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1951 Austin Loadstar Cornwall County Fire Brigade
1951 Austin Loadstar Water Tender.Cornwall County Fire Brigade.
This 1951 Austin 'A' Type was built for the Cornwall County Fire Brigade and was stationed at St Austell,it was then sold to Falmouth Docks in 1969.The appliance went into presevation in 1982 and when photographed at the Odiham Fire Show in August,2008,she still looks lovingly cared for and in perfect condition.
1951 Austin Loadstar Water Tender.Cornwall County Fire Brigade.
This 1951 Austin 'A' Type was built for the Cornwall County Fire Brigade and was stationed at St Austell,it was then sold to Falmouth Docks in 1969.The appliance went into presevation in 1982 and when photographed at the Odiham Fire Show in August,2008,she still looks lovingly cared for and in perfect condition.
During the early fifties Cornwall County Council found themselves in grave financial difficulties.
The Home Office had to step in to assist the Fire Brigade as many of the appliances in towns and villages were due for replacement and on isolated occasions dated the twenties. Launching a massive update and replacement programme the Austin K4 Chassis and later Austin Loadstar Chassis was elected for fire appliance application and the Home Office Workshops thought at Swindon in Wiltshire built the coachwork, all of the first engines were type A later several became type B many were phased out and were never converted It was a sight seeing in the mid-seventies a 1952/53 Austin Loadstar Pump converted to take a 464 Ladder! however this was the situation. As Pete Matten has stated the Loadstar Chassis was also used for the application of Pump Escape Appliance but these were the later deliveries. In 1978 you could see a Dodge/HCB WrL on a N plate operating alongside a 1955 Austin Loadstar Pump Escape as the escapes superseded the Water Tenders in service. all of the 4x4 were Austin Gypsy Coventry Godiva Pumps on L.W.B /S.W.B chassis Austin certainly ruled supreme in the fifties!in
Cornwall County.
Added by BOB CARVER on 27 July 2010.
The Home Office had to step in to assist the Fire Brigade as many of the appliances in towns and villages were due for replacement and on isolated occasions dated the twenties. Launching a massive update and replacement programme the Austin K4 Chassis and later Austin Loadstar Chassis was elected for fire appliance application and the Home Office Workshops thought at Swindon in Wiltshire built the coachwork, all of the first engines were type A later several became type B many were phased out and were never converted It was a sight seeing in the mid-seventies a 1952/53 Austin Loadstar Pump converted to take a 464 Ladder! however this was the situation. As Pete Matten has stated the Loadstar Chassis was also used for the application of Pump Escape Appliance but these were the later deliveries. In 1978 you could see a Dodge/HCB WrL on a N plate operating alongside a 1955 Austin Loadstar Pump Escape as the escapes superseded the Water Tenders in service. all of the 4x4 were Austin Gypsy Coventry Godiva Pumps on L.W.B /S.W.B chassis Austin certainly ruled supreme in the fifties!in
Cornwall County.
Added by BOB CARVER on 27 July 2010.
They certainly did Bob. Must admit, i'm partial to the Austin FG/Drake bodied Water Tenders.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 27 July 2010.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 27 July 2010.
Hi who owns this fire engine as I have one exactly the same from Cornwall in my garage. Do you have any history on them ?
Added by William on 08 May 2013.
Added by William on 08 May 2013.
The appliance is owned by Bob Bullingham from Essex.
Editor : Exact location changed due to privacy reasons. You can always sent a private mail to William.
Added by Pete Matten on 08 May 2013.
Editor : Exact location changed due to privacy reasons. You can always sent a private mail to William.
Added by Pete Matten on 08 May 2013.
Were these Austins bought only by Cornwall? I have never heard of any other Austin water tenders or pump escapes this in era, which was dominated by Dennis, Bedford, Commer and to a lesser extent, Merryweather.
Quite a few brigades including several factory brigades bought Gypsy light pumps, of course, and there were three or four appliances on the rather wierd Austin "Angleplan" semi forward control light truck chassi cab design, but I can't think of any other brigade which bought K4 or Loadstar chassis.
Added by Rob Johnson on 29 June 2014.
Quite a few brigades including several factory brigades bought Gypsy light pumps, of course, and there were three or four appliances on the rather wierd Austin "Angleplan" semi forward control light truck chassi cab design, but I can't think of any other brigade which bought K4 or Loadstar chassis.
Added by Rob Johnson on 29 June 2014.
Other Austin K4 Loadstar fire appliances were supplied to Oxfordshire (nine, bodied locally by Lambourn) and Northamptonshire (nine, bodied locally by Smiths). Pressed Steel (Austin-Morris) at Longbridge had a Carmichael-bodied Loadstar.
Added by Simon Rowley on 30 June 2020.
Added by Simon Rowley on 30 June 2020.
Austin
The appliance was one of 23 water tenders and 6 pump escapes based on the
Loadstar chassis purchased by Cornwall Fire Brigade between 1950 and 1953.
Added by Pete Matten on 07 August 2008.