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Fire Engine Photos
Bedford A3/5 HCB (ex Lindsey & London Brick)
Complimenting the pictures of sister appliance NBE 691, here is a shot of MBE 978 a Bedford A3/5 with HCB bodywork (I think body number 175 but Aidan Fisher will confirm) supplied to the Lincolnshire Lindsey Fire Brigade in 1955. I assume as the restorer has fitted it with a 'North Somercoates' station plate, that was where it served. I am pretty sure that, along with NBE 691, it also passed to London Brick Company.
I saw it in an unrestored condition at the Stowmarket Rally in August 2004 but here it is in pristine restored condition at the 2009 Odiham Rally after hundreds of hours of painstaking work by owner Peter Sullivan of Chelmsford.
After service with London Brick, I think it went to the Fire Service National Museum Trust in 1981 and between 1982 and 2003 it was in Germany but I'm sure that someone on this group will be able to confirm these details.
Complimenting the pictures of sister appliance NBE 691, here is a shot of MBE 978 a Bedford A3/5 with HCB bodywork (I think body number 175 but Aidan Fisher will confirm) supplied to the Lincolnshire Lindsey Fire Brigade in 1955. I assume as the restorer has fitted it with a 'North Somercoates' station plate, that was where it served. I am pretty sure that, along with NBE 691, it also passed to London Brick Company.
I saw it in an unrestored condition at the Stowmarket Rally in August 2004 but here it is in pristine restored condition at the 2009 Odiham Rally after hundreds of hours of painstaking work by owner Peter Sullivan of Chelmsford.
After service with London Brick, I think it went to the Fire Service National Museum Trust in 1981 and between 1982 and 2003 it was in Germany but I'm sure that someone on this group will be able to confirm these details.
In service she would have carried "North Somercoates" in yellow on a red background above the doors each side and the Lindsey County Fire Brigade crest on each side where the modern Lincolnshire Fire Brigade crest is shown. The (incorrect) brigade name was not carried on the appliance sides.
But having said all that it is still a cracking restoration job of a vehicle thought to be long gone many years ago.
Added by Alan Smith on 16 January 2013.
But having said all that it is still a cracking restoration job of a vehicle thought to be long gone many years ago.
Added by Alan Smith on 16 January 2013.
Talking with the owner - Peter O'Sullivan - he maintains that he undertook much research. Bumper and hubs should be red, the step should be plain ali. The nameplate should be silver ali with black letters. The North Somercoates should be above the door in black and ali again. Door badge should be round. The colour should not be Post Office red, but Winsford Red - darker tone.
Added by Ken Wilkinson on 05 January 2016.
Added by Ken Wilkinson on 05 January 2016.
I tend to agree with Alan Smiths comments...the stations name was hand painted in yellow on a pressed steel plate with a red background...the plate was mounted above the cab bi fold doors on some aluminium box section (the mounting holes being clearly visible on this picture)...the correct brigade name was 'Lindsey County Fire Brigade' in yellow letters which normally was mounted on a red strip above the lockers...these little Bedfords may not have been long enough to take this name though ?...I have a photo somewhere of a sister appliance turning out of Scunthorpe Fire Station..I'll try and find it !
Added by Rick Loudon on 08 January 2016.
Added by Rick Loudon on 08 January 2016.
Hello all... just thought I'd mention NBE 691 is up for sale on eBay... :-)
Search 'fire engine coffee' to find it
Cheers
Added by Adam on 12 July 2017.
Search 'fire engine coffee' to find it
Cheers
Added by Adam on 12 July 2017.
Bedford
Peter Tucker
[email protected]
Added by Peter on 31 December 2012.