Fire Engines Photos

That doesn't look like the Square to me... anyway, from memory this appliance when based at Knightsbridge was fitted with an experimental Rosenbauer pump. Made all sorts of funny noises, and you couldn't close the pump bay shutter... Mike

Added by Mike Cotton on 25 November 2011.

I am happy to be corrected as London is way off my territory. I stayed at my brother's for a week in 1984 and for a week in 1985 photographing the stations..I got 34 stations and a few appliances. At the time I believe that there were 114 fire stations in the GLC area. Stupidly I did not write the location on the back of this print and my negs are not handy which would give me the prints place in the sequence of photographs but I do not have a photo of Knightsbridge and looking at the photos of the stations I took Manchester Square looked the most likely candidate but I am happy to be corrected as I am far from sure.

Added by Martin Routledge on 27 November 2011.

Looks like Dockhead Stations yard, could be wrong but surroundings look the same!

Added by Adam Plumb on 11 January 2012.

SS? or DS?

Single headlight suggests DS.

Thanks for sharing, I love this era.

Added by Monkey Boy The 3rd on 11 January 2012.

These were SSs with single headlights - a unique spec to London I believe.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 12 January 2012.

They are SS133's the DS models have smaller bodies on them. Durham had DS types and they looked tiny compared to these beasts! My mate owns an ex Kent SS133, absolute beauties, they are the same spec as these LFB machines, Perkins V8 engine to make them sound like an RS, quality!

Added by Adam Plumb on 12 January 2012.

Its an SS.

The single headlight was an option on the SS and RS. It was the only option for the DS, due to the width.

Most brigades bought the SS/RS with the dual lights.

Added by Davey G on 12 January 2012.

It's an SS131 DPL with a Perkins V8, 300 gallons onboard water and 1000gpm pump.

Added by Kyle on 12 January 2012.

Its an SS.

London where the only Brigade to have SS's with single headlamps.

I suppose the need for full beam spots doesn't come round very often in London.

Added by Stuart Purves on 12 January 2012.

I imagine it would of kept the cost down considerably just having single headlights with the amount the LFB purchase

Added by Sean Griffiths on 13 January 2012.

London purchased 108 of these fine machines during 1983 & 1984.

Added by Kyle on 13 January 2012.

and I wonder how many actually still exist .....

Added by Adam Plumb on 14 January 2012.

It could even make them cost more if every one took the SS with twin headlamps and the manufacturing would have been set up that way...Either way, having been to numerous user group meetings, by their own admittance (Dennis) their headlight have always been poor.
...and you got to ask yourself why with a lot of the elements of the London spec? Why the beacons on plinths? Are vehicles in London higher than anywhere else or have the rest of the UK got it wrong? Why single headlamps when they already had a reasonably good spec with twins or did the rest of the UK get it wrong? Odd eh?
At the end of the day London's machine are certainly no better (or worse) than any others

Added by Glenn Ramsden on 14 January 2012.

London had some really high plinths for the blues on some of the Shelvoke's and ERF's. See picture 17914.
The headlights look like self-contained bolt on units so probably not too much hassle to specify if you want one or two lamps per unit.

Added by Kyle on 15 January 2012.

Glen the blue lights are strobes, I believe that all the batch were supplied with single headlights and the stobes mounted high on their bases and also a single flasher in the middle of the grill. My old brigade were more traditional with twin headlamps, normal rotating beacons and twin flashres on the grill. I think was probably the best combination on the Dennis RS/SS. London just like to be different perhaps!

Added by Matt Ireland on 15 January 2012.

I remember when London first fitted beacons to the F101 range, they were on distinct lighthouses !

Added by Ian Moore on 15 January 2012.

Yeah I'm aware they're strobes thanks and I did catch the single blue flasher in the middle of the grille... You could be right about London just being different my question was why when the rest of the UK spec seemed more or less standard give or take the use of storbes v rotating beacons etc

Added by Glenn Ramsden on 15 January 2012.

the kent machines had a perkins 640 engine, the london machines had a the lower powered 540

Added by Martin Snow on 01 January 2018.

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