Fire Engines Photos

Pete, when I was stationed in Kununurra in the Kimberley 1977-2003 we use to fly up to Darwin in the Northern Territory for what was known locally as a 'dirty weekend!' On my first visit to the Central Fire Station I was paralysed to see they had done this very thing to their front line DENNIS appliance! (Painted it lime green/yellow) but the other appliances were all red! Perhaps one of our Darwin friends can comment here, , , , Pavel, Western Australia, , , ,

Added by Pavel Zaremba on 19 October 2007.

West sussex county fire brigade operated twenty seven front line appliances and also support vehicles in coventry fire brigade yellow between the years of 1969 and 1972. The colour originated from the city of coventry fire brigade whom in 1966 started colour experimentation with fire appliances involving shades of yellow, fluorescent based colour schemes and white, this all being undertaken on
1.18 scale models with simulated backgrounds depicting fire they created a shade of yellow which showed up as white at night under sodiam street lights and in adverse light conditions the result being the brigade adopted this for the livery of their appliances the first full size appliances arrived in 1967 and were escape emergency tenders/pumps and incorporated many facilities way in advance for their time. Many other brigades followed such as west sussex, york, wallasey,
newport(south wales) while many other brigades operated isolated appliances in the colour. In 1972 a home office directive was issued to brigades in the u.k
making the recommendation that red is the colour most associated with fire engines and this should be the recommended colour for all brigades. The yellow was phased out with replacements and repaints with some lasting to the early eighties however west sussex were the only uk brigade to operate the d model from dennis in yellow being based at midhurst/storrington/littlehampton and numbered three.

Added by BOB CARVER on 19 October 2007.

Pavel, thanks for your comments, I actually have photo's of the vehicles of the
N.T.F.S, in question in yellow.One being a 1970 Dennis 750gpm pumper(no doors?),
and the other being a 1970 ERF/Metz 5 section (37mtr) 125ft turntable ladder.
The'TL'also did'nt have doors.Bet that was cold in the winter?.Pete M.

Added by Pete Matten on 20 October 2007.

Bob, good to hear from you again.Although I spent 30 years with the W.S.F.B., your
knowledge of the appliances and history are far greater then mine so I thank you
for your input.Its been helpful to me, and I hope some interest to others.Pete M.


Added by Pete Matten on 20 October 2007.

Hi gents, I have just posted a picture of our yellow 'tropical cab' 1964 Dennis F34 supplied to the Northern Territory Fire Brigade in Australia. This appliance was in Darwin up to the mid 1980s before it was withdrawn from service and, along with a 1972 Dennis F49, was painted yellow at the whim of the Chief Fire Officer. In 1983 the CFO was replaced, and from then the fire engines were supplied and remained red.

Regards - Lou

Added by Lou Cowan on 31 October 2007.

Lou, thanks for your in-put, interesting to know now the year of the Dennis F49 photo in my collection from the N.T.F.S., and also when they went all red again."Great picture"of the Dennis F34 in yellow(4393)of the N.T.F.S...Pete M.

Added by Pete Matten on 31 October 2007.

My father was stationed at Midhurst fire Station, I can remember my father driving the yellow Dennis and the Yellow Land Rover.

Added by Ian Chennell on 11 April 2010.

I'm researching the use of colour on fire appliances and wonder if anyone has a copy of a paper done by Coventry that lead to its adoption of yellow for fire applicances. I saw a copy of the paper about 30 years ago care of my Fire Control Officer in NSW, but have lost touch with him.



Added by Clive on 29 January 2011.

Gents, for those that are interested this appliance now has a new owner. Hopefully if all goes to plan she will be seen out & about over the summer months.

Added by Stuart Purves on 08 March 2013.

I am trying to get a model of this appliance as a retirement gift for my leading firefighter, as it was his first appliance when he joined, wondered if anyone could help ?

Added by Kim on 23 February 2015.

Have you tried Fire Brigade Models they do a kit or built, (if you pay extra), of this in 1/76th scale. If you google Fire Brigade Models you should get the web site

Added by Chris Stone on 24 February 2015.

try this but it is a kit so you would need to build it - or Paul Slade that site owner might build it for you to commission:
www.freewebs.com/firebrigademodels/models/fire/176scale/176055.html
you can see a built example of marcels' scale models site picture 1295

Added by Peter Williams on 24 February 2015.

Fire Brigade Models do this Dennis 'D'Series in 1/76 scale, its a nice model to make although a little expensive but I bought 2 and must say I think well worth having.

Contact Paul Slade at [email protected] or look at his website at www.firebrigademodels.net

Added by Pete Matten on 24 February 2015.

Kim, I also thought I might just mention that if you click on the model transport section below and under search put in picture 1295 it will bring up one of my previous models showing the Dennis model.

Added by Pete Matten on 24 February 2015.

Thanks very much for the help, I have now found it on the website but there is no price so I am waiting for Paul to get back to me. Kind regards, Kim

Added by Kim on 27 February 2015.

Hi the appliance MPO55J has just undergone extensive detailing by my company carspivs.com, based in Littlehampton she looks stunning.it has been worth every effort.

Added by Blair Andrews on 07 April 2015.

thanks to all concerned, I have now added a picture of the retirement plaque for you to see how it looked when mounted with the latest appliance.

Added by Kim on 08 April 2015.

Hi Kim, I'm glad you managed to get the Dennis 'D'Series model you were after for the retirement gift............the plaque looks really nice.

Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 09 April 2015.

I was in the Coventry fire brigade when the mustard coloured appliance was trialed as well as various warning systems we worked 9hr day & 15hr night shifts, great mob of blokes + it was a bit special when you were driving (straight 8 RR petrol) I was on the first call out to the large fire in far Gosford st. Ithink the final turn out was 20 pumps, 3 tls & various others with appliances backing up from Birmingham.

Added by John Dearsley on 30 October 2016.

Lovely Photo Pete, been trying to contact you, I'm looking for information & photo of The Coventry Yellow HP/Snorkel that was at 01 Worthing Sx in the early 1970s, it think it was in a fatal crash about 1977, it may have attended the large Datsun fire at Lancing 1973. Looking for reg, make and photo line up with the HP outside Worthing Fire Station c1972ish. If you or any of the WSFB boys could help that would be great, would also like a private chat many thanks Karen (Packham)

Added by Karen Wilson (Packham) on 19 January 2017.

FPO 135H ERF84RS/Jennings/SimonSS85, 1st Registered
15/12/70, RTC Write Off 1975.

Added by M.West on 27 January 2017.

Many thanks

M.West still trying to find a photo of the yellow HP based at 01 (Worthing) early 1970s

Added by Karen Wilson (Packham) on 07 December 2017.

One has to wonder why the NHS does not go foe a far cheaper and more durable paint job than the flourecent yellow. It might be High viz for the 1st 6 months but for the rest of its life it gets less ales noticeable.

Added by Neal Glover on 07 December 2017.

Karen, I have a couple of pictures of FPO 135H at Worthing, but I didn't take them, as I was only 8 when it was involved in it's fatal RTC on the A24, on route to a call at Gatwick, so I can not put them on this site. Pete Matten may be able to help you. It did attend the Datsun fire at Lancing, along with the other two ERF HPs from West Sussex - I can remember them all going past my house, and being quite impressed as a little boy that there was more than one of them! When they (as all 3 were allocated to Worthing at some point in their lives) turned out you could hear their engines roaring through Broadwater long before you could see them from my School or house - FPO 135H is probably largely responsible for my interest in the Fire Brigade! I have photos I took of the other two, LBP 773J and MPX 842J at Worthing, some of which are already on this site.

Added by Jon Godden on 07 December 2017.

Many thanks Jon Godden, I have emailed you, Karen.

Added by Karen Wilson (Packham) on 09 December 2017.

I was in Chichester workshop when grand old lady was being fitted out. F44 Rolls Royce B81 engine. I was apprentice mechanic year 1969. We had F44s, Dennis D series, F8s and many more. ERF (Simon snorkel) Hydraulic platforms, 1 at Chichester 1 at Worthing?

Added by John R on 04 March 2021.

John, wonder if you remembered me, l used to go in there - did you live in Havant?

Added by BOB CARVER on 19 March 2021.

Yes-leigh park. Workshop was in Chichester .Finding hard to place you BOB. I was trained there by - Doug, Maurice, Jack, Bert (foreman). Used to take Charlie Echo mobile round stations servicing engines. Fitted out many of new appliances. Proud to have done so.

Added by Jon Rutherford on 10 April 2021.

Engine in photo shows DENNIS D SERIES TENDER. Either a Jaguar or R/Royce B81 straight 8 engine was fitted. Dennis Escapes had B81 straights. Coventry Yellow (day-glow) was used to re-paint F8s, Bedfords, Land Rovers all applied by brush and rubbing down by Stewart. Officers cars were all white, A60s, A40s.Minis, 1100s, Marinas etc. CFO was S.F Crook and D.C.F.O.was Mr Blackburn. ERF hydraulic platform (SIMON SNORKEL) was to big for workshop and was serviced repaired at station. All other appliances were serviced/repaired in workshop @ 151 St Pancras, Chichester.

Added by Jon Rutherford on 27 July 2021.

Jon, I ran a NATO factory in Belgium at one time which built tracked APVs with the Jaguar 4.2 liter petrol engine, and these had a 25% out of service rate!

Let’s hope most brigades specified thePerkins six cylinder diesel or the Rolls - which, by the way, I thought was the B61 for the D series?

Added by Rob Johnson on 27 July 2021.

This one has a Jaguar engine, I don't think the D series was offered with a Rolls Royce option until much later on and then only a B 60 six cylinder, the more common later option was the Perkins Diesel. The B80's were usually fitted in the larger F series.



Added by on 28 July 2021.

Pretty sure Dennis D series had B81s. We had no diesels when I was apprentice even Hathaway pumps were petrol. Bedfords were all 6 cylinders, as were Commers. R/R B81s caused more trouble than the old Commers. Austin T/V towing vehicle was more reliable !!!.F8s also had B81s. The only GOOD steady plodders were all Bedfords, they were work-horses.The R/Rs were also fine.

Added by Jon Rutherford on 28 July 2021.

Jon, the West Sussex Dennis appliances fitted with Rolls Royce B81s, i.e F44/F49s carried 135/464 ladders, not Escapes; all the West Sussex "D"Series had Jaquar 4.2 Litre Petrol Engines, a fair few of which failed.

Added by M.west on 06 August 2021.

Jon, all the West Sussex F8s had Rolls Royce 6 cylinder engines, the Bedfords J4s carrying Wheeled Escapes/35ft Ajax Ladder, and 400 gallon tanks but were very sluggish(68 KPX/205 BPO), the "S" Types seemed slightly better, no match for the Dennis's.

Added by M.west on 06 August 2021.

I beg to differ but R/Rs were too fine an engine. The plodders - Bedford/Commers - had more work room than Dennis machines, which according to fitters of the time were clumsy. What took a day on a Bedford or Commer to repair would take a fortnight on Dennis-R/Rs!, not a very economical machine.

Added by Jon Rutherford on 10 August 2021.

Jon: When I was involved with selling the first-ever Ford D series to Gloucestershire in 1966 I remember the transport officer commenting along exactly the lines you mentioned! The Commers were indeed less politely described, but the hassle maintaining and repairing the Rolls Royce engines were confirmed...

Added by Rob Johnson on 11 August 2021.

The end users I know certainly did not complain about the Dennis/Rolls machines, but they certainly did when a Bedford arrived as a spare! Also they where not amused by the loss of their Dennis/Rolls(Auto) machine for a Dennis R130 with manual gearbox and a Perkins 540 engine.

Added by M.west on 15 August 2021.

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