The white livery on the new appliance 781, looks stunning, and far more eye catching than the red. Wish north yorkshire would adopt this livery, far superior!
White gets my vote stunning new livery lets move with the times.
Added by Michael Jones on 02 December 2009.
Jordan you are right, West Yorkshire tried this in the seventies. Public opinion was mixed and most people when asked didn't realise what the vehicles were. Some drivers failed to give way to white appliances. Red is a pretty universal colour worldwide and they should be red because that's what the public perception is. Silly stripes are just that, a base colour other than red is, well, I think you know my view by now.
I always believed red was laid down by act of parliament as the colour of fire appliances (at least in England anyway.) And rightly so!
These Scanias do look rather fetching, but when you're tootling along in your car and one of these comes up behind you, you'll probably think it's a bin wagon in a hurry! (I was going to say 'roars up behind you' until I remembered these things are just as slow as a bin wagon.)
We used to have a 90 mph Dennis Sabre at our local station, but now we've got one of these 56 mph snails! (But ours is as red as a bin-man's face!)
Yelp its one of those conveniently forgotten rules. Once upon a time Brigades followed Home Office guidance to the letter, now we see "wonder" machines and producers lead gullible fleet managers and white tops by the nose. Not helped by the stupid leasing schemes brigades have got themselves into. As for being law, I am not sure on that one, perhaps Pete Matten could clarify it. Thanks for the Sabre / Scania comparison, it made an old Sabre driver very happy.
I seem to remember the Isle of Wight Fire Brigade having to do away with their white livery in the mid '80s because of a parliamenty decree.
And I also seem to recall a tale of why fire engines are red. I heard the childish tale many many years before my facial hair turned grey. Does anybody know the story?
Please take a look at my picture 14870 these Scania's for Wiltshire came direct from the factory painted red. So the paint cost has been included the chassis price, and not an additional cost at the bodybuilders.
Added by Simon Gunning on 04 December 2009.
Stand out against Benn Machdui in witner don't they!
Cabs are made of white plastic, so don't need to be painted. Painting them red costs extra. White and yellow are the best colours for high speed vehicles to be seen. Red is the worst. Grampian engines were fitted with Very Loud air horns to fix the problem of drivers tootling along.
Added by Andrew Macpherson on 02 May 2013.
So now we know why so many Grampian firefighters are partly deaf!
Yelp - I've been told that these have an electronic limiter and that when the blue lights go on the limiter goes off - They certainly seem travel faster than 56mph.... (Maybe some one is BS'ing me?)
Andrew McPherson - I think the MAN's are plactic but the Scania's are metal. The Ellon Scania the ended up on it's side 30ft down an enbankment after hittng some trees was in awfully good condition for being plastic....
Added by Andy on 03 May 2013.
So now that we have a national fire and rescue service here in scotland does this mean that standardisation will now be the order of the day, i.e all appliances turning out in the same livery, uniforms etc...hoorah for standardisation on sameness...why do we always think big is going to be better, cheaper yes, better no...
There have been some accidents involving Scanias rolling over in both Tayside and Grampian in recent years and in both cases the crew cab has stood up very well indeed and saved the crew from serious injuries or worse. No doubt if other manufacturers cabs were not as well built as the Scania ones obviously are, or are made from plastic, then they ( and the crews ) would not have fared as well.
Added by D. Cruickshank on 04 May 2013.
Yes im afraid so Brandweer. Grampian (Northren Hub) have been told all newer appliances will be red.I know for a fact that all helmet markings for crew managers are going to be black as L&B and Tayside are red. Also theirs not going to be the same workshops and probably after the Commonwealth Games control rooms.
Wish north yorkshire would adopt this livery, far superior!
Added by John Johnstone on 10 January 2008.