Fire Engines Photos

Hello my name is william shearer from the orkney islands and would just like to add that 3 of these engines survive in orkney but all in poor shape and were used at the airport and at least one of the engines number starts with sxt.contact me if you would like more details.

Added by WILLIAM SHEARER on 19 March 2008.

William, well done bringing this information to our notice! Now, there will probably be lots of other posts that will beat me, but PLEASE, grab your camera and get back there and take lots of photos of them, number plates if any? front views, back views, side views, you know, and post back on this site as quick as you can, and we will love you heaps!!

Added by Pavel - Western Australia on 20 March 2008.

Did'nt recieve confirmation of this E.Mail from you William on my mail.If
you have any pictures of the appliances in question and want to add them to the site, that would be great, I'm sure we'd all like to see them.....Pete M.

Added by Added by Pete Matten on 20 March 2008.

We had those when I attended the Airport Fire School at Stanstead......the Sun Vactrol foam system was fitted and its operation was drilled into us!

Added by Barrie Green on 16 July 2008.

Come on Barry, didn't you take any pictures?.It might have been a few years ago, but I'm sure we'd all like to see some pictures.

Added by Pete Matten on 16 July 2008.

Pete....I wish I had taken some pics......in 1967 I was so poor I couldn't afford a box Brownie !!!!

Added by Bazza on 19 July 2008.

I servered at Gatwick during 1966-68 and drove this appliance. The Vactrol foam system was a good idea - similar in priciple to an SU carburetter - but badly designed with bits all over the place connected by rods and cranks that required regular oiling and adjustment. I was at Gatwick when the first Nubian Major arrived and was the first fireman ever to drive one on the run.

Added by Frank Poulter on 05 January 2011.

Recently come across a picture of what I think is a Douglas 6x6 with Sun bodywork similar to this Thornycroft .
Anyone know anything about 6x6 Douglas fire crash tenders ? The only photos on net are of a Commer QX based 4x4.

Added by CraigW on 20 March 2019.

Its 11 years later ! but in answer to second question if you google image search 'Orkney Image Library Airport Fire Service ' you will find a pic of two Nubians , one may be reg. SXT137

Added by CraigW on 20 March 2019.

The Ministry of Aviation indeed had I think 2 appliances built by Sun on Douglas 6x6 chassis and kept as spares. 1 of them came to Gatwick as a temporary replacement foam/tender pump sometime while I was there in 1966-1968. As far as I remember the body work pump and foam system was the same as the Nubians and it also used the same Rolls B81 engine. The transfer gearbox though had 3 ranges; high, medium and low. The amount of water carried was greater than the Nubian Foam Tender Pumps's 800 gallons and the Water Tender Pumps's 950 gallons - maybe 1100/1200 gallons. It had a few oddities compared with the Nubians; with the extra weight it was quite under powered, the gear change action was not reversed as the Nubians were so one was likely to try to start off in 3rd gear, and it had power steering. This was a mixed blessing as the hydraulic pump driving it had plenty of pressure so the steering was initially light but it had insufficient flow to the steering ram so turning the steering wheel tended to result in it rotating in a series of jerks as the pump tried and failed to keep up!

Added by Frank Poulter on 31 March 2019.

SXT107 for searching purposes.

Added by Petros on 09 April 2020.

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