Fire Engines Photos

It was 2 blue 1 red 1 clear. Made by a firm on the Fylde, it might have been called Premier Hazard but I'm not sure. Also used for short time by Lancs CU also Glasgows Scooshers. Apparently the componants were not up to the job so a very short life.

Added by Neal Glover on 28 January 2011.

These beacons look very similar to the ones that the Glasgow scooschers were fitted with and also the Dennis Dominator command unit which Tyne And Wear Fire Brigade had on the run, but I think they had three lenses in them, red, clear and blue

Added by Paul Staniland on 29 January 2011.

Thanks Ian very interesting, I hadn't realised that the specification was so widely used. This beacon does look slightly different to those on the West Sussex machines, but not greatly. I am led to believe it was red tape that saw their demise. How different our appliances would look today if such warning devices had been approved.

Added by John D on 29 January 2011.

I know the police were not happy about them either, since of course as the light revolved the red came to the front, and that was a distinct no-no. Glasgow's earliest Schooshers had them originally as well. Were these things by Parkinson ?

Added by Ian Moore on 29 January 2011.

They were called 'multi-flash' beacons and the idea was to be used on blue when mobile and red whilst on scene....I think drivers would just operate all the switches at the same time thus the problems with Plod. Cumbria police used them for a time an North Yorkshire ambulance service had one on a Range Rover ambo which was stationed at Bainbridge in the Yorkshire Dales

Added by Barrie Green on 29 January 2011.

Yes, and Durham had one on their CU as well. It used blue whilst en route to an incident, then switched to the red and white on arrival in order to signify control point.

Added by Ian Moore on 29 January 2011.

It was certainly unreliability that saw off the ones on Lancs CU. The 1st Lancs Ford Marksman had them for a short while. Incidentally Lancs Police had large Acorn style red beacons on their Ford Transit accident units for several years?

Added by Neal Glover on 29 January 2011.

Yes Neal but also had a blue spotlight on the front os/wing (as did the MG sports cars only those were amber) They only used the red beacon whilst on scene

Added by Barrie Green on 29 January 2011.

There's a story to the red beacons that Lancashire had on the Transit accident units, and they were installed folowing a visit that the then Chief Constable had paid to the USA. He was the type of guy that did things first and dealt with any flack afterwards. The red beacons were installed, but in due course, the Home Ofice told him they had to be replaced with blue ones, quoting the "no red light showing to the front" clause.

Added by Ian Moore on 30 January 2011.

I think that Mr Moore is correct and that the Beacon was made by Parkinson, Somerset Ambulance Service had one on a Range Rover which was at Taunton Ambulance Station.

Added by Steve King on 30 January 2011.

From memory the managed to ignore the rule until the vehicles were replaced. On at least one occasion I saw one in use on a shout. The Chief Constables middle name wasn't Nelson was it?

Added by Neal Glover on 30 January 2011.

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.