Fire Engines Photos

Most unusual looking appliances David, were they common in New Zealand?

Added by Bristol Bob on 16 December 2013.

See Peter Rietveld's photo and comments on picture 25568. They were a NZ conceived vehicle loosely based on a Bedford hence the similarities in the cab. 5 were assembled as airport appliances and went to smaller centres. Dunedin is the only airport I know of that had two in service at the same time. The Invercargill example shown in Peter's photo is still technically in service as a reserve I understand. Of the remainder one is or was being used as a roading contractors vehicle while the Mt Cook airport example is rumoured to be in a hanger at the airport but not moved for some time. One is reported to have been converted into a Mack based crash tender that is now a reserve at Nelson airport (picture 33064). The others have vanished or rotted away.

Added by David Miller on 18 December 2013.

Thanks David, very comprehensive.


Added by Bristol Bob on 18 December 2013.

I can remember playing in these as a kid they were built by my father and the fiberglass cab was the only Bedford based part on them. They started life as the Tructor used mostly for fertiliser spreading. There was not many done as Fire Engines as the Lange Govt cancelled the contract as a cost cutting measure when they first came to power.

Added by Keith Hoyle on 22 January 2014.

At least five of these built for airport use, four in New Zealand (two each at Dunedin and Rotorua) and at least one exported to the Pacific Islands - Kiribati or Tuvalu? One of the Rotorua Arrestors also served at Whakatane Airport. The Mack tender referred to by David Miller was a 1979 Mack RM4874RX that served at Whakatane, but was rebuilt in the early 1990's for use at Christchurch Airport.

Added by Ron Averes on 02 March 2016.

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