Fire Engines Photos

I used this machine in the early eighties. It was a former West Yorks machine as the station had been a county station until 1978. It was still equipped with a WFB radio ( callsign Yankee 1) Had 2xcaba in the rear locker. A 150lb dry powder kettle offside rear. Also had a pto driven generator for cutting gear. As with all Landrover "Firefly" types it was under-powered but a useful appliance none the less. Usually driven by the watch "subby" to incidents but also equipped with Sapho bird scaring equipment so it was the station runaround.

Added by John Stott on 17 October 2020.

John. Another way of looking at what numerous fire brigades did to Landrovers is that they were very often seriously overloaded!

Added by Rob Johnson on 18 October 2020.

Rob we had a "Firefly" at RAF Saxa Vord. Pictures are on here. They were quite well handling tbh. A 100-gallon water tank with a Godiva 650gpm alloy pump. Handling was not bad, however, a 35-foot extension ladder did nothing for it in Shetland winds that could be in excess of 80 knots at the radar heads. I think you are right though, some model LR appliances were so overloaded as to be dangerous.

Added by John Stott on 15 November 2020.

The maximum payload capacity of this series forward control Land Rover was 1.5 tons. After allowing for the bodywork, 455 liters of water, pump, plumbing, crew members and equipment, it seems these were pretty much right at the maximum - if not a bit over!

Added by Rob Johnson on 15 November 2020.

Always a bit over, that's the way of fire appliances the world over sadly, or rather the fools who insist on overloading them.

Added by John Stott on 28 November 2020.

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