Fire Engines Photos

Pete, you'll always please me with photos like this one! I've never seen this in the flesh but talking to a Hampshire man at Odiham last year, I gather the shine has faded in recent years. She is still around in the care of an FSPG member and I hope she will be seen out and about again in the future.

Added by Chris Wood on 30 November 2009.

Hello Pete Foster in Southampton owns this appliance i think he has still got it.

Added by MORGAN CHAPMAN on 01 December 2009.

Chris,looking back through the Odiham Programme's going back over the years(I've attended all with my model display),I don't think this one as appeared there since 1993.Its good to know she's still around,and maybe next year we'll see her again at the Odiham Fire Engine Rally.
Today,there can't be to many on these Dennis F7's in presevation so lets hope this one survive's a little bit longer.

Added by Pete Matten on 01 December 2009.

This vehicle was a delight to drive - its RR engine purring alongwithout fuss. Glad to hear that she is still being looked after.

Added by John Deeker on 07 June 2011.

I have started some research on F7s... I have a list of the new ones when built and I know of about 5 or 6 still alive.....including our City of Chester 1949 PE.....any further info welcome

Added by Barrie Green on 07 June 2011.

Hello Barrie, nice to hear you are looking into F7s, I would be interested in sharing anything you find out. I too have a list of all that were made and I ran it through the DVLA website a few years ago. The vast majority were not listed but 9 did have some information. Of these, I'm sure 2 are no longer in existence based on photos I have seen or information received. They are County of Flint's GDM 507, discussed elsewhere on this site and GSA 999, which was originaly an F14 TL in the North Eastern Area, Scotland.
Another of those listed was LRR 999 of Nottinghamshire Fire Brigade. I have never heard anything of this machine but it was listed as licenced till 1995.
The ones I am fairly certain still do exist are:

FMO 635 Berkshire and Reading
LFM 200 City of Chester
HOU 558 Hampshire Fire Brigade
EVH 680 Huddersfield
GRY 863 Leicester City
GOW 67 City of Southampton

There is one more which doesn't show on the DVLA site and that is KUF 462 of Brighton. This machine saw further service in County Clare Fire Service and was given the registration, 2407 IE. This was certainly still around in Ireland recently giving a total of 7 survivors.
How does that tally with what you have found out?


Added by Chris Wood on 09 June 2011.

Barrie as far as I'm aware Somerset Fire Brigade had one F7 which was built/delivered in 1950. According to an article in a brigade masgazine it started life as a pump escape but ended up as a multi purpose appliance and there is a picture of it carrying an ajax rather than an escape. Believed to have spent all its life at Yeovil and was retired in 1970 with a major oil leak around the front and rear crankshaft oil seals. 1950 Dennis F7 chassis number 3363/F7 B80 petrol engine no XC211 registration number LYD629. Sold in March 1971.

Added by Paul Pickford on 10 June 2011.

Chris and Paul thanks for your imput, according to the list I have (thanks Ian Moore) 76 F7s were built, the great majority in 1949 and 50 a further couple in 51 and 52, the machines mentioned in your post are on my list. Feel free to keep in contact by email, Baz

Added by Barrie Green on 10 June 2011.

This was my fathers fire engine, he drove it for years at St Marys. I have the odd photo of me and dad together with it. Sadly my father died this weekend of cancer. It would have been wonderful if No.1 could have taken him on his final journey in the same way it drove him away from HFRS on the day he retired. No matter the condition I would be very grateful to find out where she is.
Cheers all
Mike

Added by Mike Pattison on 13 June 2011.

Hello Mike im very sad to hear the loss of your father over the weekend it would of been a nice send off as you state. As I have commented before a F12 Dennis Pump Escape ex Southampton Fire Brigade Fire Engine there is one that still lives there owned by Pete Foster he lives by the bridge where the old meridian tv studios were not 100 per cent if Pete Foster still has it the last I saw it was parked down the side of his house under a large car port I will look up the photo of it I took .

Added by Morgan Chapman on 14 June 2011.

Hello Morgan, many thanks for your reply and thanks for adding the other photo. The coachwork on No.1 in this picture looks like new! My dad told me that he used to scare himself stiff hurtling down towards swaythling arch with brake fade trying to change down the box at the same time! ha ha I've also since heard she may have been scrapped, lets hope not. Again many thanks
Regards Mike

Added by Mike Pattison on 14 June 2011.

hi there, my dad LFM Ray Woodward used to drive the GOW 67 city of southampton pump escape at St. Mary's fire station .

Added by Toni Tabrett on 05 July 2011.

Tony, would you or your father have a picture of GOW 67 taken actually at St Mary's in Southampton during her glory years?.I'm sure there's many Dennis fans would like to see such a picture.Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 05 July 2011.

What is worth remembering is that there were some F7 appliances which had that which to all intents and purposes was the F12 front. The F7 had a 13' 6" wheelbase, whilst the F12 had a 12' 6" one. The F7 could always be told apart by the longer locker ahead of the rear wheels and the indented circular door handles which were a different (elongated) shape on the F12. Southampton's only F12 was LTR 518.

Added by Ian Moore on 06 July 2011.

hi pete sorry I havent got back to you sooner, I will ask him if he has, I think he has got a picture of him self stood next to an emergency tender that was at st. mary's aswell. will get back to you as soon as I can, thanx

Added by Toni Tabrett on 21 July 2011.

I have spoken to one of my brothers about my dad and GOW 67, he has reminded me that my dad has an awful lot of old cinney film of the pump etc doing drill and certain attendance to some calls. Who shall I get in touch with about this ? Also would love GOW 67 to attend his 80th birthday party this month if it is still around, thanx Toni.

Added by Toni Tabrett on 11 August 2011.

Hi,
Reference the Dennis GSA 999, it used to belong to my dad and believe it to be still, where it was parked by my dad back in the late 90's (according to google satelite). would love to put it on the road but haven't the money to transport it the 300 miles or fix it.

Added by Gareth Cusworth on 30 January 2012.

Gareth, We saw it for sale a few years back - with a lot of rear end damage. Im sure my dad let your tribe know about it at the time.

I hope it is still where it was for you, but it might be worth trying to find out as the yard owner has tried once, you never know.

Added by Davey G on 30 January 2012.

Hi Davey,

I would love to get my hands on Dennis but cost and space forbids it. It was still at the yard a couple of years ago but had been vandalised. Would be a shame if it ends or has ended up as scrap. Im now in Southampton so not a chance of getting it.

Gareth

Added by Gareth Cusworth on 23 April 2012.

Horrible things to drive. I passed my LFB driving test on one of these in 1962. Lucky for me we had two F101s on the run at my first station, however there a number of F7s still on the run at certain London stations and you'd pick one up on out duty. We often had one as a spare at my own station. Alright on open country roads I suppose as they had a lot of poke in them, but trying to steer one of these around the narrow streets of the City of London would pull the bloody arms out of you. The heaviest steering I've come across on any fire engine I drove in the LFB.

Added by Kevin McDermott on 29 July 2012.

Hi, pete foster owns GOW in Southampton, and I own HOU 558, but both are off the run at present. Hope to start on my one this year, it has been stored since about 1971, so it will be good to get it back on the road. Looking for a locker layout if anyone has one. Been to Dennis archive but not able to locate one so far. Also am aware of another ex Hampshire F7 in store.

Added by Colin Brooks on 17 May 2013.

Colin, I can only find one F7 attributed to Hampshire, I would be interested in hearing more about the appliance in storage.

Added by Barrie Green on 18 May 2013.

I agree,
F7 HOU 558 Gosport oos 5/72

F12 JHO 931 Aldershot oos 5/72
F12 HBK 255 Ex Portsmouth oos 5/74
F12 GRV 962 Ex Portsmouth oos 3/76
F12 JTP 975 Ex Portsmouth oos 1/75
I don't know of anymore.

Added by Avonmouth on 19 May 2013.

Barrie

My fault - it is abviously a F12 - Aldershot's appliance - which is stored.Apologies


Added by Colin Brooks on 19 May 2013.

Thanks for that Colin.....thought all my database's had blown a fuse then......occasionally we do get a surprise though lol

Added by Barrie Green on 19 May 2013.

Anyone know if Bristol's F7 and F12 still exist?
F7 MHW 800 and F12 OHU 229. Last saw the F15 in bits about 20 years ago in Dorset.

Added by Avonmouth on 19 May 2013.

I think there is a video of GSA999 turning out to a fire on Youtube along with an F24 or 26 pump and RSA 193 TL seen here picture 17287. Quality isn't good but it's a 5-10 minute video. I also got a couple photos of GSA999 from Graeme Kirkwood both as the TL and PE.

Added by Andy on 20 May 2013.

Avonmouth.......neither machines have survived (unless they are hiding in a barn somewhere ! old appliances still do turn up sometimes)

Added by Barrie Green on 21 May 2013.

As I recall Suffolk and Ipswich had KRT2 an F7 I recall based at Bond St, and then Colchester Rdf Ipswich until replaced by XBJ973G.

Added by Colin Norfolk on 03 October 2016.

I think GOW 67 is the Dennis fire pump escape that our company bought from in an auction at J Hirst scrapward St. marybourne. We kept at at our yard at oakley and it was later passed on to ( I think) some guys at Basingstoke Station but if I remember correctly I delivered it to Botley where if was goind to be worked on. I did take it out one day and drove it flat out on the B3400 near oakley .
David Baker , BAKERS RECOVERY OAKLEY, BASINGSTOKE


Added by David Bakery on 27 April 2017.

GSA 999 was certainly derelict in a scrapyard in North Yorkshire some years ago...however RSA 193 formerly owned by the late Ricky Senior of Shelley near Huddersfield does survive and was sold a few years ago by his family..its currently under restoration in the West Yorkshire area I believe

Added by Rick Loudon on 28 April 2017.

GSA 999 finally fell to pieces and was moved to a vehicle breakers over the road, unfortunately I believe only the number plate survives in the owners office !

Added by Brett Clayton on 01 May 2017.

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