Fire Engines Photos

A brilliant picture, much better than the 1978 line up at Worthing which i have just added. MPX 842J was new to Horsham in total yellow livery and without front blue repeaters. It moved to Worthing in 1981 to replace LBP 773J as Worthing had a habit of writting off HPs. The first of the 3 Worthing ERF HPs was FPO135H written off in a horrendous fatal RTC whilst on route to a shout at Garwick airport as this pictured appliance was off the run at Horsham. Replacement LBP 773J (new to Chichester, then Bognor from 1975 - 1777)was written off on the M1 whilst at the manufacturers for modifications - whilst being towed it hit an overhead bridge. Due to life risk in Worthing it had priority for ariel appliances and the replacements for the written off ones were Dennis Delta /SS220s so Worthing got the higher but older SS85s. This machine lasted until replaced by Dennis F125.SS263 F25 OCR in 1988. They sounded fantastic and i can remember hearing then accelerating through Broadwater from my home or school.

Added by Jon Godden on 27 August 2009.

Thanks, Jacques and Jon for an interesting ALP "Snorkel".

The booms are quite wide in cross-section - the rods at side must be for keeping the articulation equal; and the water-piping is visible, at the hinge.

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 27 August 2009.

I've been up in this afew times over the years and although I have pictures,its good to see it again.Good write up Jon on one of the classic appliances of the West Sussex Fire Brigade,its a pity they didn't look after them.
Thanks Jacques for bringing back a few old memories with this brilliant picture-Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 27 August 2009.

I have also good memories from Worthing FS, always have been very welcome, felt like home after visiting several years. I remember them honking at me when they passed at the peer and i was walking there!

Added by Jacques PETER on 28 August 2009.

F25 OCR I photographed in Bray in County Wicklow in Ireland in 2003. Looked good then too.

Added by Andy Middleton on 10 November 2009.

This appliance was from 1971,so to hear it was still doing service till 2003 and giving more then thirty years service for an hydraulic platform is quite unbelievable.
Andy,can you share with us old-timers the photo you took back in 2003,and also is she still in service today?.Thanks very much,Pete.

Added by Pete Matten on 10 November 2009.

Sorry Peter, F25 OCR wasn't there, it was one of the Delta II's. The old gray matter playing tricks again. Still there as far as I know. Upload photo at weekend when I get my head round the technology. Stayed in Washington just outside Worthing in August and covered the majority of the brigade. Must admit Pete, West Sussex is one of my favourite brigades.

Added by Andy Middleton on 11 November 2009.

As mentioned within these columns, West Sussex County Fire Brigade took delivery of three of these immaculate and striking Hydraulic Platforms in Coventry Fire Brigade Liveries with embossed alloy rear panelling, the appliances were purchased at the cost of £22, 000 each and the booms were painted to Fire Brigade Yellow at additional cost. the registration numbers were as follows FPO135H-WORTHING LBP773J-CHICHESTER MPX842J-HORSHAM During the Summer of 1977 FPO 135H was written off at dial post near Horsham in a tragic R.T.A the appliance remained sheeted in the Worthing Drill Yard for some considerable time
before being returned to Simon Engineering in Sandbach Cheshire. DVLA records show the licence indicates it was possible rebuilt for the private sector as it was taxed in 1995. this appliance was in operational service never repainted from yellow. LBP773J was switched from West Meads Fire Station at Bognor Regis were it had been transfered across in 1975 to compliment the new station line up, in doing so the lower half of the engine was repainted to fire engine red and rebadged in the new crest several other modifications were added new (old stock) blue lights etc, being at Worthing for four years it was returned to Girlings for braking modification to skid check braking system being fitted. Returning to West Sussex with the work completed the rear differential seized (No Oil) just north of Coventry which locked the axle solid, Motorway services recovered the appliance under tow but failed to lock down the booms and de-activate the Hydraulic system causing back pressure build up, this was enough to lift the boom with wind pressure and the boom clipped the Motorway Viaduct
which in turn caused whip smashing the cab at the front, the appliance was destroyed and was recovered back to Simons at Sandbach for insurance assessment for many months. Enter MPX 842J transfered from Hurst road Horsham and having been repainted during the June of 1978 again lower half only with high visibility stripping added to the cab this became Worthings Hydraulic Platform. The appliance was sold via tender to a Manchester Ariel vehicle re-conditioning company who stripped the Hydraulics for reconditioning and re-chassied them on to a new vehicle concluding the story.

Added by Bob Carver on 25 November 2010.

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