Fire Engines Photos

Always loved the colour of these machines. There were one or two other brigades used it as well. Very striking I must say.

Added by Dave Lewis on 17 December 2010.

Buckinghamshire and Lancashire were the two brigades that used this colour

Added by Dave Todd.. on 19 December 2010.

Grampian and Greater Manchester also featured large fleets of dayglo appliances, with others including Cheshire experimenting in the 70's. Love the Bullshorn, it looks like a roof monitor!

Added by Gary Simpson on 20 December 2010.

I think a number of brigades flirted with day-glo orange, Staffordshire being one of them. Their Bedford and Ford pumping appliances brought between 1979 and 1982 were all in this colour. But for their 1983 Dennis RS orders they reverted back to red but with fluorescent yellow and orange striping.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 20 December 2010.

Buckinghamshire reverted to solid red in 2005 and I think this photo demonstrates why - the dayglo does seem to fade quite badly. Nice to see another old Bucks appliance preserved.

Added by Adam Floyd on 20 December 2010.

Wiltshire used dayglo for about 10 years. The first being the Mercedes compact pumps (G reg)
& the last one's being the Dennis Sabre (R reg)
From then on they developed there own red paint code unique to Wiltshire, They now use Scania factory red as the standard colour

Added by Simon Gunning on 21 December 2010.

Just a further comment, the Brigades of
GRAMPIAN-SURREY-LANCASHIRE-WEST MIDLANDS-STAFFORDSHIRE-BUCKINGHAMSHIRE-GREATER MANCHESTER with the brigades of West Sussex East Sussex using this for support vehicles and I, think there was another Scottish Brigade that did experimentation with it possibly welsh.

Added by BOB CARVER on 21 December 2010.

Bob Strathclyde experimented with the dayglo at the time they were using Bedford fire Warriors in the early 80's.

Added by Grant Melville on 21 December 2010.

I can't understand why Grampian have gone off red/dayglo onto white liveried appliances with snow as a natural winter background?

Added by Andrew Middleton on 22 December 2010.

Andrew,

Grampian went to white for two reasons cost and also they argued that white was easier to see at night and low light of which there is a lot of in the North of Scotland! I think it was said that Police and Ambulance Vehicles are white so why shouldn't Fire Engines be the same....

Added by Andy Bain on 23 December 2010.

Andrew, Coventry City Fire Brigade did undertake evaluation on white during their trials with fire appliance colour schemes during 1966.The Lanchester City of Technology which undertook the colour experiments on behalf of the Brigade ruled out white as this was thought to have been too commercially used by haulage and also the Ambulance Service, the brigade was striving to obtain a colour which was distinctive and special to the fire service Weidenfeld liveries (Dayglow) were ruled out on the grounds of durability and sunlight fading which dispite its high visibilty could not be overcome dispite its widespread use by German and some Dutch brigades during this period.The County of West Riding in Yorkshire did eventually adopt White in 1969 Dispite its advantage over the conventional red at night and in adverse light conditions many persons did not feel it had the benefits of Coventry Fire Brigade Yellow as a livery for a fire appliance.


Added by BOB CARVER on 23 December 2010.

Bob,

Thanks for that. Warning controversial comment coming... I guess in reality the colour isn't that important for visibility these days with the advancement in Beacons/warning lights. The newer multiple strobe lights are certainly more effective than one or two revolving flashing lights...

Added by Andy Bain on 24 December 2010.

Lothian and Borders trialed 'day-glo' in the mid-late 70's on a K-Series Dodge running out of the then new station at Liberton. Not being a paint techie, no idea of the spec but from memory it had a slight 'pinkish tinge' ! Again from memory, it was more effective at night suggesting it had a reflective content ? Whatever, it was certainly different in those days and good posing material for the crew of 321 in the conservative streets of Edinburgh !

Added by Keith Richardson on 24 December 2010.

Your right there about the Dayglo, not so easy to match up paintwork with bumps and scrapes and with brigades now using battenburg and chevrons on the rear.

Added by Grant Melville on 24 December 2010.

Many thanks Gents for the comments. I still think that day-glo lime green is a good colour for fire engines.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 24 December 2010.

The pump at Buckley nearly went day glo/pink at times with the sun shining on the side of the station, the windows let in a lot of light. They're blocked up now due to this reason.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 26 December 2010.

Moving away from the paint issue, I've not met anyone who worked with these Leylands. What were they like as an appliance? because I was riding Dennis SS' with Cummins engines and they were fantastic. Just wondered what peoples thoughts were on the Leylands when compared to Dennis. I do, however, think the Leyland looks pretty good!

Added by Matt Ireland on 26 December 2010.

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