Fire Engines Photos

How sad to see this wonderful appliance like himthis.I wonder how many lives were saved over its service? One special driver at Hull could really get the best out of it. It was thrill to ride with him. Great memories of the Dennis and him
sadly died this week.

Added by Tony Richards - Hull on 18 June 2011.

I thought the Blackburn one was the only WrE F15 or is this just a PE on a heavyweight chassis?

Added by Neal Glover on 18 June 2011.

Tony - you say a driver at Hull ? the appliance was at Norwich - however confusingly the display board that was with the appliance said it served at Hull - any thoughts ?

Added by Rick Loudon on 19 June 2011.

Neal

I think you're right it is a Pump Escape therefore a small water tank it appears the only difference is in the actual chassis !

Added by Rick Loudon on 19 June 2011.

Sorry if I confused you. I was only reffering to the Dennis at Hull which was with us for a lengthy time, --Great machine, -Simonized every week, like new, even when I left to serve on the Fireboat.Was a wonderful sight to see it flying thro' the City(the Dennis I mean, -not the Fireboat

Added by Tony richards on 22 June 2011.

Thats ok Tony - it confused me because the previous owners believed this appliance served in Hull even though it said City of Norwich on the side of it !

As for the fireboat - did you serve on the 'Clara Stark' or the infamous and ill fated 'Firejet 1' - do you have any pictures of either ?

Added by Rick Loudon on 23 June 2011.

Hi Rick. Was the 'Firejet 1' a fibre glass boat do you know please, and was it for Humberside ?. Thanks Paul.

Added by Paul Warnock on 23 June 2011.

HVG 999 had a 100 gallon tank, making it a PE, whereas HCB 500, the Blackburn one, had a 400 gallon tank and was therefore officially classed as a WrE. Many of the F15 WrTs built were true WrTs, with 400 or even 500 gallon tanks.

Added by Ian Moore on 23 June 2011.

Hi, Rick, Yes I was on the Clara Stark for 6yrs, --never went to a fire, -it was useless, went up and down on the tide more than ahead or astern.!Ive found out that it is now on the Norfolk broads stillsame name, slighly altered.Yes I have some lovely pictures of the Clars Stark, but unfortunatly cannot put them on these messages, --keep asking my daugther. email me if you want them: [email protected]

Added by Tony richards on 23 June 2011.

Paul

Yes FireJet one was fibreglass - good thinking if you're going to be near a fire - it had a very shallow draught to allow it to get up the River Hull on a low tide I think - unfortunatly if there was any wind on the River Humber it could not go out as it was blown sideways so it never went to any risk other than in Hull - It was built for Humberside Fire Brigade going into service around 1976/7 and was very quickly sold to the Irish Republic I believe ?

Added by Rick Loudon on 27 June 2011.

Hi Rick. Thanks very much for the reply, not a success then. I seem to remember this boat at York on the River Ouse. Could it have been launched on the river at York ? I think it was red and white, Or is my old age catching up and I was perhaps dreaming !!

Added by Paul Warnock on 29 June 2011.

I think it was Red and White - what it was doing at York I have no idea unless it got blown there from Hull by the winds I mentioned !!!!

Added by Rick Loudon on 29 June 2011.

Paul - you got me thinking and I 'googled' FireJet 1 it is mentioned in Roger Mardens book and states it was built by Nordic Star Marine of North Yorkshire and cost £62000 built 1976 sold 1980 due to spending cuts (how topical) but in truth a get out for those that ordered it - seems it was the '70's version of a CARP - that would explain why it was on the Ouse in York - it was being blown towards Hull not away from it !

Added by Rick Loudon on 29 June 2011.

Has anyone bought this appliance yet?

Added by Bill Edwards on 12 January 2012.

Bill I believe so, - I was given the contact details of the new owner as I had a 50'escape ladder for sale - I emailed him but never got a reply !

Added by Rick Loudon on 13 January 2012.

Regarding the Fire Boat; my father-in-law was on the Clara Stark, Fred Newmarch.



Added by Nick on 31 December 2015.

I did my training on it when I joined the Norfolk Fire Service in 1974 and passed my driving test in it even though we had the opportunity to take the test in a new Dodge. I thought if I could pass my test in a crash gearbox and heavy brakes I'd done alright.
So sad to see it in such a poor state.

Added by Jeffrey Ison on 02 July 2021.

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