Fire Engines Photos

Its good to see an all over red pump again, if only they had painted the wheels red too. Would the 2 circular objects behind the rear step be outlets for the pump? and would it still have deliveries at the rear as per the norm?

Added by Shaun R. on 12 April 2011.

Hi Shaun, i'm not too sure if they are pump outlets, but the appliance is designated to work with HVPU's and water relays at major jobs so I think thats the case. They also have the standard pump bay at the rear.

Added by Andy Daley on 13 April 2011.

They also have four lengths of suction pipe in place of the 13.5 ladder. I think these are classed as support pumps for the Pump Rescue Water Tower at Ward End, which is also designed to work with the HVPU.

Added by Michael Penny on 14 April 2011.

I'm not (and have never been) a big fan of the Volvo, but I think this looks superb. I think the all red body has something to do with it. I'm a bit of a purist see, and I think battenburg markings spoil a fire appliance's looks. Before somebody points out the obvious, I know it's not about good looks; it's about being seen and doing a job. But as a fire-engine enthusiast and nothing to do with the fire service itself, I do love to see a near-red fire engine. Call it a guilty pleasure! Bring back the bells! Clang-clang-clang!

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 11 February 2012.

Aye Yelp and get shut of these superfluous advertising cartoons of the sides too.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 11 February 2012.

Is it no longer standard practice to carry suction hoses on UK pumping appliances?

Added by Rob Johnson on 08 August 2012.

All of Grampian Fire Appliances carry 4 lengths of Hard Suction for open water pumping. Not sure about other parts of the UK.

Added by Stewart McIntosh on 09 August 2012.

Most of North Yorkshire pumps carry 4 lenghts of suction. However the newer appliances only carry 3 due lack of space.

Added by Paul Warnock on 11 August 2012.

Is that 3x10ft or 3x8ft? 8ft seems to be the most common.

Added by Neal Glover on 11 August 2012.

Now designated as a medium rescue pump and based with the technical rescue team.

Added by Adam Griffiths on 13 April 2014.

As Adam says, they've had some of their firefighting equipment removed and specialist rescue gear added and now respond out of Bickenhill and Wednesbury with the TRU as Medium Rescue Pumps. They will respond to life-risk Category 1 incidents locally alongside the specialist response and TRU callouts.

Added by Michael Penny on 15 April 2014.

West Midlands now designate these as Technical Rescue Pumps.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 14 August 2020.

Yelp - I have to agree with you about solid red, although Chicago's black over red is pretty elegant too. I keep asking people about how much research has gone into all these stripes, checks and different color schemes, which are all supposed to improve safety for firefighters - and possibly the general public too?

The prize for a confusing jumble of colors and assorted stripes goes to New Zealand - their vehicles look like they belong in a circus parade. At the same time, Japan is still quite happy with solid red everywhere for pumps, aerials and most specials. So do any of these actually do anything to improve safety? As far as I can tell, nobody has ever done any real research to find out!

Added by Rob Johnson on 15 August 2020.

Comment removed at request of Commentor

Andy: Thanks. I remember "Coventry yellow". I was thinking more about all the variety of multicolored stripes, checks and chevrons which have emerged more recently. Of course, it is worse here in the US, where volunteer fire companies often have traditional liveries going back a century or more, and cities sometimes use a municipal color scheme for all their emergency vehicles. So as well as red, we have white, yellow, green, blue, silver and even black fire apparatus - with any number of two tone and/or striping color combinations!

Chile has a similar situation, with the entire country covered by volunteer companies, each with its own distinctive livery.

Even German brigades, which used to be all over red for decades, are now displaying all kinds of multiple stripes, chevrons and paint patterns - although mostly still red and either white or yellow...

But France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland and most of the Scandinavian countries join Japan and Korea in sticking with "old fashioned" red.

Here, yellow was decided many years ago as the required color for New York City taxis, as it was also thought to be the best color for both day and night time visibility. But very few other cities bothered to adapt to it, and of course for many decades the London authorities mandated black!

Added by Rob Johnson on 17 August 2020.

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