Fire Engines Photos

Correct me if I'm wrong but did this one not transfer to London Fire Brigade in 1965 on creation of the GLC?

Does anyone know it's GLC LFB fleet number?

Added by Bill on 04 July 2013.

The Kent Fire Brigade's A divison Stations that were transfered to the GLC in 1965 were:-
Bromley(H21), Sidcup(H23), Orpington(H24), Biggin Hill(H25), West Wickham(H27), Beckenham(H33), Erith(E27), Bexley(E28). Orpington and West Wickham were defantly one pump stations with Commer 86A/HCB-Angus WrL's West Wickhams was 761AKT and Orpington's possable being SKJ52. I have a pic of Biggin Hill's WrL which is also a Commer 86A/HCB-Angus, SKE903, which has KFB lettering but London Stn No's.I don't know if Kent ran Biggin Hill as a two appliance station, but London did, at first with Dennis F106 PL and Pump, as London kept the merryweather 45ft Gutbuster ladders for a few years, if memory serves I think Beckenham got it's Escape in about 1972. West Wickham had a Comet on the run for a short time but I think it was a spare, as I remember it was an unsual machine to see, as it didn't have "Zjibb" doors on the lockers! Sorry I was 4 at the time and it's the noise that the roller shutter locker doors on the Commer made!I also remember my dad sitting me on the bonnet to see out the appliance room door windows. Right Beckenham Comet's OKE636 was London PL135, OKR149 Was LFB PL272. Not sure of the allocation of the rest at time of Transfer but they are:- OKM338 LFB No PL155, KCE400 LFB No PL154, OKO664 LFB No PL261 (both at Bromley), OKO64 LFB No PL261, OKP641 LFB No PL268, OKP857 LFB No PL269, PKL288 LFB No PL276, Also Biggin Hill's Commer WrL SKE903 LFB No P345, Erith's Commer QX/HCB-Angus WrL SKJ52 LFB No P347.And just to keep it right Bromley's TL AEC/Merryweather YKP177 LFB No TL7. There was also at least one AFS Machine, (West Wickham had 4!) at each station I do have Reg No's and details But they don't seem to have LFB No's allocated.

Added by Chris Stone on 04 July 2013.

Thanks Chris that is really helpful. However I have some more queries. Does anyone know the GLC fleet number for Leyland Comet / Kenex PKE 776? And, there now appear to be duplications in fleet numbers. PL154 is shared by Dennis F101 PUC154 and Leyland Comet KCE400. PL155 is shared by Dennis F101 PUC155 and Leyland Comet OKM338. P347 is shared by ERF SMH348F and Commer SKJ52. Plus does anyone know the fleet numbers for any of the other machines absorbed into the GLC in 1965?

Added by Bill on 04 July 2013.

Sorry Bill, I missed PKE776 out its LFB No was PL275. As for your Duplications, Weren't F101's fleet listed as XXXDP? (ie 147DP being PUC147).DP being duel purpose ie could be a PE or Pump. And ERF's being PXXXC? (ie P539C being GYM289N, which was Bromley's Pump, till it had an accident in 1976).

Added by Chris Stone on 05 July 2013.

PKE 776 was PL 275, PUC 154 was 154 DP, KCE 400 was
PL 154, PUC 155 was 155 DP, OKM 338 PL 155, SKJ 52 was P 347, withdrawn prior to SMH 348F which was
P348C, 761 AKT went to Margate, not LFB, SKJ 52 was at Erith, OKM 338 was at H23 but moved to H27, OKO 64 at H24, OKP 641 E28 as P, OKP 857 E28 PL, PKL 288 E27 PL.Comets bodied by Windover and Kenex.

Added by M.P.West on 05 July 2013.

I served as a Fireman at Beckenham 1965/66 and remember Fm.
Albert STONE (Driver). Are you any relation & is that him in the photo on the right?

Added by Mike Davies on 21 April 2014.

The fireman on the nearside of the appliance IS my Dad, However, he wasn't the driver at the time the picture was taken as he had only just left Training School(then at Linton), and this was his first station. He did become a Driver as he had an HGV from his National Service days, not long after, he was certanly a Driver when we were at Deal (1962-64) and for most of his time in London, (GLC'd in 1965) till he was promoted in the late 1970's. And if you have a copy of the Kent Fire Brigade's book "Fifty Vigilant Years" there's a picture on page 23 of a line up of Kent Firemen and the 3rd one in wearing a Salvus Set is My Grandad, also called Albert, (who was also at Beckenham 1948-57 after being at Penge 1931-48).

Added by Chris Stone on 12 May 2014.

PKE776 had a body by Windover not Kenex according to John Nadal's book on LFB.

Added by Petros on 13 May 2023.

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