Fire Engines Photos

E604lhn is still in service at middlesbrough, I saw it about three weeks ago now. It currently exhibits the post 92 cleveland county council light vermillion livery, with the added teutonic style white embellishments. I understand this and stockton's similar ddc1 are under threat of an early disposal?

Added by Chris Hall, Teesside. on 13 March 2008.

Thanks for the update Chris.

Added by Paul Warnock on 14 March 2008.

E604lhn is still in service as at aug/sept 08.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside.(UK) on 02 October 2008.

I was passed by this on the A689 a couple of months ago, terrific old thing (well, it's as old as me anyway)... hope neither it nor DDC1 is disposed rather than preserved...

Added by Pete Gardner on 10 February 2009.

Ddc1 is to go to stranton (hartlepool) as a reserve, e604lhn is still in service (as far as I know) and there are rumours of a new hp sometime this year.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK. on 10 February 2009.

Trying to figure out, how this rig unfolds...it has 3 sections? and the bucket is tilted up, in front of the cab ?

"Puzzled", from Canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 12 February 2009.

Hi Pat.This appliance is a Hydraulic Platform and not an ALP, although the ladders on the booms can be used for escape if needed. The wire mesh bit above the cab is dropped down to form a walk way if required and allows people to us the ladders and gets you from one side of the booms to the other down to the ground. The bucket is at the rear on the third boom out of shot. (Not sure if I'm making sence) Paul.

Added by Paul Warnock on 12 February 2009.

A Pat, its a normal hydraulic platform-2 booms and cage at back of the appliance
on the top boom.What might be confusing you is the cage-work above the cab of
the appliance at the front.When the booms are raised this cage-work(step-over)
raises with it and what happens is, if the booms when extended ceased to operate,
firefighters can desend down the ladders on the booms that fold down, cross over
the middle of the booms via this drop-down walkway(ladder also on otherside of
other boom)and get down safely to ground.Hope that answers your question.

Added by Pete Matten on 12 February 2009.

Pat if i remember correctly the platform at the front is attached to the lower boom and was only used as an emergency escape route if the hydraulics failed.

Added by Stuart on 12 February 2009.

Pat, the Cage is at the back, part of the handrail just visible at very back of machine. The bottom boom is 'hinged' at the rear were the rams are then the top boom section is 'hinged' at the front were the fold up platform is. The 3rd section is the short jib that the main cage is on, it hangs down at the rear when it is folded up for transport but can pivot up to provide a limited up & over capacity when working. I think the platform at the front is to do with the ladders on the jib, transferring from the one on top boom to the lower ladder ? ?

Added by Bryan Sweeney on 12 February 2009.

Thanks Paul, Pete, Stuart & Bryan - I have got the idea, and more, too.

Love the "white face" - it's a good-looking rig - hope it gets to a good home, eventually.

Regards, from Canada,
Pat_R-B

And,

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 12 February 2009.

Chris,

Any idea how long appliances usually go into reserve before being disposed? Are we talking months or years?

Cheers,
Pete

Added by Pete Gardner on 13 February 2009.

To Pete Gardner,
Hi, I'm not really sure of the exact time scale. I do know Cleveland's allocation is based on milage warranties with the newest machines usually being allocated to the busiest stations for a couple of years before being moved around. Stranton in Hartlepool have had two Sabres since they were new and they are still there (today 14.02.09) so perhaps they will be due to move soon. Also, Stockton's NX06AOA/D both new in 2006 are still there. However Yarm (retained) had L681FPY for nearly five years before it moved in early 2008.
The specials seem to be pretty static, probably because of a station's operational requirements, E604LHN seen above, is still at Middlesbrough where it's been since new in 1987.
The oldest machines usually go into either the Training School or Reserve for a year or two before disposal no doubt until they become too uneconomic to repair.
Cleveland used to put most of their withdrawn stock through Maltby Auctions near Yarm. Many of the early stuff (AEC's and Dennis F types)went for scrap to North East Bus Breakers at Annfield Plain in Co Durham.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK. on 14 February 2009.

E604LHN was seen today (25.03.09) by me whilst it passed Middlesbrough Bus Station, still in it's vermillion livery. The fact that it hasn't been repainted suggests that it is still under threat of an early withdrawl.

Added by Chris Hall Teesside UK. on 25 March 2009.

This HP is still in service. I seen it the other week on its way to a shout and I heard it going past yesterday (29.04.09) with its old fashion 80's style siren lol .. Nice Machine!

Added by Adam Plumb on 30 April 2009.

as of 2022 its still on the go! Got to be one of the oldest in the UK still earning its pay.

Added by JH on 15 October 2022.

Does it actually get used though, or is it just a 'hangar queen' to use Royal Air Force parlance? From most news reports I see from around Teesside, they seem to regularly call on the retained CARP from Saltburn, even to jobs in and around Middlesbrough/Stockton.

Added by Pete Smith on 17 October 2022.

I saw it at an incident in Middlesbrough town centre earlier this year! 36 years old and still operational! Blue lights on the roof and grill have been updated.

Added by Stephen on 02 October 2023.

Have a feeling it is just a reserve if Saltburns CARP is unavailable.

Added by on 04 October 2023.

In some South American countries it is common practice for volunteer fire companies in less than affluent communities to buy second hand fire trucks from European countries (especially Germany) and the US which are already twenty or thirty years old, and then operate them for another decade or two. If you can get parts, or get them made locally, then it is perfectly feasible to keep a 40 or even 5O year old truck in daily use, and there are thousands of such elderly ladies in daily service with fire brigades around the World.

The principal disadvantage of course is that these do not have the same modern features and safety provisions as newer units. But they do get the job done, and there are dozens of videos on YouTube to see them in action!

Added by Rob Johnson on 04 October 2023.

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