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Fire Engine Photos
West Midlands Fire Service 1971 Dennis D series
VVP 760J. Ex-City of Birmingham 1971 Dennis'D'Series Pump Escape.
Like many fire brigades throughout the UK during the late 1960's,early 1970's,the City of Birmingham decided to be a little different when they decided to change their livery.Coventry were of course the first to try out for better visibility a change in their colour by deciding on yellow for their appliances,West Sussex decided on a simular colour and a couple of other fire brigades also went for a yellow livery.Some brigades like those in Yorkshire soon followed,but they decided on the colour of white for their appliances which looked rather good and again was acceptable,'but oh dear',the City of Birmingham had to be different,this was'nt neither the colours mensioned but more of a cross between a Pinky/Orange dayglo colour which really looked outstanding and certainly really was something different then what we'd seen before in the UK.Thankfully,it was very soon realised during the mid-1970's that in the UK,red was the colour for fire engines,and red it should be.
VVP 760J. Ex-City of Birmingham 1971 Dennis'D'Series Pump Escape.
Like many fire brigades throughout the UK during the late 1960's,early 1970's,the City of Birmingham decided to be a little different when they decided to change their livery.Coventry were of course the first to try out for better visibility a change in their colour by deciding on yellow for their appliances,West Sussex decided on a simular colour and a couple of other fire brigades also went for a yellow livery.Some brigades like those in Yorkshire soon followed,but they decided on the colour of white for their appliances which looked rather good and again was acceptable,'but oh dear',the City of Birmingham had to be different,this was'nt neither the colours mensioned but more of a cross between a Pinky/Orange dayglo colour which really looked outstanding and certainly really was something different then what we'd seen before in the UK.Thankfully,it was very soon realised during the mid-1970's that in the UK,red was the colour for fire engines,and red it should be.
Pete, yea you could be right, I thought it was a'D'Series.looks
like my mistake.Some of these appliance looked so alike.
Added by Pete Matten on 12 February 2008.
like my mistake.Some of these appliance looked so alike.
Added by Pete Matten on 12 February 2008.
this is a dennis f40 series as far as i can tell as notable by its quad headlighs etc
Added by Jason on 12 February 2008.
Added by Jason on 12 February 2008.
You're right Peter - it's not a D, it's an F45.
Added by Ian Moore on 12 February 2008.
Added by Ian Moore on 12 February 2008.
Didn't Greater Manchester have simular coloured appliances throughout the eighties. I was up there for a while, I always thought they looked rather striking.
Added by Dave Lewis on 22 July 2008.
Added by Dave Lewis on 22 July 2008.
Dave, yes they did and as you say they were quite striking, I
think at that time GMFS were running Dodge appliances.I'll
have to sort out a couple of pictures at sometime.
Added by Pete Matten on 23 July 2008.
think at that time GMFS were running Dodge appliances.I'll
have to sort out a couple of pictures at sometime.
Added by Pete Matten on 23 July 2008.
Pete, you're quite right they did operate a fleet of Dodges, and it was either before them or after they ran a fleet of Dennis also in that vibrant colour scheme. I seem to remember that they had the odd Land Rover scattered around the county too.
Added by Dave Lewis on 23 July 2008.
Added by Dave Lewis on 23 July 2008.
Let's not forget the classic Ford D1617/HCB-Angus WrLs from Lancashire and GMCFS. Lancashire County Fire Brigade also used this colour scheme along with GM, albeit on the front of their cabs with the exception of the Ford D/Marksman WrTs. All the Fords, ERF's, Bedford TKG Elricco/CFE, Bedford TKG"HSC"/HCB-Angus, two Fire Warriors at Bispham and Colne and the two Dennis DFS133/Dennis/Magirus DL30u TLs at Preston and Blackburn with the three Dodge TLs, two Carmichael/Magirus DL30u at Morcambe and South Shore and the Dodge G16/Anglco/Metz DLk30u at South Shore had their cab fronts painted fleuro red. The advent of the Leylands in 1986 saw Lancashire revert to painting the whole cabs fire engine red.
Rentokill advertise that their fleuro red is copyrighted. Is this the reason that fire brigades strayed from using it?
Added by Andy Middleton on 13 May 2010.
Rentokill advertise that their fleuro red is copyrighted. Is this the reason that fire brigades strayed from using it?
Added by Andy Middleton on 13 May 2010.
Let us not forget Surrey Fire Brigades experimentation with Dayglo liveries and the infamous Ford D1617 chassied appliances bodied by Angloco that acquired the affectionate nick name of the Pink Panthers!
Surrey also had their Shelvokes, Dennis RS's & Ford control unit (plus potentially others) painted in this lurid colour.
Added by John D on 13 May 2010.
Surrey also had their Shelvokes, Dennis RS's & Ford control unit (plus potentially others) painted in this lurid colour.
Added by John D on 13 May 2010.
To John D,were the Angloco ones on a T reg,if so,they finished up at Filton airfield.
Why were they "infamous" ?
Added by Bristol Bob on 14 May 2010.
Why were they "infamous" ?
Added by Bristol Bob on 14 May 2010.
The Lancashire Livery introduced in the late 1960s was indeed rocket red. It was very similar to that currently used on some DYNOROD vehicles. However, it was judged to be too striking and was actually very soon toned down. Over 40 years later it is still in use. HOwever, the new Prime movers are in a more traditional red, so one wonders if the end is nigh for this livery?
Added by Norman Price on 15 May 2010.
Added by Norman Price on 15 May 2010.
Hi Bristol Bob. Not sure of the all the reg numbers but may be able to go and check. Would be interested to here if the one's you knew of survived.
Really it was the Surrey's Ford as a whole were infamous. Bit like Marmite they were allegedly loved or hated (generally the later)
According to fellow Fire Brigades of Surrey Preservation Trust members
The initial batch of Ford D1014 / HCB-Angus appliances were under powered and accordingly not very popular with crews at the time. As a result they were phased out very quickly
The next intake were upon the Ford D1114 chassis.
Following which the larger D1617 chassis was to be procured, with bodywork by Angloco. These were a more powerful appliance and due to their unique Dayglo livery acquired their affectionate nick name of the 'Pink Panthers'.
To identify a Pink Panther apart from the colour scheme, visual differences are
* Engine grills behind the front doors were smaller
* No small window in-between the front and rear doors
The build quality was questionable and a favorite rumor is of one machine actually growing mushrooms!
Added by John D on 17 May 2010.
Really it was the Surrey's Ford as a whole were infamous. Bit like Marmite they were allegedly loved or hated (generally the later)
According to fellow Fire Brigades of Surrey Preservation Trust members
The initial batch of Ford D1014 / HCB-Angus appliances were under powered and accordingly not very popular with crews at the time. As a result they were phased out very quickly
The next intake were upon the Ford D1114 chassis.
Following which the larger D1617 chassis was to be procured, with bodywork by Angloco. These were a more powerful appliance and due to their unique Dayglo livery acquired their affectionate nick name of the 'Pink Panthers'.
To identify a Pink Panther apart from the colour scheme, visual differences are
* Engine grills behind the front doors were smaller
* No small window in-between the front and rear doors
The build quality was questionable and a favorite rumor is of one machine actually growing mushrooms!
Added by John D on 17 May 2010.
Thanks John,i don't know what happened to the 2 Filton machines,they were replaced a long time ago.
They were a normal red colour.
Added by Bristol Bob on 17 May 2010.
They were a normal red colour.
Added by Bristol Bob on 17 May 2010.
Let's not forget that Powys placed on the run at Talgarth a fleuro red Bedford TKG/CFE WrL BMB661S which was affectionally know as the Pink Panther.
Added by Andy Middleton on 17 May 2010.
Added by Andy Middleton on 17 May 2010.
The original "pink Pather" was BOM882K based at Highgate fire station in Birmingham. DAYGLO was bought back from Germany after the fire expo there. It did work as a colour. It was stopped to being used due to the respray cost of the numbers of undercoat and top finish paint. I used to drive this pump.
Added by Nigel Brown on 22 November 2011.
Added by Nigel Brown on 22 November 2011.
This Dennis machine was registered in 1971 but the photo was obviously taken after the 1974 re-organisation of brigades. To me it looks like a water tender ladder as 50ft escape ladders about that time in B'ham were all timber and you'd still see the carriage wheels at the rear. The head of ladder/gantry appears 13.6m aluminium alloy Lacon or similar.
Added by Tony (Taff) Madsen Fm 1565 on 13 November 2012.
Added by Tony (Taff) Madsen Fm 1565 on 13 November 2012.
Its an F45 Chassis No 132F45B Delivered in February 1971 and designated a Pump Ladder
Added by Barrie Green on 13 November 2012.
Added by Barrie Green on 13 November 2012.
Grampian also used the day glo colours from late 70's/Early 80's until they started painting their appliances white in 98/99....
Added by Andy on 14 November 2012.
Added by Andy on 14 November 2012.
Why are there no pictures of City of Coventry yellow Dennis f36 0r f44 someone must have one!!
Added by John Miles on 02 August 2013.
Added by John Miles on 02 August 2013.
Strathclyde also experimented with day glo with a Dodge K1113 and Bedford Fire Witch and Warriors before going back to red.
Added by Grant Melvile on 02 August 2013.
Added by Grant Melvile on 02 August 2013.
At Ladyhood we had PE4 and Pump21, they were nice to drive if you could doubled clutch, unfortunately if you could your mate in the back put his foot on the gear lever and caused you to crunch ! - happy days
Added by Phil Webb on 25 January 2016.
Added by Phil Webb on 25 January 2016.
Dennis
Added by Peter Williams on 11 February 2008.