Fire Engines Photos

Rolls engined




Added by Petros on 01 September 2025.

Was this an original installation or a replacement for the original engine? I believe some TKs were built with AEC AV470 diesels too, which had a bit more power than Bedford’s own diesels, but this seems to have been a factory option.

Added by Rob Johnson on 03 September 2025.

Rob Johnson - AFAIK the six Bedford TKs Somerset bought in 1973 and 1974 were built new with Rolls Royce engines. The four built in 1973 went new to stations located along the M5 corridor (Weston Super Mare, Burnham On Sea, Bridgwater and Taunton). The two built in 1974 went new to Wellington and Yeovil. I think the idea may have been that Somerset wanted some Bedford TKs with more powerful engines in them than the previous batches had.

Added by George A'court on 24 May 2026.

Thanks George. The RR B60/61 six cylinder engines were indeed rated a bit more powerful than the contemporary Bedford engines, but another thought might be have been a desire to get a more reliable and rugged power unit. Brigades with Dennis appliances with RR engines usually really loved them, and may have been keen to have RR engines in their other rigs too? I recall our RR B80 powered Dennis F12 spent 10 twenty four hour days at a coal mine fire pumping over 900 GPM, stopping only to be refueled and have its oil topped up. This underlined the toughness of that engine, and it went back on the run afterwards as if it had done nothing at all…

Added by Rob Johnson on 30 May 2026.

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