Fire Engine Photos

No: 26913 Contributor: Andy Holtham Year: 1982 Manufacturer: Carmichael Country: United Kingdom

Worcester Water Ladder 2. Retained.

Taken in 1982, It was one, of only two appliances of its kind made by Carmichaels. The other one was on the run at Kidderminster stn.24, H&WFB, Firstly as 241 WrL 1 and then as the retained pump there. This machine RAB 498P ran for many years at Worcester, first as the Water Ladder 211, then as new pumps came in, moved down as 213 WrT1 & then as the retained pump. These were the days when Worcester had 4 pumping appliances!

< previous

Picture added on 13 February 2011 at 14:27

next >

add commentComments:

see picture 20440 for this same appliance as a demonstrator in 1975 Interfire exhibition at Olympia.

Added by Peter Williams on 13 February 2011.

Andy, how many of the 4 pumping appliance's were wholetime please ?

Added by Paul Warnock on 15 February 2011.

Paul, through my experience I would say that two of the pumps would be wholetime with the other two being retained.

Added by David Jones on 15 February 2011.

Many thanks. Paul

Added by Paul Warnock on 15 February 2011.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think they had four pumping appliances. As far back as I can remember it was 2x water ladder wholetime, 1x TL, 1x ET, 1x foam tender. The foam tender was a converted water tender, a Ford if memory serves me right. The ET was always wholetime with the TL and foam tender either switch manned or retained. There was also 1x retained pump.

Added by Matt Ireland on 15 February 2011.

It would be interesting to know the total number of pumps on the run now, compared to say 20 years ago before the cuts started. Apparently there is only one 3 pump station in the whole of the North West (old 10 Region).
Even more so pre 1974!

Added by Neal Glover on 15 February 2011.

Paul, as David says, the first two away pumps 211 WrL & 213 WrT were indeed wholetime, and the 2 other pumps, 212 WrL2 & 214 WrT2 were retained. There was also on the station the AEC/Merrywether TL, 216, E.T (BA) 219 and FST 218, an old Austin, I have a picture of this one at a 10 pump fire providing Foam stocks and an ern of tea!!

Added by Andy Holtham. on 15 February 2011.

Neal, Lancashires Hyndburn station is the only 3 pump station in the North West region (2 wholetime and 1 retained). Wrexham is the only 3 pump station in Wales, in an area where 4 ajoining station grounds in two countries had 3 pumps, These being Wrexham and Deeside (formerly Clwyd, Wales) with Chester and Ellesmere Port (Cheshire, England). This could be increased to 5 if you count Bromborough(Merseyside) who ajoined Ellesmere Ports ground. Ellesmere Port had its 3rd(RT) appliance upgraded to Wholetime then it was disestablished!.

Added by Gary Simpson on 16 February 2011.

David and Andy. Many thanks for your information, very interesting.

Added by Paul Warnock on 18 February 2011.

Paul and David, to date, Worcester now only has 2 wholetime machines 1st away, (now called 'Rescue pump, and Pump 1', (replacing WrL & WrT) and 1 retained appliance, Pump 2. An ALP replaced the TL, E.T was dis-established as was the FST, but Merc-Sprinter towing a new recue boat, (River's Severn & Teme run through city area's) on the run.

Added by Andy Holtham. on 18 February 2011.

Andy, do you know what make and model the Rescue Pump and Pumps are?

Added by David Jones on 19 February 2011.

David, yes, they are the new Scania' Emergency one' vehicles. I'm afraid I am a little out of touch with the allocations now within the brigade, but def' know Scania are the front line-up. I do have a picture I took only Thursday of a '55' plate Worc machine, I am trying to put on the website if acceptable this morning. Sorry cant be more help.

Added by Andy Holtham. on 19 February 2011.

So the typical looking Scania's that are springing up all over the UK then?

Added by David Jones on 19 February 2011.

Im afraid so David! Good looking machines though they are, and practical for the job Ive no doubt, I think that the 70's, 80's, and early 90's were the last years of what I call the 'Classic era'. Do you think?

Added by Andy Holtham. on 20 February 2011.

Certainly! Those were the years of great change for fire brigades. Brigades back then were very unique which is unfortunately not the case after the 90's.

Added by David Jones on 20 February 2011.

At present (2011) all three wholetime stations in Somerset (Devon & Somerset F&RS - formerly Somerset FB) have, I understand, three pumps each still. Taunton currently has 2 x W/T & 1 x Retained whilst Bridgwater & Yeovil have 1 x W/T and 2 retained. In these times of cuts this is now unusual and one wonders how much longer it will be the case?

Added by Chris Dyer on 04 April 2011.

As is typical of UK fire services lately, Staffordshire no longer have any three-pump stations. Well, no three full-sized pumps that is. Both Burton-upon-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme have been reduced from two wholetime and one retained full-sized pump to one wholetime and one retained full-sized pump plus a wholetime Targeted Response Vehicle - ie, a mini-pump.

I wonder how long it will be before the UK loses all of its proper three-pump stations, because it will definitely happen . . .

I recently came across a list of the UK's three-pump stations that was compiled in 2004. How many of these are no longer three pumpers?

Avon - Temple(Bristol)/Bath/Weston S-M
Buckinghamshire - Aylesbury/High Wycombe
Central - Bo'ness/Falkirk
Cheshire - Chester/Ellesmere Port
Cleveland - Stranton (Hartlepool)
Derbyshire - Chesterfield
Devon - Exeter/Torquay
Dorset - Weymouth
Dumfries & Galloway - Dumfries
Durham - Durham
Essex - Dovercourt
Gloucestershire - Gloucester/Cheltenham
Hampshire - Eastleigh/Rushmoor/Basingstoke
Hereford & Worcs. - Hereford/Worcester/Redditch
Highlands & Islands - Inverness
Humberside - Scunthorpe/Bridlington
Lancashire - Accrington
Leicestershire - Loughborough
Lothian & Borders - Hawick
Merseyside - Southport
Norfolk - King's Lynn
North Wales - Wrexham
Oxfordshire - Rewley Rd, Oxford
Shropshire - Shrewsbury
Somerset - Taunton/Bridgewater/Yeovil
Staffordshire - Burton/Newcastle
Strathclyde - Greenock/Ayr
Suffolk - HQ Ipswich/Normanhurst(Lowestoft)/Bury St.Edmunds/Felixstowe
Surrey - Guildford
West Sussex - Worthing/Crawley

It's interesting to see how our fire services have changed in seven years: brigades have merged, stations have closed and new ones have opened. What was especially interesting was I think Hawick, Dovercourt and Felixstowe were three-pump Day-Manned stations, but I might be wrong - I'm sure somebody will let me know if I am!

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 05 April 2011.

Wrexham, Inverness, Hyndburn, Southport, Shrewsbury still have three pumps.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 05 April 2011.

Avon still have three pumps at Bath and Weston-Super-Mare whilst Temple now has two pumps plus 100L Midi-pump. I understand that Weymouth (Dorset FB) is now a two-pump station (after quite a fight) and Exeter does not have a three-pump station but now boasts two fire stations replacing the former single station there.

Added by Chris Dyer on 05 April 2011.

Kings Lynn in Norfolk is now one Heavy Rescue Pump and Water Tender Ladder wds and one water tender ladder rds. Great Yarmouth has one rescue pump and water tender ladder wds and one water tender ladder rds

Added by Graham on 05 April 2011.

Chesterfield is no longer a 3 pump station

Added by Phil Reed on 06 April 2011.

Yelp,
Hampshire- St Marys, Southsea and Cosham also all have three pumps. Eastleigh has two retained pumps and one wholetime (the second retained pump is rarely used though)

Added by David Jones on 06 April 2011.

Chris, re Temple, Avon, the midi pumps have all been withdrawn, so Temple now has 2 pumps plus specials.

Added by Bristol Bob on 06 April 2011.

None of the Cheshire stations mentioned have 3 pumps

Added by Barrie Green on 06 April 2011.

David,
Cosham is only a 2 pump station, also I thought Eastliegh was 2 wholetime 1 retained.

I think Guildford is now 1 wholetime, 1 day manned & 1 retained pump.

Added by Stuart Purves on 06 April 2011.

Stuart, Eastleigh is only 1 wholetime pump. They also have their retained pump and also a third pump. This pump was moved from a local station when it closed.

Andover, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Winchester all have two pumps with one wholetime and the second retained.

Added by David Jones on 07 April 2011.

I wouldn't class the 3rd pump at both Bucks stations as a pump in the proper sense of the word. They're only Unimogs

Added by Adey on 07 April 2011.

It was for sale recently on a certain well known website. Looked a little sad and in need of some TLC. I was tempted but the owner wanted too much for it!

Added by Matt Ireland on 21 November 2013.

Update; Basingstoke (Hants Fire) will now technically become a FOUR pump station.

Added by David Jones on 09 April 2017.

Adey - you can get a 14.5 ton Unimog with a 2000 LPM pump and a 4000 liter tank, with a crew cab and a decent amount of equipment and hoses in the lockers - so a Unimog can in fact be a pump in the proper sense of the word.

They are in use as structure fire pumps in numerous countries, and are not necessarily limited to brush fires...

Added by Rob Johnson on 18 August 2018.

Carmichael

87D19999 Dennis DF130/Hughes Magirus TL Dublin

Fire Engines Photos

Carmichael