AEC Regent Merryweather turntable ladder

Fire Engine Photos

No: 16440 Contributor: Pete Matten Year: 2009 Manufacturer: AEC Country: United Kingdom

AEC Regent Merryweather turntable ladder

This 1954 AEC Regent/Merryweather(reg-KSG 977)turntable ladder was purchased by the South
Eastern Fire Brigade in Scotland and was stationed at Stockbridge fire station in Edinburgh and
then tranferred to Crew Toll fire station serving there until finally going out of service in 1974.
The appliance was found in a scrap yard by Dave Ruthen who restored it during the mid 1970's,
he then passed it onto Fred White of Shoreham in West Sussex who then sold it on to another
collector and preservationest by the name of John McCormick of Eastliegh in Hampshire.
During the 1980's and early 1990's this appliance was displayed at many shows and rallies in
the Southern parts of the United Kingdom,and was a typical 1950's period turntable ladder.

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Picture added on 10 April 2009 at 05:24

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add commentComments:

The ladder cannot be original to this chassis, as it is the hydraulic type introduced in 1959. Was the original ladder (twin screw mechanical) damaged in action?

Added by Rob Johnson on 10 April 2009.

That is an interesting photograph and an appliance I havnt seen of previously, it looks like it has been reladdered at some time. As far as I am aware the first Merryweather TL to have a sit-on control console was supplied to York FB in the very late 1950s or early 1960s with the later AEC chassis and cab.

Added by Barrie Green on 10 April 2009.

I think you mean OVY200 if yes, i'm sure there is a pic of that appliance on here .

Added by John Johnstone on 10 April 2009.

Rob,
There's a bit more to this one than meets the eye, since the ladder is reported to have been from WS 3074 (a 1935 vehicle) whilst the console was obviously added much later in the life of the AEC !

Added by Ian Moore on 10 April 2009.

Yes Ian and the whole fulcrum frame back the look of it...just the actual ladder itself is off the original machine

Added by Barrie Green on 10 April 2009.

Thankyou Ian for helping me out on this one.I realised at the time of posting the picture that
there might be afew comments due to the appliance
appearance,and although the photograph is really not that good(Show called off-heavy rain)it was
worth sending in due to its unusualness...Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 10 April 2009.

Barrie,
Agreed.

Added by Ian Moore on 11 April 2009.

That appears to be quite an overhang past the cab and talking of the cab, does it have an open back? Nice coachwork with some great profiles. As it survived in to the 1990's is it still around?

Added by John Draysey on 12 April 2009.

John,the ladder on the vehicle was 105ft,and yes it had an open back with seating either side of the opening for 2 backseat riders.Better shot of this appliance,look at other(picture 16439)one I sent in,but also I can send in shot if required showing back/nearside view with ladder extended.
Its been many years since I've seen this one at the rallies and show,so don't know weather its still around today.

Added by Pete Matten on 12 April 2009.

This was still on the rally scene in 2003 when I saw it at Stowmarket in Suffolk. There had been some changes made including the removal of the two-tones and the addition of numerous reflectors along the ladder overhang. The front faces of the ladder sections had also been painted orange.

Added by Chris Wood on 13 April 2009.

Thanks for the up-date Chris,its good to know she might still be around today doing the rallies.

Added by Pete Matten on 13 April 2009.

regarding ladders on different vehicles in late 1950 onwards many ladders were re chassied the ladders with round trussing were preferd to later square trussing by fire brigades although these were re chassied as well some square trussing ladders have a heavier top rail on the main ladder this is because one ladder snapped at the stress point and many ladders were recalled to have 2 inch square box welded and flitch added

Added by W Chandler on 27 April 2009.

Was this machine ever based at MacDonald Road, Edinburgh?

Reason I ask is I recently picked up a book at Lauriston Place Museum Edinburgh (a reprint of one from early 70s). It showed a picture of a line-up outside McDonald Road in the 60s. There's a TL looking like this one along with the yellow Bedford foam tender elsewhere on this site.

Added by Scott on 27 April 2009.

Both the TL's at Leith & Stockbidge were conversions, I think they were re laddered and cabbed. They went on to serve at Mac Road and Crewe Toll

Added by Archie Hill on 19 November 2011.

KSG 977 (Stockbridge & Crewe Toll) was indeed sent off to Merryweather to have a mechanical ladder converted to hydraulic. And a recabbing exercise at the same time. This particular TL had a huge over the cab overhang, whilst the similar TL at MacDonald Raod had a shorter overhang (but was also ladder converted and re-cabbed). A picture in the Museum of Fire shows these two TL's working at a fire in 1955 and both are open cab, mechanical ladders.

Added by Colin McFarlane Foster on 19 November 2011.

Thanks Colin. Mystery solved!

Added by Rob Johnson on 20 November 2011.

Further to my last on this subject, the advertising of the period states that the ladder from WS 3074 was re-fitted to JFS 372, not KSG 977 as I said. Now, the ladder from the old Leyland DSF 140 is also said to have been retro-fitted, and logic would suggest KSG 977 as the likely recipient. However, rumour also has it that the DSF 140 ladder wwent on to the Mercury RFS 132. Enquiries are obviously in hand with a view to sorting this out.

Added by Ian Moore on 21 November 2011.

KSG 977 was stationed at Stockbridge then Crew Toll. JFS 372 was at Leith then MacDonald Road. RFS 132 was at Lauriston and had the AEC / Merryweather enclosed double crew cab.

Added by Colin Foster on 10 February 2012.

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