!

Added by John Stott on 27 July 2009.

John - do tell, about the Winkworth Gong, was it in lieu of the bell ?

ACRT - Aerodrome(Airport) Crash Rescue Tender ?

And, the half-shafts, on the Land Rover ?

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 28 July 2009.

Hi Pat, Winkworth were a company who made small electric bells for emergency vehicles, both these machines have them mounted on the front. Airfield Crash Rescue Truck, the rear half shaft would often fracture as we had a bad habit of applying the handbrake too quickly, you then had to engage 4wd and limp into the MT yard with a look of suprise on your face! Needless to say, the fitters got to know who were the guilty parties eventually! John

Added by John Stott on 28 July 2009.

Off topic somewhat, a few years ago I was invited to a party at a guys house...he had made a bar and on the back of the bar was a bell.....the guy proudly explained that he had bought the bell at an antique shop and it was the ships bell from H.M.S Winkworth....the name was stamped on the bell!!! I hadnt the heart to reveal the truth to him...that Winkworth bells were fitted to just about eveny police car and ambulance in the UK untill the late 1950s

Added by Barrie Green on 28 July 2009.

Barrie, I nearly split my sides at that mate!

Added by John Stott on 29 July 2009.

Ah, thanks; Barrie and John for your replies.

BTW, most of us would have actually heard these bells - in the movies, of course - a British, or, set in Britain, film.

The scenes showing Emergency Vehicles arriving would have these bells going - suitably "jazzed up", on the sound-track.

And, the Two-Tones' "Bee-Baw, Bee-Baw....."

Until this 'Site; I didn't know what they were; as I am in the land of "Wail, Yelp and Hyper-Yelp".

And "Joy"; our Ambulance had "European" as an alternate, with "Hyper-Yelp" selection - it wasn't marked on the electronic box's panel, but we got it going on a 2 am "hot" Call, one night; through the unsuspecting, and, sleeping, country-side. But, not asleep for long.....

The echo-effect of the Two-Tone, going through a wooden Covered bridge was truly amazing....next day, there was quite a neighborhood discussion of "Wot-the-hell was THAT, last night....!?!"

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 29 July 2009.

Great story Pat, made me laugh. We have air operated two tone horns and the electronic "Wail Yelp and two tone" siren with a "electric bull horn" nothing like as good as the air horns on the Canadian/US appliances. My Watch manager doesn't like the two tones so just to wind him up I switch on all the lot when I'm driving.

Added by Paul Warnock on 29 July 2009.

Pat and Paul, we had a set of two tones on the ACRT at RAF Marham. However there were orders not to use them on the base, only the bell! Reason being it had to drive round married quarters with them on in the event of excercises being called to alert everyone to report. After five minutes though they needed a rest as the compressor would only blow one! Sounded a bit like a cow who needs milking rather than a fire engine.

Added by John Stott on 30 July 2009.

Hi John, I know what you mean I've drove one like that too. Paul.

Added by Paul Warnock on 30 July 2009.

Hi Paul, Summerbridges old Dennis sounded like that too, they came down to Otley one drill night, got called away, all you could hear was this bellowing cow struggling up Carr Bank on the way to Blubberhouses, Jim Fisher never lived that down!

Added by John Stott on 31 July 2009.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.