Fire Engines Photos

Hi Chris, I think this was one of the eight Mercury TLs possibly.Good action shot.

Added by Simon Hilliam on 01 June 2013.

Er yes! According to "The Fire Brigade Handbook Special Appliances Vol 1" London had 22 Mercury TL's 3 of which where exMiddlesex and 1 (CBY1) exCroydon. Don't know where I got Regent V from, as far as I know this was only a bus chassis!

Added by Chris Stone on 01 June 2013.

London also had ex-West Ham TAN149.

Added by Kyle Annakin on 02 June 2013.

Er No! It's good but not right. London had 18 Mercury Merryweathers, 1 Mercury Magirus, 1 Mercury Magirus remount makes 20. PLUS:post 1965 added West Ham, East Ham, Croydon 2, Middlesex 6. Twenty before 1965, another ten added thereafter. Nice photo Chris.

Added by Ronald Henderson on 02 June 2013.

The earlier versions had the rather odd Merryweather center sliding door cab. Later purchases had this four door configuration, which was also used on a batch of Merryweather dual-purpose appliances for London and some for other brigades. I believe this configuration was actually specified by London, which did not like the limited accessibility of the two-door version of the cab. At the time, all LCC specification TLs had pumps and were staffed by a minimum of three crew members.

Added by Rob Johnson on 02 June 2013.

At the time of Gordon Honeycombe's book "Red Watch" London was cited as having 24 TLs. Presumably this refers to front-line appliances, and the other six would be reserves.

Added by Rob Johnson on 03 June 2013.

Ignoring any 'brigade' operational preferences, many would argue that the sliding door cabbed version with the two-piece windscreen made for a better looking appliance and were certainly not 'odd' as Rob hinted. Fleet Managers probably preferred sliding doors too .. no doorstraps, hinges or locks to break. There is no such thing as a 'fireman-proof' doorstrap !

Added by Keith Richardson on 03 June 2013.

Ok now I'm confused! According to "The Fire Brigade Handbook Special Appliances-Volume 1" CBY1 the exCroydon Fire Brigade TL (GLC TL19) is an AEC Mercury chassised Merryweather TL.But "The Fire Brigade Handbook" says its an AEC Regent V! I'm guessing the Regent is a mistake and should read Mercury?

Added by Chris Stone on 03 June 2013.

The AEC Regent chassis was originally a double deck bus chassis but found its way under a number of appliances. Regent Pumps, the ET OXT779 and a couple of TL's. Kents YKP177 (think that's right) for one.
The Regent chassis would have had the taller radiator and the later Mercury the Routemaster style radiator.
I believe the Mercury was a goods chassis design that was also perfect for TL's and a number of Pumps known as the Marquis.

Added by Kyle Annakin on 04 June 2013.

We often used to ride with 3 crew members on the TL, occasionally even 4 when we were flush with bodies, but I don't think riding with 3 was ever the minimum. The minimum in the 60s was apparently 1, but not in my time. Only the driver/operator had to be qualified. The OiC (usually a LFm) didn't need to be as they usually only stood at the top aiming the monitor. I remember a cracking good rescue job in Moscow Road, A28 Kensington's ground, when we turned out riding 4 on ML 22 - an ex Middlesex TL I think. I once drove CBY 1 back from Ruislip Workshops to Soho and thought it was pretty sluggish - then discovered the PTO had been left in.

Added by Bruce Hoad on 27 June 2013.

Only a few countries still operate crew cab aerials with a three to six person team. Most European countries have dropped the crew cab and operate with only one, two, or occasionally three members on board.

The TLP has also virtually disappeared, except of course for US-built ladder trucks in "quint" format, which are very popular in smaller fire departments because of their versatility.

These London Merryweathers had a 450GPM (2000 LPM) mid-mount pump, intended exclusively to supply the ladder monitor, with its own diesel power unit, which was the same engine as used in London taxis - hence the ventilated panel behind the rear cab door. But many of the TLs inherited in the consolidation were not equipped with pumps.

Added by Rob Johnson on 28 June 2013.

Same type as' TLP Registration: CBY 1

Added by Paul Crudge on 13 April 2014.

In June 2013 Bruce mentions riding A28 TL reg number ML22.I have just purchased the Oxford model of this TL but they have the reg number as 22ML are they wrong?

Added by Phil Treversh on 25 October 2014.

Anyone know what happened to 'FT 10. It was based at E30, ELTHAM. It was made by Chubb. It was a really horriable "Foam Tender to drive. It had a large Monitor and a large water tank, that was prone to leak everywhere. It was fitted with 'A Perkins 510. V8 Diesel engine and a Alison automatic transmission

Added by Paul Crudge on 30 October 2014.

Hi Phil, The Oxford model is right as far as the reg goes, 22ML was new to the Middlesex Fire Brigade in 1961 and was at their C71 Hayes fire Station untill the 1965 take over by the GLC London Fire Brigade when the station became D30 in the London system.The Oxford model has J25 Station Plates which is Tottenham, also an ex Middlesex Fire Station. However the model is in LFB livery so it should have blue lights. I've added Blues to mine and it looks a lot better. One wonders why they made an ex Middlesex version in LFB livery when they could have released it in Middlesex livery and it would be right! I have also converted several of the other AEC Merryweather models into the other London ones, all with blues!

Added by Chris Stone on 30 October 2014.

Sorry about the confusion Phil. It's my age. It was of course 22 ML. I too have the model - just had to!

Added by Bruce Hoad on 01 November 2014.

Keith Richardson, I have to agree, City & County of Kingston upon Hull Fire Brigade (signwriters paradise..) had their fair share of centrally mounted sliding door cabs with two piece windscreen - arguably the best looking fire engine ever?

Added by Glenn Ramsden on 02 November 2014.

Glenn...... Hull City had 7407 AT at Central...... Humberside inherited 7981 BT from the East Riding at Bridlington (both sliding door cabs with A type ladders) and also the infamous EWR 749C from the West Riding at Goole which had a B type ladder fitted after the fatal collapse of the original A type ladder...... this had the one piece windscreen and the four door cab....interestingly Scunthorpe originally lost the 85 'HP NFU 121F to Bridlington and got EWR as replacement...we then got 7981 (which I did my TL test on) as a spare TL then 7407 replaced EWR as our TL but it had 'issues' so we were issued with 7981 as our permanent appliance until 1986... a beautiful appliance which I forever regret not buying on disposal !

Added by Rick Loudon on 05 November 2014.

This machine up for auction 10.06.15 at Stondon Museum Leominster by Brightwells Auctioneers

Added by Craigw on 28 April 2015.

Admin - last comment should have read auction at Leominster , Brightwells Auctioneers not at Stondon museum .

Added by Craigw on 28 April 2015.

Hi l the owner of ML 22 and would love to know more information.

Added by Mack on 18 February 2019.

22ML survives and is stored in a yard in Gravesend. The number plate is being removed hasn't been on the road since '81.

Added by Dave on 16 November 2020.

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