Fire Engines Photos

I should add, that the Station is Day Crewed on flexible Crewing, 2 WRL, EPU, Water Bowser and IRU. M630 CDE which is our Send Pump is going to be replaced by a Mercedes Sprinter Rural Response Pump. aka the Bread Van!

Added by D.K on 29 April 2012.

Always good to see a couple of Dennises, particularly in Wales which has never been a stronghold for Dennis, apart from West wales that is. But what exactly is a Send pump, D.K.? Is it just Brigade jargon?

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 30 April 2012.

Sorry Yelp, Should have said Second Pump. West Wales/Dyfed were the stronghold for Dennis, all others we either Volvo, Scania, Mercedes.

Added by D.K on 30 April 2012.

Oh I see! I was thinking: send pump/first-away pump...hmmm. It kinda made sense! But I mustn't have been feeling particularly intelligent yesterday. But then again, I did get the plural of Dennis right when so many contributors to this site do not! Nice photos though, D.K.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 01 May 2012.

One thing thet I liked about Dyfed was the fact they registered their appliances in their former pre 74 county areas. DE in Pembroke, TH in Ceridigion and BX in Carmarthen. The Mercedes-Benz 1120AF/Carmichel ET's were indicative of this H616EEJ at Aberystwyth, H623EBX at Llanelli and H949EDE at Haverfordwest, as were many pumping appliances.

Added by Andy Middleton on 21 May 2012.

Yes, they were the good old days, Now in M&W strange registrations such as ZH are the norm!!! We have our 50th on 2nd June so hopefully if I can work it we'll have the 2012 line up, The T Reg is now a spare appliance and 36P1 is a Scania (Nice looking, but horrible to drive) M630CDE 36P2 is due to be replaced by the new RRP's, and the Bowser upgraded to a Volvo 9000ltr CU12 something. Not shown is the CEPU (Chemical and Environmental Unit) and IRU a.k.a Big Red Bed!

Added by D.K on 22 May 2012.

The new Bowser is on here under Pembroke Dock, but the RRP (Rural Response Pump) is not signed as Pembroke, but Mid and West Wales.

Added by D.K on 22 May 2012.

Could someone please tell me why the name Bowser is given to something which would best be called a tanker?
Thanks,


Added by Todd on 22 May 2012.

I've often wondered why a Water Carrier/Tanker is often called a Bowser too, Todd. A Bowser is a fuel tanker specifically designed to refuel aeroplanes at an airfield, and as such has nothing whatsoever to do with carrying water. I can only assume that some people think it sounds cool!

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 23 May 2012.

Thanks for the information. At least I now what a true bowser is.


Added by Todd on 23 May 2012.

Me neither, and I posted it lol. For some reason, Carriers have always been Bowsers in Dyfed, Mid and West.

Added by D.K on 23 May 2012.

Just to add to the debate about the use of the word water bowsers, the Oxford English Dictionary definition of the word bowser is: “A tanker used for fuelling aircraft and other vehicles or for supplying water”.
Its origins come from the name of a company of oil storage engineers back in the 1920s; the term is still used today in the water supply industry in the UK.


Added by Graham Willey on 24 May 2012.

From what I have researched it appears that by definition "bowser" is quite simply the wrong word to describe a to water carrying tanker. However, I have heard fire fighters calling them bowsers for many years and I have even seen official documents referring to them as bowsers as opposed to some other more accurate name.

If anyone is interested in the etymology the word bowser originally comes from a brandname said to be after S.F. Bowser and Co. A Sydney manufacturer of gasoline and oil storage systems.
Bowser is now more commonly used as Mr Bullhorn says, to describe a fuel tanker tending to aircraft.

Added by Monkey Boy The 3rd on 24 May 2012.

Funny enough, when we had the 4000L Foam pod, it was known as the Tanker!

Foam Tanker
Water Bowser

Wierd or what!

Added by D.K on 08 March 2013.

Interesting information. North Yorkshire used to have a water tank which was a pod carried on Bedford TK prime mover, this was always referred to as the water bowser. These Bedford's and pod system were replaced with two Volvo foam/water tankers, these vehicles have now been modified just to carry water only, as a deal with other brigades to supply foam has been made. We still call them bowsers, only the other night I heard a make up for water bowser required for poor water supply.

Added by Paul Warnock on 09 March 2013.

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