Fire Engines Photos

As far as I know this appliance still survives and appeared at the Preston Hall rally some years ago - it was in an unrestored condition and served at a hospital in the North East

Added by Rick Loudon on 15 January 2011.

This is still around. I photographed it at preston park a few years back. It was complete and working, but unrestored.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK on 15 January 2011.

Rick,

This did indeed serve at a North East Hospital. (Winterton in Sedgefield Co Durham). Have a look at picture 15440, which is my picture of it at Preston Park a couple of years ago. It would be wonderfull to have it reatored to its pristine condition as seen here. But at least it does survive, and its active and complete.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK on 16 January 2011.

Yes, the last I heard was that its current owner was going to "restore" it to Leicestershire & Rutland livery, since he wrongly thought that being the colour it was that they had been the operator. Needless to say, he was corected !!

Added by Ian Moore on 16 January 2011.

What a machine to have as a reserve. How I miss the good old days.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 17 January 2011.

Lol! It would look magnificent alongside the South Shields AEC Regent, wouldn't it?

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK on 17 January 2011.

Story goes, told to me from a guy that worked at winterton..

It was driven off the hospital site and parked up in a barn and wasn't going to be touched until the farmer that acquired it retired. I believe he has now retired from farming, and has "started" with it - hence the appearance at the rally.

I haven't got a clue which farm its on, but its somewhere in trimdon/sedgefield area still.

Added by Davey G on 22 January 2011.

I remember this from a visit in 1964, when I think it was still a front line unit and attended a fire at a Ford garage. This was at a time when all of Pilgrim Street's bays had an appliance in them, gleaming and ready to roll. Three Merrryweathers, including the TL, a Commer foam tender, a Fordson ET and a Hillman estate car if I remember right.

I always thought this livery was perfectly splendid, and the silver coach lining was just the right finishing touch!

Added by Rob Johnson on 21 September 2018.

This was on the reserve roster in 1969 because it had presumably recently been replaced by the new first ever ERF dual purpose pump escape, which I remember seeing at the 1967 Commercial Motor Show.

Although essentially filling the same role, the ERF design was light years ahead of the dear old Merryweather!

Added by Rob Johnson on 06 September 2021.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.