Fire Engines Photos

Is the driver's door aluminium?

Added by CraigW on 13 August 2022.

CraigW yes, they had all aluminium bodywork

Added by Christopher Stone on 13 August 2022.

All Kent firemen were invited to submit suggestions for incorporation into the design of a new pumping appliance in 1964. The result was the Commer VAKS / HCB-Angus known as the K2, the first of which went on the run at Dartford in 1965.

Added by Petros on 13 August 2022.

It’s always a good plan to get input from the actual users, and this is a very common practice in many US departments. Although it does sometimes lead to useful innovations, it can however reinforce continuing conventional thinking. I recall Henry Ford’s famous observation. “If I had asked people want they wanted, they would have told me it was a faster horse”. By 1969 there were better chassis choices, not least the Bedford TK and the Ford D series!

Added by Rob Johnson on 13 August 2022.

They look very purposeful. If that door has been made in alumiimum by the coachbuilder (HCB ? ) it is a work of art.

Ed: my own guess is the door is painted steel to match.

Added by CraigW on 13 August 2022.

Repainting the original steel factory door does seem to defeat the only reason for using unpainted aluminium, namely that it does not need to be painted!!! I seem to remember seeing appliances in Scotland at one time which had the cabs all painted grey to match the unpainted aluminium bodywork. It seemed quite mad then and still does...

Added by Rob Johnson on 15 August 2022.

Rob Johnson, Kent bought Commer's for years, probably because Commer who where part of the Root's Group, and were based in Maidstone. Kent Fire Brigade, (now Kent Fire & Rescue Service), Headquarters is also in Maidstone!

Added by Christopher Stone on 16 August 2022.

I actually remember them from my student days as a barman cum bouncer at Butlins in Margate - when I was actually paid to be in a beer bar!

It does kind of emphasize Mr. Ford’s comment…..

Added by Rob Johnson on 16 August 2022.

Having zoomed in on my original photograph and others taken at the time, I can confirm that the main body of the door has an aluminium skin of the same type as other parts of the body. The section above the beading ie. around the glass, is different. It has a smooth finish and could be painted steel

Added by Chris Wood on 17 August 2022.

Back then, the Margate station had two Commer pumps and a TL. But the TL was a Bedford S Hayden Magirus, which I think is in a photo on this site - and was pretty much identical to the Dinky Supertoys model ladder introduced around then.




I saw them all in action dealing with a minor attic fire, which was a hose reel job - but the TL was used for access to get some of the roof tiles down.

Added by Rob Johnson on 14 September 2022.

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