Fire Engines Photos

Hi,
Any information available concerning this Leyland classic? Was it for plant protection? Was this the main Merryweather factory? Thanks.

Added by Bob Graham on 31 December 2008.

Merryweathers used to be at Greenwich...East London...they moved out to South Wales then went into receivership if my memory serves me. I doubt very much if the machine was for plant protection, probably been in for ladder repairs or restoration.

Added by Barrie Green on 01 January 2009.

At the time they went into receivership there was considerable disquiet. They were attracted to Wales by very large government grants. Once in Wales it appeared that they made very little effort to start any kind of manufacturing and shortly afterwards closed with the grant money vanishing. There was a BBC radio programme ('Face the Facts') made about the whole affair.

Added by Barry. on 01 January 2009.

Thanks for this information, fellows. So has anyone published a really comprehensive book concerning this once important manufacturer. I was aware of the original location in Greenwich as I have a few pieces of literature with the information. When a large concern such as this goes out of business in the UK is it a general practice to turn over records and printed materials to a nearby library or some depository?
Bob Graham
(San Francisco)

Added by Bob Graham on 01 January 2009.

Hi Fellas.
I received this from the South wales factory when the company moved there, this was sent to me by the teamas they had met me prior to move as a fireman testing gear for them on behalf of RAF fire service.this was to add to collection, and No it was going to a buyer from there.
Regards
bob

Added by Robert Ewing on 02 January 2009.

Hello
I am writing a book on the history of Merryweather, but for such a vast subject it will take a lot of time. Hoping to get it published one day. Merryweather still exist, run by an ex-Greenwich Merryweather man; basically they do fire extinguishers. They have a web-site. Regarding the picture, the company abandoned the South Wales factory Friday 13th April 1984, so if the pic was taken in 2008, it must have been a special occasion. Regarding the radio programme, the Moonlight Flit was featured on Roger Cook's "Checkpoint" programme, Radio 4, one month after the flit. (I have a transcript). Were they also on "Face the Facts", and if so can you tell me the date of the programme so I can try to follow it up.
Many thanks.


Added by Neil Bennett on 02 June 2011.

Neil, If your book is successfully published please, if the site administration agrees, post it on here so we can receive notification with a view to purchasing a copy.

Added by Monkey Boy The 3rd on 02 June 2011.

The picture was uploaded in 2008 I had this in the late 70s think 79 is.

Added by Bobe on 02 June 2011.

This looks to be GNC 800 which served all its working life in Manchester. Still preserved somewhere.

Added by Dusty on 02 June 2011.

I understand that it is presently in a bus museum workshops in Yorkshire undergoing restoration......the photo itself was a postcard....possibly commissioned by Merryweather

Added by Barrie Green on 02 June 2011.

It is GNC800 and after Wales Merryweathers flitted to the Tecalemit Factory in Plymouth, the firm which took ver Merrtyweather. This moonlight flit is what the problems centered around. Merryweathers was then taken over by Siebe Gorman which was later taken over by a Malaysian Group. Its a long story aout the tragic demise.

Added by Ron Henderson on 03 June 2011.

After the "flit" to Wales, Merryweather introduced the XRL30 TL. Put quite simply, it was a case of "too little - too late" in order for them to survive !!

Added by Ian Moore on 03 June 2011.

This vehicle has one serious ladder hangover! It would have been hard to drive with the ladder pipe hanging down and obstructing the driver's view!

Added by Tiger on 04 June 2011.

Drove a similar appliance a few times, you just had to hang back a bit and anticipate what was happening in front. Biggest problem was pulling out of a side road in a built up area.
More fun than the modern red boxes on wheels.

Added by Avonmouth on 04 June 2011.

yeah Avonmouth it would have been fun to drive!

Added by Tiger on 05 June 2011.

My mother worked at merryweathers in Greenwich during the war. She was a weaver making fire hoses. I have a photo of her at her loom. She said the factory was damaged in the bombing.

Added by Joan Campbell on 31 October 2015.

Would love to see the photo of the interior of the hose shop at that time, with your mother. If you let us know the name of your mother I can add it to my database of Merryweather employees (Excel). I can send this to anyone interested.
The factory and offices were almost totally wiped out by a V1 doodle-bug.

Added by on 03 November 2015.

Middlesborough had a TTL which looked a lot like this, with the same half doors, but they went off Leylands after buying a Comet pump, which was once described to me by their Third Officer as "faster than riding a bike, but not much"!

Their other post war acquisitions were Dennis F12 and F7 appliances, with Rolls B80 160 BHP engines, which were famously quick, so its not surprising the Comet tended to fall behind...

Added by Rob Johnson on 18 February 2021.

see also in service at London Rd here

www.flickr.com/photos/75816397@N08/6818877136/in/photolist-bBtquV-boywBb/

Added by Petros on 23 November 2024.

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