Fire Engines Photos

Form follows function!😊

Added by CraigW on 02 May 2021.

Yelp, The newest AT body design from Rosenbauer is one of the most modern designs anywhere, and it is good news to see these coming into service in the UK. Do you happen to know whether they have CAFS and/or UHP pump equipment, or the new battery fed hydraulic tools? It would also be interesting to know if they have a powered roof rack for the ladders and ceiling poles, as this is now getting to be a standard fitting on new pump appliances in many parts of Europe.

Added by Rob Johnson on 02 May 2021.

Hi Rob, it’s been a while. Hope you are well. The eleven ATs are all now operational in Staffordshire, and I’m hearing only good reports about them. They certainly are VERY different to the Scania/ Emergency One/JDC pumps they are displacing. Decades ahead, I’ve heard say. Forgive my ignorance, but I’m not that technically minded, but bear with me as I endeavour to share a bit more detail on these appliances! The smaller 16-tonne chassis allows the overall width to be narrower than the Scania by several inches, don’t know the number though. But this is proving very useful, as in the past many of Staffordshire’s appliances have struggled to negotiate narrow streets and selfish double parking particularly in Stoke-on-Trent and on the beauty spots of Cannock Chase and up in the moorlands.

They are fitted with the Rosenbauer High End NH25 Pump, whatever that is! One interesting thing I do know about the pump is, it operates somewhat autonomously, and therefore doesn’t require a pump operator as such. As for CAFS, I’m not sure, because somewhere in the back of my mind I have it that Staffordshire abandoned CAFS some years ago because of environmental issues both on the domestic, and much bigger levels. Could be wrong, of course. Perhaps someone will put me right...

The appliances have the low emissions Euro 6 engine, the rescue cutting tools are the battery-powered Holmatro variety, and I’m fairly sure the ladder gantries are not powered, and are therefore accessed manually. Interestingly the pump is accessed by a lift-up tinted glass panel that provides anybody standing at the pump protection from the elements as well as bright sunshine, not that we get much of that in Britain! But this panel would get in the way of any centrally-stowed large ladder, but these appliances don’t actually carry one. Even though they are designated as Pump Rescue Ladders they do not carry the big triple-extension 13.5m (45’) ladder normally associated with PRLs. Their main ladder is the 10m (35‘) twin-extension which is located on the vehicle’s near-side (left) gantry. The central gantry is home to a compact folding roof ladder and a short triple extension ladder in the same configuration as on the Scania appliances. Though it must still be awkward to unload them with the pump bay door panel in the up position, but I trust they have found a satisfactory method by now. The off-side (right) roof space is where two huge suction hoses are stowed.

One nice addition is a digital LED screen on the rear that can display left- or right-pointing arrows, and the words ACCIDENT, STOP, FIRE, STOP or ROAD CLOSED.

Because of Rosenbauer’s innovative stowage solutions, these appliances carry much more kit than the Scanias do.

But all these high tech advancements do come at a price. Unbelievably they are £30, 000 CHEAPER than the last Scania Emergency One Pump Rescue Ladder Staffordshire purchased in 2012. To me that’s quite a shock, and presumably this must be terrible news for the likes of Emergency One, Angloco and the like. Unless of course they up their games. After all John Dennis Coachbuilders went the way of father Dennis, and I’m guessing it wasn’t just because of ongoing cuts in our fire services’ budgets, which is what they have solely put the blame on; hmm... surely the “Dennis” disease of short-sighted bad management must’ve also been a factor.

And for anybody interested in registrations.....

DX69 TPO - Sandyford (Stoke)
DX69 TPU - Tamworth Belgrave
DX69 TPV - Newcastle-under-Lyme
DX69 TPY - Leek
DX69 TPZ - Stafford

DX68 VHA - Penkridge
DX68 VHB - Cannock
DX68 VHC - Longton (Stoke)
DX68 VHD - Burton-upon-Trent
DX68 VHE - Lichfield
DX68 VHF - Hanley (Stoke)

Cheers one an’ all.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 06 May 2021.

Thanks Yelp. All is well, and we are planning to be back in various European countries later this year, COVID permitting.
FYI the NH25 delivers 2500 LPM at 10 AT with a 3 metre lift and can deliver 400 of these at 40 AT to the first aid hose reels via a built in three stage secondary built in pump. I do hope they have included CAFS, because it is now becoming a standard feature on new pumpers in virtually every country, and the new systems cater to both A and B class foam types.

Added by Rob Johnson on 07 May 2021.

Great info, Yelp!

Added by David on 14 May 2021.

The discussion about the possible negative environmental impact of CAF is pretty much over in most of Europe, where the overall net impact has actually been judged to be positive! Because fires are extinguished much more rapidly, there is less fire damage, so less material which needs to go to landfill, less air pollution from smoke and less dirty water runoff, added to which the pump's diesel emissions are reduced because it is operated for a much shorter time - usually only a quarter to half as long as with a plain water situation.

Added by Rob Johnson on 19 December 2021.

Just seen this. Fantastic information which is very welcome, thank you.

Added by Roger Mardon on 20 December 2021.

I should add that my friends at Rosenbauer point out that the NH25 pump, while rated at 2500 LPM @ 10 AT with a 3.0 metre lift, can pump up to 3800 LPM @ 10 AT from a pressurized source such as a hydrant - or in a water relay role. Apart from a few countries such as The Netherlands, most urban firefighting in Europe and the Americas is done using hydrants, so this in many ways is a more meaningful way of looking at pump capacity. In practice the limiting factor is often hydrant flow, especially where water mains are older.

In the USA, where most hydrants are on 200 mm mains, hydrants often flow 5,500 LPM to 7,000 LPM, which allows a single pumper to supply several hose lines...

Added by Rob Johnson on 20 December 2021.

Glad I added something worthy of praise! And especially nice to hear you say so too, Mr Mardon. After all, your website has been a great source of information to me for many years now. Is it too late to wish everyone a happy new year?!

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 11 January 2022.

I for one always welcome your contributions to this site, and I am especially encouraged by the news that at last some UK fire brigades are finally buying the latest equipment designs to make everything easier and safer for their fire crews.

Added by Rob Johnson on 11 January 2022.

This month, Staffordshire FRS are due to receive two further Rosenbaur AT pumping appliances, but these will be designated as Enhanced Rescue Pumps and will bring about the retirement of Staffordshire's sole Heavy Rescue Tender based at Longton in Stoke-on-Trent. To carry the extra kit compared to the Volvo Pump Rescue Ladders, the two ERPs are being built on the bigger Scania chassis.

They will be stationed at Longton and Stafford.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 27 March 2024.

Yelp: Thanks for the update. You may be interested to know that the concept of the rescue pumper is finally becoming quite common in the States. Modern extrication gear is now often battery operated, so it takes up less room than the older hydraulic stuff, while air bags can often do part or all of the work of wooden shoring or hydraulic rams.

All of this means that you can fit more and more rescue equipment into smaller spaces, so that a combination pump rescue can deliver a lot of useful capabilities in both roles.

Added by Rob Johnson on 28 March 2024.

The sad demise of the Rescue Tender! Though I can imagine that HRT at Longton has put some serious mileage on it over the years...!

Added by David on 28 March 2024.

David - To help cope with your grieving, may I suggest you take a look on YouTube at some of the rescues being delivered and used in the States. These are still very popular, especially with volunteers, who have lots of money for equipment because they have no payroll expenses. A recent example on a tandem axle Pierce custom chassis with a 550 BHP engine was over 12 meters long, weighed over 30 tons and had seating for ten. In the immortal words of Monty Python’s Holy Grail - “not dead yet”…..

Added by Rob Johnson on 29 March 2024.

Why no 13.5 Ladder on Staffs and Surrey Rosenbauer engines? 13.5 replaced the wheel escapes since the horse drawn era



Added by Geoffrey Blurton on 15 August 2024.

Geoffrey, every single 13.5m ladder in Staffordshire FRS has been ditched. Apparently they are hardly ever used anyway, and so they are gonners! Curious though, that Staffs FRS still designate all their frontline engines as Pump Rescue Ladders.... even the ones with reduced rescue kit! Go figure that one!!!

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 27 February 2025.

They are absent from many pumpers in different European countries too, although most of the time these are accompanied by a much larger number of turntable ladders, ladder towers and/or aerial platforms than are typically found in the U.K.

I am not sure, but I think it may also have to do with reluctance on the part of some firefighters to climb these because of their length, not to mention manhandling these heavy and often cumbersome ladders.

In the US most aerial ladder trucks carry a 40 foot ladder, but these too are very rarely deployed, and the aerial is invariably preferred even when tackling residential structure fires in two stores houses.

Added by Rob Johnson on 05 March 2025.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.