Fire Engines Photos

Murry have you anymore photos of AEC appliances as Pump Escapes or anything from the troubles

Added by Your Old Friend Geoff Johnston Banbridge Retained on 16 August 2008.

Great picture Murray, I think that this may have been Centrals old PE if I'm not mistaken.Brings back great memories, these were fantastic appliances.A good solid machine that could pump 1, 000 galls.per.min.The only draw back was the Doulble-de-clutching, but after a few hours with "Bumper " Young it was soon mastered.

Added by Stevie Chapman ex L/F (Cadogan) on 08 January 2009.

Are those foam drums on the roof in front of the 13.5?

Added by Andy on 08 February 2012.

Is that some kind of roll cage thats been built inside the cab? Seems to be visible mainly on the drivers side.

Added by Michael G on 09 February 2012.

This will be extra Windsceen protection for the driver in the event of objects being thrown at it during the troubles - unusual its only for the driver though it was normally across the whole of the screen !

Added by Rick Loudon on 10 February 2012.

Andy, Michael, Rick, to amswer your questions - Yes, two foam drums on the cab roof. We carried an MFG 5 foam generator on the number 1 pump. As Rick has stated, the frame carries protection for the driver in the event of objects being thrown through the windscreen. If you look closely you should be able to see the framework at the windscreen frame in front of the OIC's position. There are in fact 4 separate Makralon (perspex) sheets that are carried in a wooden framework, covering the area of the front screen (you should just be able to make out the slight shading half way across the screen in front of the driver and a similar shading in front of the OIC. These screens would normally be in the "open" position, because they scratched easily and slightly reduced vision, especially at night when lights tended to flare across the whole perspex screen. The side windows in these appliances were replaced with makralon sheets in place of the original glass - so dispensing with the need for extra framework. The reason for the perspex screen not running the full depth of the frame in front of the driver is because of the dashboard instrument pod being too close to the windscreen.

Added by Murray Armstrong on 20 February 2012.

Murray, thanks for explaining about the shields. Also what a terrible place to store the foam drums. Considering the weight of them, and difficult access to the very front of the cab - not practical at all!

Added by Michael G on 20 February 2012.

Michael, I think we only got away with it because she was running as a spare - certainly the lockers were never set out to acccomodate the ever increasing amount of kit that we were putting on the number one pumps (majors, as we knew them). This appliance was originally a Belfast Fire Brigade Pump Escape and I believe ran from Central Station (Chichester Street, or Chi as it was always called (rhymes with pie)) Anyway, we all had upper arms like Popeye and could fling these 5 Gall foam drums about like pillows!! I must look out a picture of her in Central's yard, carrying the escape and post it on the site. Our usual pump was an Alexander/Bedford WRL - other than having much better storage and locker layout, as an appliance Id take the AEC any day. There's an example of the Alexander appliance at picture 2677.

Added by Murray Armstrong on 21 February 2012.

We had 2 of these machines in Ardoyne station in the early 70s: Ardoyne 1 was pump with 35 foot ladder; and Ardoyne 2 was pump escape with 50 foot wheeled escape ladder - reserve was Dennis F12.

Ed: see also



Added by Eddie Howarth on 10 February 2021.

1833WZ has bodywork by HCB Angus.

Added by Petros on 13 June 2021.

see also



Added by Petros on 10 April 2025.

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