Fire Engines Photos

The Cornwall Champ (VAF 81) was the evaluation vehicle that resulted in the many Austin Gypsy L4Ps that they had.
NSL 418 was with GKN, where it was never registered. It was only when it was sold off that it gained a registtation number.

Added by Ian Moore on 23 July 2011.

Thanks ian

Added by Ronald henderson on 23 July 2011.

I remember working on one of these back in the 1980's from memory I believe it had a Rolls Royce petrol engine , what I can still recall for sure is the 40 or so perfectly machined bolts securing the water pump to the block , took b....g ages to remove and replace, you could though balance a coin on the rocker cover once the carbs had been balanced

Added by Gary Bolton on 25 July 2011.

Yes Gary the Champ had a Rolls B40 engine
The Dennis F8 had the B60 and the F7/F12 had the B80, all these engines were identical (apart from the number of cylinders ...4 6 and 8 resp and the size) and used common parts throughout. This was obviously a great advantage to the military who also used these engines in various vehicles.

Added by Barrie Green on 25 July 2011.

Barrie you have got my memory cell going now , the company I was working at the time used to take in all sorts of odd mark vehicles I also remember another machine that came in for a top end rebuild that had a 6 cylinder version of the same engine I recall this now because it struck me at the time how similar many of the parts were , unfortunately I simply cannot think what the vehicle was , it was a post war 4x4 army truck of some sort say about 4 tonnes . Daft really but at that age I was more interested in other attractions typically involving less ceberal activities .

On a another note completly whilst watching Top Gear on Sunday did anyone notice a ERF HP in the fore ground near the 747 parked up just before Clarkson set off on his formula 1 jaunt wondering if any one had any info about this HP, it looked familuar



Added by Gary Bolton on 26 July 2011.

Gary the B60 was used in several military vehicles including the Daimler Ferret, the Humber 1 ton truck and the Snowcat

Added by Barrie Green on 26 July 2011.

The Humber seems to fit the bill , the front looks like the truck we had in , it was being modified to go on a trek across Africa , and we also fitted additional cooling capacity and the engine could run on low grade petrol as well , as far as I know the company who were running these expeditions seemed happy with it , I do not recall seeing many in fire service use even at that time the shift to diesel was pretty much complete no doubt the Humber would have been an expensive machine to run .

Added by Gary Bolton on 26 July 2011.

Gary, I did see the old ERF HP on Top Gear. I wonder if it's the ex Clwyd OUN 543M. Someone I'm sure, will let us know if this is stored close to the track or tucked away elsewhere.

Added by Matt Ireland on 26 July 2011.

Matt yes its funny seeing these old appliances turn up in the most unexpected places , of course airfields are always a good hunting ground due to the space and cheap storage they afford .

Barrie am I correct in saying that the Dennis 101 had a Rolls Royce diesel engine, I can recall two of these engines making there way through Swiss Cottage towards Camden in the 1970's P, PE , of course just around the corner is G26 ( or it was then )which at that time was a two pump station . If I am correct Perkins took over the on road diesel engines from Rolls Royce, a mechanic who I knew at the time mentioned that the Rolls engines were a flat 6 configuration developed for bus operation but I cannot find any info to support this view .

Added by Gary Bolton on 27 July 2011.

Ian the one that was down in Cornwall was indeed VAF 81 and was based at Camborne

Added by Michael on 28 August 2011.

This Champ is confirmed as one of only three WN3 Champs known in the UK made with an Austin A90 engine. A very rare vehicle !

Added by Tony Foster on 13 May 2012.

See picture 16193, Bristol Fire Brigade operated a Breakdown Lorry on a Humber chassis.
The chassis was purchased from Warwickshire who had bought a job lot on with they built Rescue Tender bodies.
I believe Cranfield Airfield also had a Rescue Tender on a Humber chassis.

Added by Avonmouth on 13 May 2012.

I note four seats, plus tank (60 gallons?). What equipment was carried, and where was it stowed?

Added by Bill Edwards on 17 June 2015.

What equipment did this appliance carry?

Added by Bill Edwards on 20 June 2015.

i know where this vaf 81 champ is... i also have an ex military champ.

Added by Tom on 18 March 2016.

Hi I would love to get a pic of VAF 81 if it is still around as I collect Austin Gipsys from Cornwall Fire Service and have five and pics of the rest

Added by Mark Garratt on 31 July 2016.

im looking for vaf 81 if it sill survives can anyone help ?

Added by Mark Garratt on 31 July 2016.

Gary:

The F101 pumps did indeed have a very large displacement six cylinder C series diesel engine, which was an industrial and marine engine; I recall it was around 12.17 liters and rated at 190 BHP - a lot for a vehicle the size and weight of an F101 in the mid 50s. It was also understandably very expensive, and only one other brigade bought Dennis appliances with this engine! These were Nottinghamshire's F102 water tenders.

The Perkins 6-354 diesel was used in some London Emergency Tenders a few years later, (F103/4?) but the attribution was not clear - as the engine valve cover reputedly sported a Dennis badge.

The next F105/106 series in 1964 to 1967 had the AEC AV470 six cylinder 130 BHP engine, also used in the contemporary London Fire Brigade AEC Merryweather TLs, ETs and their other newer dual purpose appliances.

In or around 1968 it was then on to the Perkins 510 170 BHP V8 on the F108 and 109. This engine and its derivatives were also used in London's later Dennis, ERF, Shelvoke and Dodge appliances prior to the purchase of Volvo and then Mercedes vehicles.

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 June 2018.

Malta Police Fire brigade had 1 of these in 68 to 71

Added by Bob Ewing on 29 June 2018.

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