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Fire Engine Photos
PLF623 Thames 500E/Wadhams P/FoT ROF Glascoed
One of the thirteen 1956 Fordson Thames 500E Firefly appliances with which they were equipped. Ordered by the Ministry of Supply with bodies by Wadham Brothers in Waterlooville, they were built on a three ton chassis, and fitted with a diminutive ‘cost cutter’ 4-cylinder OHV petrol engine of 3,611cc and were perhaps somewhat ambitiously designated as pump foam tenders (P/FoT). However, these diminutive appliances only carried 150 gallons of water and 36 gallons of foam compound in a separate tank, along with a Coventry Climax major pump.
This served at ROF Glascoed, south Wales.
Courtesy Geoff Pritchard collection acquired via the Fire Brigade Society. Copyright K Wardell.
One of the thirteen 1956 Fordson Thames 500E Firefly appliances with which they were equipped. Ordered by the Ministry of Supply with bodies by Wadham Brothers in Waterlooville, they were built on a three ton chassis, and fitted with a diminutive ‘cost cutter’ 4-cylinder OHV petrol engine of 3,611cc and were perhaps somewhat ambitiously designated as pump foam tenders (P/FoT). However, these diminutive appliances only carried 150 gallons of water and 36 gallons of foam compound in a separate tank, along with a Coventry Climax major pump.
This served at ROF Glascoed, south Wales.
Courtesy Geoff Pritchard collection acquired via the Fire Brigade Society. Copyright K Wardell.
in later life here - it looks as though it is still preserved Essex/Hertfordshire area:
Added by Petros on 03 June 2023.
Added by Petros on 03 June 2023.
"Firefly" was a brand used by a number of companies including:
Fire Armour and then HCB Angus when they too them over
John Kerr of Kirkby
Foers Ibex more recently for Gibraltar
and this
Added by Petros on 03 June 2023.
Fire Armour and then HCB Angus when they too them over
John Kerr of Kirkby
Foers Ibex more recently for Gibraltar
and this
Added by Petros on 03 June 2023.
Seems a bit of a misnomer. Fireflies light up, while fire trucks extinguish fires! The other equally silly name was Firebird, which was the name for a series of aerial platforms marketed (with very little success) in the seventies in North America. These came in 100, 125 and 150 foot versions, and some photos of examples can be found in the “Other” section on this site.
Added by Rob Johnson on 03 June 2023.
Added by Rob Johnson on 03 June 2023.
Then of course we had “Firemaster”, the name chosen by Leyland for their unique underfloor engine fire appliance chassis, based on a shortened bus chassis, which was introduced in 1960. This was also the job title given at the time to chief fire officers in Scotland, and - although rather pretentious - did at least summon up the idea that it described a person who could master a fire….Not surprisingly Glasgow’s Firemaster was one of the few chief officers who decided to buy Leyland Firemaster appliances!
Added by Rob Johnson on 04 February 2025.
Added by Rob Johnson on 04 February 2025.
Fordson
Added by Rob Johnson on 02 June 2023.