Fire Engines Photos

I'm sorry to say that GGK 121 is now a 'flat bed lorry' a good friend of mine Terry Maslin from Hull restored it, it was stationed post war at Horsham with the East Sussex Fire Brigade, Terry rebuilt it and rallied it extensivly including the Royal Tournament at Earls Court in London, Terry is a perfectionist hence the correct finish to the 7V, however Terry enjoys the restoration as much if not more so than the rallying, and after a couple of years got bored and wanted another project ( 1939 Leyland Tiger FKT2 ex Redditch Fire Brigade) so the 7V was sold on, I last heard of it in an auction in Peterborough about 12 years ago, it was rough but restorable again, unfortunatly I only heard of it after the auction, it sold for £250 !!! needless to say if I'd been there ! John Mould from Reading bought it and converted it to a flat bed I've not seen it since, the escape (purchased from London Fire Brigade) did survive however and was last in Norfolk.

The Bedford Heavy Unit does still survive and has also appeared in the Royal Tournament it is owned by Roy Goodey from London.

Added by Rick Loudon on 18 January 2009.

Thanks Rick for the informative update on these two World War 2 classics; too bad the Ford is history. I'm really interested in what you said about your friend restoring the Redditch 1939 Leyland Tiger. I think it must be the same pump escape I photographed back in the 80s at the Redditch station, a four door
open machine with license number JRE234. I was planning to submit a photo of it to see if anyone had an update on it, but for some reason I've misplaced the couple of good slides I have of it. How far into the restoration is your friend?
Thanks again, ,
Bob Graham
San Francisco

Added by Bob Graham on 19 January 2009.

Hi Bob, no you've got the wrong Leyland there; - JRE 294 - chassis no 100395 ' Eveline'an FT4A was new to Stafford Borough Fire Brigade in December 1939 she was named after the Mayoress Councillor Mrs Eveline Jones on New Years day 1940 and was the only FT4A built with 'open cross seater' bodywork, to my knowledge she is still in the care of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, my friend Terry Maslin restored DNP 752 an FKT2 - chassis no. 100427 also an 'open cross seater' built January 1940 and supplied to Redditch in Worcestershire he made a superb job of the restoration but then did the same again, got bored and sold it! I believe to a retired Sub.Officer from West Yorkshire who was keeping it at Wakefield Fire Station the last I heard of it. unfortunatly it was before I had a digital camera and so at the moment have no pictures of her, can anyone help- perhaps from the Wakefield area?

Added by Rick Loudon on 20 January 2009.

Thanks for this interesting and relevant update on Leyland JRE 294, Rick; it's most kind of you to take the time to post these facts. I only wish I had access to such pertinent information concerning these rapidly vanishing classics; it's good to know that the people at Redditch have a good sense of history and have retained this handsome truck(something that more and more of our own fire departments have developed). By any chance do you have any knowledge of the similar-but longer wheelbase--pump escape that ran out of Dudley? I'll post of photo of it soon.

Added by Bob Graham on 21 January 2009.

Bob would that be FOX 658 by chance?

Added by Rick Loudon on 21 January 2009.

Hi Rick,
The three photos of have of the Leyland at Dudley do not show a readable license
plate, front or rear, but I have a feeling it is not FOX658 as a couple of years ago someone in England sent an e mail asking about that number and it was a different truck. Does anyone know how many Leylands were at Dudley? Thanks for your help.

Added by Bob Graham on 22 January 2009.

Bob,

As far as I know Dudley county Borough only had FOX 658 it was an F7T1 model chassis no 100574 delivered May 1942 so would more than likeley have been in NFS grey livery from new.

My information comes from the Leyland Society book 'Leyland Fire Engines 1930 -1942 ISBN 0-9545216-1-7 its an excellent reference book by Neil Steele

Added by Rick Loudon on 23 January 2009.

The only other Leyland appliances shown on my system for this brigade are two FE1 jobs that were supplied to Dudley Police FB. These were FD 1709 (supplied 1921 & disposed of 1946) and FD 4046 (supplied 1929 & disposed of 1947)

Added by Ian Moore on 23 January 2009.

I was interested in seeing this Ford 7V ECU(GGK 121)whilst it was in preservation
back in the 1980's.I have a B/W photo of this actual appliance from the Horsham
fire brigade(which is in West Sussex)whilst attending a major fire back in 1946
at Bognor Regis when the towns Pavilion Theatre was severely damaged by fire.

Added by Pete Matten on 23 January 2009.

Hi chaps,

Just doing a bit of family history and came across a photo of my grandad who served with the AFS in north London during WW2. He is standing very proudly infront of GGK 121. I have a number of pics which I will try and post later. Has any body got any information as to where she was posted, or if she is still going??? Many thanks
Rick Davies

Added by Rick Davies on 01 February 2010.

Hi I'm trying to track down GXM 762 tgo obtain more information to enable me to complete the tooling for a partially finished kit. Does anyone know where it lives and who to contact. Adrian

Added by Adrian Swain of a.b.s.models on 07 January 2011.

The Redditch Tiger DNP752 is on the market for £30, 000!!!! and no I havn't typed in a 0 too many! The seller says it was restored by a Reg Cutler 1000miles ago. It was on E bay but no bidders. Advertised at the back of Jans FSPG magazine (Off The Run)

Added by Neal Glover on 08 January 2011.

Neal, Its been for sale for that for about 6 months. Im sure when it first was advertised the price was 35k ono.

Added by Davey G on 09 January 2011.

And we all know that 'Reg Cutler' (whoever he is ?) did NOT restore this vehicle ! - as I stated earlier in this thread Terry Maslin restored it from 'the bottom up' ! - Adge Cutler of 'The Wurzels' did at one time own it but, thats as far as it goes !

On a similar thread (but totally off the original post) is anyone aware of FOX 658 the former Dudley Fire Brigade Leyland Tiger - its very similar to DNP 752 and I understand that is 'abandoned and for sale' in the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire area ?

Added by Rick Loudon on 10 January 2011.

Steady Rick!!

Added by Neal Glover on 10 January 2011.

Are you contemplating another purchase rick? I thought there was a sense of downsizing going on?!?

Added by Davey G on 11 January 2011.

Regarding Fordson 7V GGK 121 This was passed down to the West Sussex County Fire Brigade on the 1st April 1948. I am sure that WSFB operated two one was a Ford Thames Chassis unfortunatly at present I, dont have access to my records which would give me this information. Horsham did operate one for a period of time and also Shoreham did have one for a short period as a bridging appliance as their open bodied Dennis was deemed un-servicable.
The Ford was eventually replaced by a brand new Bedford SLHZ/Miles Dual Purpose Water Tender Escape TPO 165 which was the Counties first new Escape carrying appliance. I am sure the other Fordson 7v was during the war years placed at River Road Arundel as their first pump backed up by a self propelled pump a 1939 Dennis Ace New World body FBP 921 (the last Ace ever built) Arundel was during the war a sub station for Bognor Regis where the crews did man Arundel which was full time during the war. the Fordson in question was placed at Clarence Road Bognor Regis in later years replacing a Dennis Pump Escape (open bodied) which again became unservicable and was scrapped. In 1976 an associate of mine recovered a Fordson 7V Escape Carrying Unit from the back streets of Hove where it was laying redundant! and in a state of disrepair he renovated it and restored it to operational order (displayed in red livery on this occasion) several years on the appliance was sold on and I, lost track of it this could be one of the same vehicle. WSFB operated several E.C.Us
at stations which are as follows Worthing, Littlehampton, Shoreham by Sea, Horsham, Crawley, Storrington, Chichester, Bognor Regis, Arundel, two very unique appliances worth a mention were the Bedford at Storrington, this was a basic flatbed lorry with a special adaption placed at the rear to incorporate a wheeled Escape the completed vehicle looked like a wartime emergency water tender or dam unit, the second appliance was a Bedford/Braidwood self propelled pump (FBP 880) which was based at Butts Road, Southwick, Shoreham during the early fifties this vehicle was stripped by Brigade Workshops and rebuilt with an enclosed cab and rear canvas hood/dropside it was restored in Deep-Bronze Green Colours and was used as the Brigades towing vehicle and utilities vehicle being based at Chichester Fire Station but available throughout the county for incidents. the vehicle was sold from service in the early seventies and is still around, if one views the epic feature film "The Battle of Britain" when the squadron was moved to a grass airfield you will note they had an identical appliance in thought? grey racing around the spitfires, this was how FBP 880 would have looked pre-conversion the E.C.U at the High Street Worthing was not wartime but ordered by the Home Office during 1947 and delivered to the Brigade during early 1948, the engine was built by the Home Office Specialist Coachworks at Swindon in Wiltshire they were very similiar in appearance to the wartime variation of the vehicle but with a swallowtail design. During these years both "Surrey" and "Cornwall" both ran these appliances "Cornwall" in the early fifties adopting the Austin Loadstar Chassis for their pumps.

Added by BOB CARVER on 11 January 2011.

Davey - most definatly 'a downsizing' I watched Terry restore DNP 752 and get frustrated when another is credited with a restoration - as for FOX 658 no I'm not but I would like to know its location and condition - its a rare appliance and should be saved (by someone else !!!!) look whats happening with ARD 780 in Royal Berkshire as an example !!!

Added by Rick Loudon on 11 January 2011.

It is a great shame there is not a system of 'listing' historic vehicles the same as buildings. At the same time any vehicle Reg No on a pre1985 vehicle should be non transferable. It would stop people buying Green Goddesses for the number.

Added by Neal Glover on 12 January 2011.

Listing historic vehicles - you must be joking. Aren't the EU and the Government intent on making preservation as difficult as possible?

Nice idea though.

Added by Roger Mardon on 20 February 2011.

DNP 752 is on ebay again starting at 99p !!

Added by Howard Godsland on 21 March 2014.

FOX 658 is in the photos of a derelict farm on the 'derelict places' website, though these pictures are from 2008, not sure if it will still be there or in this condition. Link below:
www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=6555

Added by Chris Fennell on 08 August 2014.

A Bedford AFS Machine was based in Stirling up to 1968 when the AFS was disbanded. It was on the run with a full crew up to then, my dad (LF Dan Miller) was the leading fireman and driver. I was part of the crew. The registration was NYR 121.

Added by Paul Miller on 23 December 2014.

FOX is not there now. My mate has been given it and it is now stripped down to the chassis for restoration.

Added by Ronald Henderson on 31 December 2014.

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