Upload a Picture
About this Site | Links | Random Pic | Advanced Search
Home | Latest Additions | Contributors
| Visitors
Fire Engine Photos
No: 27418 Contributor: Brett Clayton Year: 1972 Manufacturers: Bedford, Thornycroft Country: United Kingdom
Teesside Airport Fire brigade Circa 1972
Line up of appliances at the then Teesside Airport Fire Section, as the Airport was originaly owned by the Regional Local Authorities, the original influence on the Fire Section came from Middlesbrough Fire Chief Harry Johnston I believe hence the first new machines the central Thornycroft and Bedford RL on the right had XG & DC Regs.
Hand downs came from Darlington, see Morris LD Ambulance and Commer Carmicheal Wrt. Also shown ex AFS 4X4 Godess used until the late 1980's as a snow plough and finally I believe fairly new Thornycroft Nubian Carmicheal Major Foam Tender, the first operational appliance I had ride on, that throaty roar of Crash 2 was something else!
Line up of appliances at the then Teesside Airport Fire Section, as the Airport was originaly owned by the Regional Local Authorities, the original influence on the Fire Section came from Middlesbrough Fire Chief Harry Johnston I believe hence the first new machines the central Thornycroft and Bedford RL on the right had XG & DC Regs.
Hand downs came from Darlington, see Morris LD Ambulance and Commer Carmicheal Wrt. Also shown ex AFS 4X4 Godess used until the late 1980's as a snow plough and finally I believe fairly new Thornycroft Nubian Carmicheal Major Foam Tender, the first operational appliance I had ride on, that throaty roar of Crash 2 was something else!
Mark, it was built for Teesside Airport in 1966 on a Thorny Nubian chassis with a Fire Armour built body. It had a Rolls Royce B81 petrol engine and a five speed Eaton gearbox. It carried 500 gallons of water and 50 gallons of foam compound and also a dry powder installation.
Unfortunatly (for us) it was designed as Brett pointed out by Harry Johnson who was the CFO of Teesside Fire Brigade.....Mr J may have been an expert on structural fire fighting in towns and cities, even chemical complexes and ships and docks firefighting but what did he know about aircraft fires and crash tender design ? Not a thing !!!!!!!
Since the early 1950s it was recognised that when approaching a burning aircraft it was necessary to do this head on to the plane and the driver/pump op had all the pump controls in the cab so was able to do everything from his seat in an elevated position where he has a good view of what was going on.
Harry didnt like the thought of the pump op sitting down in relative comfort so he designed this machine similar to a city fire engime with thepump and controls at the rear! Clearly aircraff firefighting is very time critical.....the airport Thornys could pull up and by the time the crew got to work with the handlines....foam would be already pouring onto the fire from the monitor, this machine, the driver had to stop, put the handbrake on, put the pto into gear, then jump out of the very high cab....run round the back of the machine, open the water valve, open the foam valves, and then foam could be produced.....and the operator was then running from side to side trying to see what was going on at the fire !!!!
The machine call sign CRASH 1 was a total disaster...it looked good though. Its great to see it ...there does not seem to be many photos about of this quite unique appliance.
Added by Barrie Green on 25 March 2011.
Unfortunatly (for us) it was designed as Brett pointed out by Harry Johnson who was the CFO of Teesside Fire Brigade.....Mr J may have been an expert on structural fire fighting in towns and cities, even chemical complexes and ships and docks firefighting but what did he know about aircraft fires and crash tender design ? Not a thing !!!!!!!
Since the early 1950s it was recognised that when approaching a burning aircraft it was necessary to do this head on to the plane and the driver/pump op had all the pump controls in the cab so was able to do everything from his seat in an elevated position where he has a good view of what was going on.
Harry didnt like the thought of the pump op sitting down in relative comfort so he designed this machine similar to a city fire engime with thepump and controls at the rear! Clearly aircraff firefighting is very time critical.....the airport Thornys could pull up and by the time the crew got to work with the handlines....foam would be already pouring onto the fire from the monitor, this machine, the driver had to stop, put the handbrake on, put the pto into gear, then jump out of the very high cab....run round the back of the machine, open the water valve, open the foam valves, and then foam could be produced.....and the operator was then running from side to side trying to see what was going on at the fire !!!!
The machine call sign CRASH 1 was a total disaster...it looked good though. Its great to see it ...there does not seem to be many photos about of this quite unique appliance.
Added by Barrie Green on 25 March 2011.
Whoops old age is setting in......it had a water capacity of 800 gals....not 500 water and 100 foam
The Bedford had 500/50 gals and lasted about 10 years longer than its heavyweight Thornycroft sister
Added by Barrie Green on 25 March 2011.
The Bedford had 500/50 gals and lasted about 10 years longer than its heavyweight Thornycroft sister
Added by Barrie Green on 25 March 2011.
Hello Barry, I've got a photo of the old horse drawn from STN 1.. Middlesbrough and I'm sure your on it... Dave..
Added by Dave Todd on 25 March 2011.
Added by Dave Todd on 25 March 2011.
I'm not 100% sure about the ambulance, though I think (repeat, think) it was SHN 999. The appliances, on a left to right basis, were PGW 509, DXG 969D, RHN 999 (Commer/Carmichael WrT ex-Darlington), RUP 653K and DDC 264C.
Added by Ian Moore on 30 March 2011.
Added by Ian Moore on 30 March 2011.
SHN 999 was a Bedford J2, acquired around 1955. This Austin was newer, after the brigade changed over to a more modern design. Darlington ran both Austins and Morris Commercial ambulances, which were identical except for the badges. They also previously had Darlington's Commer Whitson WT NHN 999 at the airport.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 March 2011.
Added by Rob Johnson on 30 March 2011.
I cannot remember the reg of the ambulance but that one was the second Austin LD we had whilst I served there...... the first one had a Winkworth bell on the 'fender'
Added by Barrie Green on 31 March 2011.
Added by Barrie Green on 31 March 2011.
Hi All
I should point out that DXG 969D was in fact built by HCB Angus--Fire Armour had stopped building the year before at the semi merger of the two companies. I have here in the HCB Angus archive the build file complete with specification(including the odd rear mounting of the controls) if anyone wants a copy!
Added by Aidan Fisher on 31 March 2011.
I should point out that DXG 969D was in fact built by HCB Angus--Fire Armour had stopped building the year before at the semi merger of the two companies. I have here in the HCB Angus archive the build file complete with specification(including the odd rear mounting of the controls) if anyone wants a copy!
Added by Aidan Fisher on 31 March 2011.
Re the ambulance, I'm told it had a "four-figure two-letter" plate, so something is telling me - and I could again be wrong of course - that 2999 HN was an LD. Like I said, I'm probably wrong.
Added by Ian Moore on 01 April 2011.
Added by Ian Moore on 01 April 2011.
He was actually called "harry Johnson" not Johnston, he was my great grandad
Added by H. Johnson on 30 May 2013.
Added by H. Johnson on 30 May 2013.
Yes thats what I said ...... Mr Johnson was my chief officer when I moved from the airport to Teesside Fire Brigade. He lived in the house next door to to Middlesbrough Fire Station, he had a thing about keeping the appliance room doors closed after the appliances had turned out......I can still hear him shouting !!! When he retired, his deputy Duggie Bruce replaced him, he was head of the recruiting board which appointed me.
Added by Barrie Green on 30 May 2013.
Added by Barrie Green on 30 May 2013.
He was my great grandad
Added by on 28 June 2018.
Added by on 28 June 2018.
Harry Johnson was my uncle. If anyone from the Johnson family sees this please contact me through this page, thank you. Harry's sister was my mother.
Added by Marion Cornthwaite on 13 June 2025.
Added by Marion Cornthwaite on 13 June 2025.
Bedford
Fond memories
Added by Barrie Green on 24 March 2011.