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Fire Engine Photos
Chertsey Fire Station in 1963 Surrey
This shot shows the fleet (or most of it) on show at Chertsey station where my TL was stationed (on the left) weather or not the Carrier and the F24 still exist i do not know but would love to!
A reunion is scheduled for 2008 with the TL would be great if the other machines could show up too!
This shot shows the fleet (or most of it) on show at Chertsey station where my TL was stationed (on the left) weather or not the Carrier and the F24 still exist i do not know but would love to!
A reunion is scheduled for 2008 with the TL would be great if the other machines could show up too!
Ah ha thanks for that Ian my knowledge of those machines is very sketchy as you are now aware!
do you know if the Commer and F24 are still around i have been asked to find out for an event in the summer by Chertsey staff
Added by Jason on 08 January 2008.
do you know if the Commer and F24 are still around i have been asked to find out for an event in the summer by Chertsey staff
Added by Jason on 08 January 2008.
Hi Jason
I have been following your restoration of the Dennis through the photos you post on this site. I own an ex Somerset Dennis F28 Water Tender very similar to the F24 in the above photo except mine has roll up lockers and folding rear doors.It went on the run in 1961 and replaced a 1950 Commer with a Whitson body the same as the one in the above photo. The Commer also still exists. There are three ex Somerset F28's in preservation still kept in Somerset.
Added by Paul Pickford on 08 January 2008.
I have been following your restoration of the Dennis through the photos you post on this site. I own an ex Somerset Dennis F28 Water Tender very similar to the F24 in the above photo except mine has roll up lockers and folding rear doors.It went on the run in 1961 and replaced a 1950 Commer with a Whitson body the same as the one in the above photo. The Commer also still exists. There are three ex Somerset F28's in preservation still kept in Somerset.
Added by Paul Pickford on 08 January 2008.
Jason, I was just browsing the web sites and reminiscing (can't spell) as I served at Chertsey from 1972 to 1975 then transferred to Epsom. I saw the photo of the TL and realised that this is the very one I used to drive to shouts once I had become a TL qualified operator. God, the memories flood back now. I would love to get my hands on her again on controls. If my memory serves me correct, for some reason the Epsom TL was off the run and we had Chertsey's TL at the station, I don't know why? Anyway one evening the bells 'went down' and the TL was sent out to Holloway Sanatorium, on Eghams ground. That was the longest drive I took in her and when we arrived, all we used were the search lights. I can't recollect actually using her in anger. I only hope that you take good care of her, she was/is some appliance!!!! I am actually doodling with a book about my life and your appliance figures in it. It's basically the lighter side of the brigade with obviously 'shouts' we attended. I very stupidly resigned in 1982 after 10+ years to join the Metropolitan Police, but that's another story. I currently reside in Thailand but return to the UK often to work on international haulage. Perhaps we could meet at some point.I also see in the photo one of the F24's that I also drove. We had,I seem to remember, 92 SPK and 93 SPK WRL and WRT's. I remember the fastest one was 96 SPK that was often brought in as a spare Ah!!! The fond memories!!!!!
Added by Andy Chapman on 14 March 2009.
Added by Andy Chapman on 14 March 2009.
Hi fantastic to hear from you! i would love for you to take the controlls of her once again it would be an honour.
Its true to say that after her retirement from the run she suffered badly and will take a long time to put rite but she will be like new again she is a fantastic beast to drive with her automatic gearbox and thunderous B81 she makes good progress.
She had 93 spk as her stable mate at Chertsey and 96 spk lives on still in Guildford also 95 spk unfortunately 93 spk is no longer with us my plan is to re-unite her with the station at Chertsey and any other Surrey machines that can make it like dennis f12 1amx and 897 ppl etc please feel free to stay in contact as we must meet for your drive of her once more!
Added by Jason on 15 March 2009.
Its true to say that after her retirement from the run she suffered badly and will take a long time to put rite but she will be like new again she is a fantastic beast to drive with her automatic gearbox and thunderous B81 she makes good progress.
She had 93 spk as her stable mate at Chertsey and 96 spk lives on still in Guildford also 95 spk unfortunately 93 spk is no longer with us my plan is to re-unite her with the station at Chertsey and any other Surrey machines that can make it like dennis f12 1amx and 897 ppl etc please feel free to stay in contact as we must meet for your drive of her once more!
Added by Jason on 15 March 2009.
Fantastic picture of such wonderful old fire engines.The F24"s were a breed apart with such power ,and the roar of their rolls engine.I was lucky enough to ride on them from 1974 until replaced in 1977.Also remember the TL"s at Chertsey Epsom and Reigate.Fantastic to hear ur restoration project.Andy Chapman was with me on Green watch at Leatherhead in 1979.What a small world.I am in the group who own 1 AMX F12.Look forward to seeing ur fantastic TL
Added by Andy Johnstone on 12 June 2009.
Added by Andy Johnstone on 12 June 2009.
Hi Jason, I am currently back in the UK doing a bit of work as and when it comes up. Yes, I would give my eye teeth( which is about all I have left now), to get behind the wheel and feel the force.Those were the days!!!! You can try to contact me on 07772018941( mobile). It's always on though I never answer any calls with number witheld. I look forward to hearing from you. I am currently staying at Horsham so am in the area. Regards, Andy.
Added by Andy Chapman on 02 July 2009.
Added by Andy Chapman on 02 July 2009.
fantastic i will be around all this weekend and you are free to come and sample her again!
i will call you tomorrow (Saturday)
just done a Funeral in Hungerford and thatcham and will be driving her home tomorrow
Added by Jason on 03 July 2009.
i will call you tomorrow (Saturday)
just done a Funeral in Hungerford and thatcham and will be driving her home tomorrow
Added by Jason on 03 July 2009.
Darlington had a Commer Whitson when I grew up there. NHN 999 was their first postwar acquisiton, starting life as an A type with only a hose reel pump, then converted to a B type with a 700 GPM Gwynne pump transferred from a pensioned-off Leyland pump appliance.
It had one odd feature. The side lockers were quite small, and were topped off by a full-length rear access locker, which was rather inaccessible and of limited usefulness. It also meant that the hosereels were mounted very high, on top of these longitudinal lockers. This explains the small step near the rear wheel arch and the vertical grab handle under the reel installation. The Whitson ran second due with the watch sub officer and three or four crew, including presumably the two tallest members of the watch!
Darlington must have liked it though, because they bought another Commer. This one (RHN 999) was bodied by Carmichael, and the lesson was obviously learned, because this appliance had its reels at ground level immediately behind the rear cab doors.
Both Commers were replaced by Dennis diesels, after around fifteen years of front-line service, and then made their way to Teeside Airport. RHN 999 is illustrated on this site with its airport garage-mates.
Added by Rob Johnson on 20 July 2013.
It had one odd feature. The side lockers were quite small, and were topped off by a full-length rear access locker, which was rather inaccessible and of limited usefulness. It also meant that the hosereels were mounted very high, on top of these longitudinal lockers. This explains the small step near the rear wheel arch and the vertical grab handle under the reel installation. The Whitson ran second due with the watch sub officer and three or four crew, including presumably the two tallest members of the watch!
Darlington must have liked it though, because they bought another Commer. This one (RHN 999) was bodied by Carmichael, and the lesson was obviously learned, because this appliance had its reels at ground level immediately behind the rear cab doors.
Both Commers were replaced by Dennis diesels, after around fifteen years of front-line service, and then made their way to Teeside Airport. RHN 999 is illustrated on this site with its airport garage-mates.
Added by Rob Johnson on 20 July 2013.
Does anyone remember my dad, John Anthony Davies? I know he was in the surrey fire brigade in 1963
Added by J Davies on 14 February 2014.
Added by J Davies on 14 February 2014.
Hi, I was stationed at Chertsey straight out of training school at the same time those 3 appliances were there, I subsequently transferred to Epsom. I qualified there as a TL operator and drove the stations Dennis/Magirus TL.After about 7 years in the SFB I transferred to London, but that's another story
Added by David Hack on 17 November 2014.
Added by David Hack on 17 November 2014.
I remember at old Commer because it was so SLOW, more like a hearse than a fire engine. Now the Dennis/Rolls, that was a whole different matter. Like a blinking greyhound on 'speed'.
Added by David Hack on 19 November 2014.
Added by David Hack on 19 November 2014.
Commer
I hope you don't mind my mentioning it, but OPF 250 was a true Commer (the 21A model as opposed to a Karrier) and was the first of 14 Whitson bodied WrTs that Surrey had.
Added by Ian Moore on 08 January 2008.