Fire Engines Photos

According to my records B527 URO was Brand new to Newcastle under Lyne in 1984, it moved to Leek in 1988 with the arrival of E935 JFA at Newcastle. E935 JFA went to Leek in the Autumn of 1990 with the arrival of G317 DRF at Newcastle. B527 URO went from Leek to Wombourne in 1990 and stayed there until 1995 when it went for disposal. (Wombourne then lost it's RT Capability)

B528 URO Was new to Lichfield where it stayed all its working life until 1996 when it went for disposal. In this year Leek also lost it's Rescue Tender Capability and E935 JFA moved to Lichfield where it stayed until 2000 when it was withdrawn from front line service with terminal engine failure and subsiquently scrapped. E935 JFA was replaced with G319 DRF from Stafford when they recieved the new Dennis Sabre RT W507 VRE.

G317 DRF moved to Longton in 1996 when Newcastle lost there RT Capability. E783 JEH (CiU)was moved from Kidsgrove to Newcastle to cover the loss. G317 DRF stayed at Longton until around 2006 when terminal chassis corrosion saw here retired, she was broken up as spares at workshops before being sold as scrap.

G319 DRF is preserved and has Longton on the door. The appliance never served at Longton.

It is understood that the JDC body off G317 DRF was removed for other purposes ???

Soren.

Added by Soren Heeks on 15 December 2010.

I would like to confirm that E935 JFA was not scrapped and is in my garage , in Oswestry. The engine was completely rebuilt and was fully roadworthy until 12 months ago.Its still in very good condition and still in service condition with lights/sirens etc.
Regards
Adrian

Added by Adrian Hyde on 16 December 2010.

Hi Adrian, That is brilliant news and I will ammend my records accordingly. as a matter of interest did you purchase the appliance from the brigade??

Soren.

Added by Soren Heeks on 17 December 2010.

Hi Soren. I have B527 URO and it is still roadworthy if a bit tatty. The rear has been removed and a pick up body added instead. The cab is still as the photos with quarter bumpers, winch, lights, all switches etc.

Simon

Added by Simon on 01 May 2014.

Hi

Adrian do you still have?
Simon do you still have?

Ant recent photos?

What happened to B528?

Added by Jeremy on 17 June 2016.

B527 URO Lichfield Jeep well older than 2010 I used to drive it and I retired in 2007

Ed: the date on the entry is to do with the photo not the appliance necessarily.

Added by Mick clarke on 19 August 2021.

Any stories Mick , were the Jeeps any good in their role ?

Added by on 20 August 2021.

In their country of origin, these Jeeps were rarely used by fire departments; they had limited payload capacity compared to most Ford, Chevy, GMC and Dodge alternatives, and - despite their badges - were not considered to be the best off road either.

They did seem an odd choice for British fire brigades, but they did turn up in comparatively large numbers in Switzerland (along with 4X4 Dodges) because of their ability to handle snow covered roads in the Winter.

Added by Rob Johnson on 23 August 2021.

If you wanted an off roader in UK back then though there was nothing (much) between a too small Land Rover or a too big Bedford 4x4 truck.

Added by CraigW on 25 August 2021.

Good point Craig! Although I don’t know how these six wheeler Jeeps compared dimensionally to the similar GMC six wheeled conversions bought by a British fire brigade (Bucks?) a few years later, the latter were actually only a very little bit smaller than a Bedford RL when it came down to actual wheelbase, length and even width!

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 August 2021.

Yes Rob they probably are the same size ! probably also bought for their engine power. Digressing slightly Newcastle upon Tyne started buying Chevrolet ambulances in 80s with Wheeled Coach of Orlando bodies for their performance. Think these were a success at the time and their USA 'box' bodywork style has become the norm in UK now, usually on Sprinters.

Added by CraigW on 27 August 2021.

picture 949 in this site illustrates a GMC ambulance operated by Perkins engines. It doesn't say whether it had its original engine or was fitted with a Perkins diesel!

Added by Rob Johnson on 28 August 2021.

I saw a J20 in use by worcester brigade about 1990.
I wonder what happened to it?
Any history or build details pls???

Ed:
I think there may be some confusion here. I do not think H&W brigade had jeep J20s. They had GMCs as follows

GMC K3O HCB ANGUS H&W E124FCJ
GMC K3O HCB ANGUS H&W E125FCJ
GMC 3500 HCB ANGUS H&W G781 FWP

see below





Added by Driver dave on 04 October 2026.

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