Fire Engines Photos

Paul, few would disagree with you on your comments, this is beautiful coachwork.

Added by Pavel - Western Australia on 28 March 2008.

Pavel, I will take some pictures of the inside to show you. It is even more magnificent inside. First of all there is so much space as the engine is underfloor in the middle of the chassis and then there is wonderful varnished wood done by old school craftsmen. With the engine well behind the cab it is very quiet. It is also just two pedal operation without a clutch although the gears are still maually selected through a short pneumatic gear selction lever. This is the Leyland pneumo-cyclic gearbox system which uses individual pneumatic clutches to select the gear to be used. If you were a former Leyland bus driver you would be familiar with this system, far smoother and nicer than a dog box.

Added by Barry on 28 March 2008.

i think this is a wonderfull bit of kit i have the GM/Borg Warner Hydra-matic 4 speed auto gearbox in my TL it makes driving it far easier!
i imagine this would be great to drive too and far quieter than my beast!
well done on having a nice range of vehicles
credit to you
jason

Added by Jason on 28 March 2008.

I drove a few of Manchester Fire Brigades Firemasters notably 9629 NF, WXJ 286. They were a fast machine and that was part of their downfall mechanically speaking. It was possible to change the pre-selector gearbox at high engine revs and inexperienced drivers could twist or snap a half shaft very easily by changing down at too high revs. They only has a 100 gal capacity hose reel tank so it meant that at every working job you had to get a line in very quickly. Nevertheless a very reliable and beautiful machine. I believe (not too sure) the body work was designed by Leyland partly in conjunction with MFB's own Brigade Engineer, a chap called Stevenson. I do know our own workshops built the Emergency Tender from scratch on the Firemaster Leyland Cub chassis.

Added by Steven Booth on 18 June 2008.

Hi Steven,
The original concept of the Firemaster was planned as a joint venture betweeen Leyland and Carmichael - who did in fact build Manchester's WXJ 286. Their other two Firemaster pumps (7596 N and 6900 NF) were built by Cocker.
I have to disagree with you as regards the Firemaster ET (6461 ND). I don't doubt that it was in all probability fitted out by Manchester FB, but the body itself was built by A.L. Smith. (The registration 9629 NF is a non-starter as regards Firemasters).

Added by Ian Moore on 19 June 2008.

Ian your probably right about 9629 NF but it does ring a bell somewhere (think it was an old Leyland TTL) in the back of my mind. You are also probably right about the ET as well as the chap who told me this was a guy who used to work in our workshops and I met him in hospital in the same ward as my father in law. He was pretty badly beaten up by some thugs who broke into his house (he died as a result I'm afraid) but he was regaling me with his stories about MFB workshops. I think he was confused about the the ET build, mixing it up with the Salvage Tender which was rebuilt from the chassis upwards after an accident so I'm told. I joined in 1970 and these appliances had been on the run a while by then - the Firemasters were still reserve appliances). I don't think it was a Firemaster though. I have a black and white photo of the ET and it's equipment in it's hey days. Sad to see how it ended up. It's in the book 'Manchester Fire Brigade' by Bob Bonner. Bob's the guy to tell you absolutely everything about MFB's appliances

Added by Steven Booth on 19 June 2008.

Hi Steven,
I know Bob bonner, and new his late father even beter having first met him some 44 years ago.
I'll drop a linre to Bob about 9629 NF, but it's a 1962 issue registration, so couldn't possibly have been an old Leyland TL. (They did have an AEC TL registered 1827 NC though).
Anyway, 9629 NF certainly wasn't an appliance, but I'll come back on this point as soon as I get a reply from Bob.

Added by Ian Moore on 20 June 2008.

Ian, We had two AEC TTL Merryweathers the other being VND217 based at Withington until the new Moss Side station opened in 71/72. My memory isn't what it was but we did have an old Leyland TTL with open coachwork, in fact I have photo of it but I can't make out the reg No. It was a reserve appliance but was on the run certainly till the late 60's as Withingtons Angus bodied Leyland Albion JVU 592F 1968 is pictured next to it. It's quite possible I've got the Reg of the old TTL and two of the Leylands completely intertwined. I put it down to my age :(

I've not seen Bob for a while so I must get up to the Museum and have a natter.

Added by Steven Booth on 20 June 2008.

Manchester's London Road Firemasters were Pump Escapes 7596 N and WXJ 286, the Emergency tender was 6461 ND.
1827 NC was the AEC TL at London Road.
I drove them all in the early 1970's and remember quite definitely the Reg Nos......but why ?

Are you thinking of Blackley's Pump Escape 6900NF which I think the Museum Society now own......I'm sure Bob Bonner would know.


Added by Alan Garratt on 08 February 2019.

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