Fire Engines Photos

This machine is 49 WPA and was stationed at Guildford until 1979 then was sold by tender to our family for preservation until 1984. when we were head hunted by the park manager at Blackpool as he thought this machine was ideal for high ride servicing and offered us a swop in the form of GHK 929 a Leyland Metz.
So she went up to blackpool and all of her fittings were removed by us and stored she performed a sterling service with them until frost damage ruined her B81 engine and it was replaced by a 4 pot diesel
In 1996 she was advertised for sale at scrap value in HCVS magazine and i bought her for £700 but on sight the salt air had taken its toll on her and needed major work, i tried to make good but funds and storage were lost so she went for scrap august 1997 the end of my childhood "tin machine".. i shed a tear as she was cut up.
Now i have 221 VPB the last one from Surrey and she carries the spares salvaged from this machine some 30 yrs ago!

Added by Jason on 09 March 2010.

Hard luck Jason. Cause she was 49 and not 42. the old grey matter's going again. At least one's left from the era.

Added by Andy Middleton on 09 March 2010.

Yes true but a sad end to a very nice machine tho donated search lights, bell, 2 tones rad grille and surround, plus other parts!!

Added by Jason on 09 March 2010.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what transferred to West Sussex at Horley in 1974? I know that Haywood's Heath went from East Sussex to West Sussex but not sure what went from Surrey to West Sussex.

Added by Andy Middleton on 11 March 2010.

Andy,Horley was a Surrey Fire Brigade station and although it should have changed and come into West Sussex during county boundary changes in 1974,it did'nt.Why?,it was very political at the time,but basically Surrey just didn't want it to be transferred.One Horley appliance that did transfer at the time though was the old 1961 Thornycroft/SFB Hose Layer and this went on the run at Crawley.
Horley finally became part of the West Sussex Fire Brigade around 1981/82,and funny enough their old Thornycroft went back to its old home station,this was though for a very short period of time because in 1982 Horley(now-WSFB)recieved a new hose layer,a 1982 Bedford registered FPO 14X.

Added by Pete Matten on 11 March 2010.

Many thanks again Pete.

Added by Andy Middleton on 12 March 2010.

whatever happened to the merryweather marksman range that i worked on as an apprentice at the greenwich factory?

Added by Mick Hill on 13 March 2010.

A sad story indeed as I used to be in the Surrey fire service and remember this appliance well

Added by Mick on 21 March 2013.

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