Fire Engines Photos

This vehicle by todays standards may have cutting edge technology, but it is both inpractical and unreliable. The new cab is confined, with no extra leg room at all. The suspension is terrible and is described by pump operators as "driving like a bread van" it is way too springy, it bounces about too much. The layout in the back lockers is great, this seems to be its forte. Finally, i talk about the ladder escape. If you haven't already noticed the vehicles design has left the rear of the truck on a flat layout. So it looks like an ordinary lorry, NWFRS have decided to make the slip ramp for the 13.5 metre ladder electronically powered, which to say the least is unreliable! And has no backup manual operation at all, it is left to firefighter ingenuity. And when it is finally off, they have to fit the two base plates to the ladder!! "sorry, we would save you just gotta put the ladder together first!" When it does work though it is fantastically efficient. When they work out all the kinks it will be a fantastic vehicle, but for now we can only make do with it.

Added by Wrexham Cadet Instructor on 12 December 2008.

i think 3 or 4 of these ategos have been taken off the run. i know rhyls had techinical difficulties with the engine etc. but the NWFRS pump made by MAN looks great not known were and how many are coming to NWFRS yet.

Added by Jake Caswell on 22 June 2009.

Only reason brigades buy Mercs is because they are cheap, FACT !

How much longer before brigades realise that cheap isn't always best, the fleet managers need to look at reliabilty of the whole vehicle, not just the chassis cab, reading what was first put about these appliances just shows what a poor design they are based on, unable to slip the ladder ? whatever next, carry no water and use hydrants ?

Added by John Johnstone on 22 June 2009.

update Rhyl has had their merc atego back
so it back on the run but the firemen hate it.
lets hope it last more than a week this time.

Added by Jake Caswell on 25 June 2009.

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