Fire Engines Photos

Nice Scottish flags on grilles.

Added by Mike Feldman on 03 August 2012.

lovely machines !!!! are these trcks 6, 8, or 10 man crew cabs ?

Added by Simon Roberts on 03 August 2012.

Think these have the CP31 crew cab but only run with a crew of 6. Interesting to note that these are the first appliances to lettered for the new Scottish FRS which comes int effect on 1/4/13.

Added by D.Cruickshank on 03 August 2012.

Pierce were the first to decorate their grilles with an optional stars and stripes shortly after 9-11, but this seems to have become less popular these days. The St. Andrew's cross is pretty distinctive, and if local drivers get used to the idea that "flag = fire engine" it should work well.

Added by Rob Johnson on 03 August 2012.

Simon they are the normal CP28 6 man cabs. Two CP28's 61 plates went on the run in Jan 2012 at Station 77 North Anderson Drive Aberdeen which was a first for a wholetime station. Two CP28's 60 plates are also at Station 95 Stonehaven (Retained).

Added by Grant Melville on 03 August 2012.

RE: Pierce and Stars and Stripes: see picture 6680 for an example. The Pierce decoration is clearly a waving flag.

Seeing the Scottish one with my American eyes, I thought it might be another British hi-viz livery like Battenburg. Then it occurred to me that maybe it was a Scottish flag, so I checked that out with wikipedia. So in Scotland, would it be illegal to paint such a flag on the grille of a commercial truck?

Here in the US, it is not uncommon to see a fire truck carrying a large flag on a pole attached to the rear bumper. A post-9/11 reaction, I think. Some of the trucks here in Portland have them.

Added by Mike Feldman on 03 August 2012.

Mike I think it could be just promotional for the single Scottish Fire&Rescue service for the show? Unless someone knows different?

Added by Grant Melville on 04 August 2012.

Just a PR thing am afraid regarding the Saltire on the grill.

Added by Stephen Murray on 04 August 2012.

Cheers Stephen. Tayside are due 2 new Scania Rp's from E-One end of August/September. I know from now on all new appliances will be signed like this. Training is still on-going for the new 12 plate CARP and I was speaking to a Watch Manager promoting saftey with the Homee Fire Saftey Pod and he was saying they are behind schedule and it wont be going on the run until January?

Added by Grant Melville on 05 August 2012.

I stand corrected to my earlier comment, they are in fact CP 28 cabs on these pumps. Regarding the saltire, - it wasn`t just a stunt for Truckfest, they are being unveiled tomorrow at Central station in Aberdeen.

Added by D.Cruickshank on 05 August 2012.

These two appliances should be on the run in a few weeks time and be stationed at Aberdeen Central fire station.
SV12 AZB will run as 961 and SV12 AZC will run as 962.

Added by Barry Reid on 08 August 2012.

Yes I can second above, celeb central station get these. Their old pumps are coming to my station in Peterhead and will be numbered 711 (whole time) and 712 (retained)

Added by Stewart McIntosh on 09 August 2012.

If you want to see more photos of these machines, Grampian Fire&Rescue have put up a web page on their website, and also you can see them alongside a Nth Anderson Drive machine.

Added by Grant Melville on 09 August 2012.

I see there was huge outcry yesterday when it was revealed that the saltires were removed after two complaints - one from inside GFRS and one from outside. It was on the Scottish News last night and there's even a Facebook campaign to have them re-instated....

Added by Andy on 28 November 2012.

Thats intresting, I heard the same about complaints and even read a report in the local paper. I went on the GFRS website and they state that no complaints were received , it was just an oversite and the saltires should of been removed before going on the run. Believe what you will!!!
Sad situation. Imagine being in America and moaning about the stars ans stripes on their fire engines!

Added by Barry Reid on 03 December 2012.

Barry, point taken re the Stars & Stripes but is there not a subtle difference with the Saltire? Some will consider it has political undertones and politics is not what fire and rescue services are about .. or at least they shouldn't be!

Added by Keith Richardson on 03 December 2012.

Barry,

Yes you are correct about the statement on the website. Still not sure if I believe the "informant" in the paper or the response on the website?

Keith,

Some consider it political but most see it as a patriotic symbol of Scotland. I won't argue the point anymore than that as I'm not into it but I will say it's on the Scottish Ambulance Service Emblem, I'm pretty sure it was part of the old Grampian Regional Council Heraldry that made up the old door signs on the Grampian Fire Brigade appliances as well... Oh and the Navy SAR helicopters at Prestwick have them on the nose too. Yes I guess it was a stunt that's backfired a bit, I'm not sure if the wording on the side has been changed to GFRS yet or stayed SFRS?

Added by Andy on 05 December 2012.

Look forward to seeing the corporate badging / livery for the new unified SFRS in due course.

Andy

In closing, there is no doubt (in my mind certainly) as to the standing of the Saltire as a patriotic symbol. The SAS badging of their fleet is a good example where it has been discreetly and tastefully incorporated into an authorised corporate logo giving that organisation its national identity. The 'car type sticker' on the nose cone of R177 is slightly different but a nice, appropriate and tasteful touch nevertheless. The key is the discrete, taseteful, and authorised use of the Saltire incorporated into whatever the approved design may be, reflecting the professionalism of whatever service it represents.

Added by Keith Richardson on 07 December 2012.

What is the point of having one brigade north of the border? Has this come about because H&IF&RS and training schedules? Won't be long before the whole of Wales is one brigade. The Ambulance service has gone that way.

Added by Andrew Middleton on 07 December 2012.

The move to one national fire service for Scotland is a money saving exercise with the current financial climate. It means that they can operate with one single "back room" set up for example, one HR department, one Health & Safety department, one payroll department and a single corporate management team as opposed to the current system of each of the 8 regional services having all these departments duplicated and 8 individual Chief Officers and management teams.

Added by Scotsfirey on 09 March 2013.

Yes but will each dept. be 8 times as large?!! Are not principal officers paid on the size of the brigade? Will each former brigade have someone still to manage it, plus the Firemaster in overall control, so it could add an extra layer of very expensive management.Plus support. I could of course be just an old cynic.

Added by Neal Glover on 09 March 2013.

No Neal that's not the way it's being set up. Scotland will have 1 Chief Fire Officer, and 1 Deputy Chief Fire Officer. Territorially the country will be organised into 3 'Hubs' each led by an Assistant Chief Officer. Therefore the structure for the whole Scottish Service will be slimmed down, which is what Scotsfirey was saying.

Added by Colin Foster on 10 March 2013.

Gents if you look on the History of Scottish Fire Brigades site there is a link to a page with the new Scottish set up. I have been informed by e-mail that Fife's workshops are closing in April and up here in Tayside our workshops will be servicing North Fife's appliances and the rest will be serviced at Newbridge Lothian&Borders.

Added by Grant Melville on 10 March 2013.

Could be some good savings long term. Short term not so sure depending on how the rebadging (etc) exercise goes. Centralising certain services like workshops, stores and training create their own problems. Break out the old NFS badges...

Added by Peter McCombie on 10 March 2013.

With just 3 days to go of Grampian Fire and Rescue Service I just wanted to say a big thank you to the service. It will be a shame to lose one of the best fire and rescue services in the country, lets hope the standard will stay the same.
Also I want to thank GFRS especially the crews at Aberdeen Central and Dyce (when it was whole-time)for the help and support they gave in my efforts to join the fire and rescue service many years ago.
GFRS may be gone but will not be forgoten.

Added by Barry Reid on 28 March 2013.

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