Fire Engine Photos

No: 42014 Contributor: Petros Year: 1973 Manufacturer: Bedford Country: United Kingdom

YVC355L Bedford HCBA WrT Coventry

YVC354L & YVC355L arrived in 1973, in the Coventry yellow colour - a second batch came during 1974.The HCB Angus cost £3000 less than a comparable Dennis vehicle. A coach built cab with aluminium panelling was specified in preference to the glass fibre cab as fitted to the Dennis vehicles, which frequently develop cracks notable around the door hinges.The gross weight was 8tons, its unladen weight being 5tons 10cwt. They could accelerate from 0 to 40mph (from cold) in 20 seconds.However, they were very unstable, 2 overturned in the City.After the West Midlands took over, they were painted pink, (as can be seen on PHP 31M, in the photo at the top of this page). and dispersed around the West Midland's region, they were soon taken out of service.
source icserver.no-ip.biz/coventry/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=963&start=10 where they appear in pink and yellow!
Official Bedford photo in author's collection.

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Picture added on 22 August 2020 at 20:58

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Just after the Hestair takeover of Dennis in 1972, I was offered the job of Managing Director of Dennis. The Hestair CEO explained to me that their strategy for Dennis was to build profits by premium pricing, to "cash in" on the firm's long established reputation with British fire services. My own assessment at the time was that this would not be a very successful strategy. My inclination was to partner with Rosenbauer, Ziegler or another leading European firm and create a worldwide brand - rather than continue to rely exclusively on sales to the relatively small UK market. I did not take the job, and events unfolded pretty much as I had predicted....

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 August 2020.

Bedford

Fire Engines Photos

Bedford