GDG559N Ford D/ Dial Holmes 850 RecV GloucsBates engineering - based Cheltenham. Almost inconceivable that a modern brigade under budget constraints would order such an appliance.
Late Alastair Collins collection - used with permission.
Picture added on 12 June 2019 at 11:15
Even at the time, I believe it may have been the only Ford DT 6X4 wrecker in the fire service, and only around a dozen brigades operated wreckers at all...
Quite a contrast with Germany, where 40, 60 and even higher rated custom-built fire service cranes are to be found in every large town or city, as well as quite a few scattered around smaller towns with volunteer fire companies.
Among other incidents, they frequently respond to Autobahn accidents and water rescues, and many of the newer ones are also equipped with monitors so that they can if necessary supplement regular aerials in firefighting operations...
Added by Rob Johnson on 14 June 2019.