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Fire Engine Photos
1963 Austin FGK.80/Drake Water Tender Ladder.
This picture shows an Ex-Cornwall County Fire Brigade 1963 Austin FGK.80(reg-540 SRL)which was built by Drake of Plymouth in Devon.It was new as a WrL(Water Tender Ladder)to St.Columb and in 1970 was transferred to Liskeard as a Water Tender.After a brief spell as a driver-training vehicle it was sold into preservation in 1980 and John Orme of Colchester originally preserved it.
I took this photograph of the appliance having just undergone further restoration(looks like a new paint job)at the Bressingham Fire Engine Rally in Norfolk back in 1991.
Pat Rivers-Bowerman passed a comment in reference to this appliance on a(picture 21149)previous photo in reference to the ladder gantry,etc,this later picture shows the correct 45ft 3 section allumium ladder type that would have been in use when the appliance was new and a Water Tender Ladder back in 1963 until in 1970 it passed to Liskeard and became a Water Tender.
This picture shows an Ex-Cornwall County Fire Brigade 1963 Austin FGK.80(reg-540 SRL)which was built by Drake of Plymouth in Devon.It was new as a WrL(Water Tender Ladder)to St.Columb and in 1970 was transferred to Liskeard as a Water Tender.After a brief spell as a driver-training vehicle it was sold into preservation in 1980 and John Orme of Colchester originally preserved it.
I took this photograph of the appliance having just undergone further restoration(looks like a new paint job)at the Bressingham Fire Engine Rally in Norfolk back in 1991.
Pat Rivers-Bowerman passed a comment in reference to this appliance on a(picture 21149)previous photo in reference to the ladder gantry,etc,this later picture shows the correct 45ft 3 section allumium ladder type that would have been in use when the appliance was new and a Water Tender Ladder back in 1963 until in 1970 it passed to Liskeard and became a Water Tender.
Cornwall had a long tradition of buying Austin appliances, but they were the only county to buy them, apart from a few Gypsies which found their way into other brigades.
This makes this FG a rare bird indeed!
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 March 2018.
This makes this FG a rare bird indeed!
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 March 2018.
I would have to disagree with Rob Johnson regarding Cornwall being the only county to buy Austin fire appliances. Oxfordshire had several Loadstars - I'm trying to check the total but in 1952 they had WrT FBW 386 and FBW 699 built locally by Lambourn and in 1953 a WrC GUD 901. There were certainly more - FBW 699 survives in an unrestored condition.
Added by Simon Rowley on 27 June 2020.
Added by Simon Rowley on 27 June 2020.
Thanks for the update. Seems the Loadstar was once shining a tiny bit brighter than I thought - but still no cigar!
Added by Rob Johnson on 27 June 2020.
Added by Rob Johnson on 27 June 2020.
I used to work on this vehicle during the mid to late 70’s as a Brigade Mechanic in the CCFB Camborne workshop. Great memories. I was also a retained fireman at Redruth and Camborne. I was a misplaced cockney down there and the Cornish were lovely to me.
Added by Mike Beetham on 16 July 2024.
Added by Mike Beetham on 16 July 2024.
Austin
Great photo of a neat rig; and to see it safely in preservation.
Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B
Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 11 February 2010.