Fire Engines Photos

The side PTO was a standard fitting when these were originally built for wartime use, but pumps and water tanks were only added after they were assigned to county and municipal brigades after the war. The pumps were rotary gear versions with a capacity of around 35 IGPM, with a single 19 mm hose reel. It seems tank capacities varied but were limited by the two ton chases to around 60 gallons. There was no JCDD specification for the ATV as far as I know, so individual brigades could presumably do whatever they wanted.

Most of these had the distinctive “five way valve wheel” but this example seems to have been converted without one. The square hole in the side on each side facilitated running out the hose to either side, but on some conversions it had to be run out of the rear or one of the front doors.

I remember seeing these updated tenders in numerous fire stations, especially rural and small town retained stations, where they were often the only appliances.

As well as these conversions - which continued to draw trailer pumps, many brigades used them for other roles. These included emergency tenders, foam tenders, BA tenders, mobile workshops, canteen vans and general utility runabouts. Some served well into the sixties in these capacities.



Added by Rob Johnson on 16 September 2025.

Hi Rob, Wynn pump of 22 gpm and 80 gallon tank. Prewar, “first aid saloon tender” See GLW 473 & GLW 474 plus others.

Added by Peter McCombie on 17 September 2025.

There is no evidence of GLR567 ever having a PTO as built the access being blanked off. The 1st conversions were in NFS days and maybe only prototypes.

Added by Neal Glover on 17 September 2025.

As I mentioned, lots of variations, but all making these old ATVs a very useful - if not indispensable - part of so many fire brigade fleets for years and years after their stint with the NFS. LIke the famous GMC 6X6 US army chassis left behind in Europe after the war, and adopted in their hundreds by fire services especially in France, lots of modifications were made, ranging from a simple coat of red paint to a virtual rebuild.

Added by Rob Johnson on 18 September 2025.

I wonder how many of these survive? There are 2 or 3of the 1950s canteen van conversions also at least 4 in the Netherlands I can account for 22. There were over 5000 built.

Added by Neal Glover on 19 September 2025.

I can understand why the numbers are now probably very small indeed after eighty years. These were ubiquitous and understandably rather “cheap and cheerful” designs, built in a hurry and hardly originally designed to last anywhere near as long as many of them in fact did! Although probably the majority did continue in service as ATVs, often with the frequent upgrade with a gear pump, hose reel and small tank, I can see why most collectors might well have ignored them and not thought of them as “real” fire engines. As for the others, although they performed a wide variety of useful roles In fire brigade service, they too were probably considered more to be regular (and therefore rather boring) commercial vans and not worth preserving either.

I am very pleased that some are still around, because they did have a very important historical role in protecting the country during WWII and in many places for decades afterwards.

Added by Rob Johnson on 21 September 2025.

Some with very low mileage were held in Home Office stores until 1968.


Added by Neal Glover on 23 September 2025.

Neal: Do you know if trailer pumps were stored along with them? I think it might have made sense if they were…

Added by Rob Johnson on 24 September 2025.

Trailer pumps were issued to the AFS into the 1960s but after that I don't know.

Added by Neal Glover on 24 September 2025.

In 1967 I once visited one of the warehouses where numerous Home Office Bedford “green goddess” emergency pumpers were stored, as my then girlfriend’s uncle was the custodian there. She understood my enthusiasm for fire engines, even though I did much prefer the red ones! As I recall it had around sixty of the later 4X4 versions lined up bumper to bumper. I was told that the first two or three in each row were all ready to be driven out if needed, while the others were “stood down”. There were no other vehicles at this particular location - but of course there were several of these storage locations, so others could have accommodated ATVs, trailer pumps, hose or pipe carriers, command vehicles and other vehicles.

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 September 2025.

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