Biglorryblog is grateful to David Hecker whose website you should visit at www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com. David sent me these shots of a fire engine that thought it was a submarine... And says: "It had 2000 km on the clock and happened up near Tewantin in the recent heavy rain." Now click through here for more...
Word reaches Biglorrybog that Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service has added four MAN TGM 13.280BL 4x4 fire appliances in response to what the service sees as a growing requirement to operate 'multi-role' vehciles. In addtition to serving as rural fire-fighting engines the compact 13-tonners will also be used as front line 'urban' machines. Now click through here for more...
Now here's something you don't see everyday... A VW Constellation fire engine! And I have my 'travelling cloggie chum' Tim de Jong (he's a crazshee guy) for it. Indeed Tim tells me: "Hi Brian, sometimes the Dutch cloggie chum isn't travelling 'physically', but he does remain simply at the office, surfing the interweb. It's there where I found this rather special fire engine if you ask me." Now click through here for more...
AtkiPete Lynch in Oz e-mails me to say: "G'day Brian, shocked to see one of my lovely ACCOs going up in smoke yesterday! Looks like some Drongo has put chemicals out in the household garbage and this has set off a fire inside the compactor... The fire brigade tried to douse it with water but they couldn't really get to it so the ACCO was escorted off to the local dump with a couple of Scania fire engines in "hot" pursuit! Cheers, Pete."
AtkiPet Lynch has seen sufficiently red to send me these splendid shots of fire engines following the recent post from Tim de Jong in which Tim sang the paises of the International LoneStar fire engine... And it's got Pete hot under the collar as he says: "G'day Brian, have you been out in the sun already this year? Suggesting that International LoneStar is the best looking fire engine indeed!"
Clearly miffed Pete adds: "Any true fire engine Anorak will agree that the Australia has the finest fire engines and even my lack of photographic skills could not spoil this lot!"
Indeed I wonder if, in his own unique way Pete might not be telling us all to go to blazes... Anyway click through here for more!
Biglorryblog's globe-trotting cloggie mate Tim de Jong has sent me this picture of an Interrnational Lone Star fire engine and to say: "Hi Brian, So there I was, at the Mid-American Trucking Show. This phenomonal International Lone Star fire engine was nowhere to be seen at the show - but we did see a PC on the International stand displaying this unique picture as a screensaver. And as you know, BLB's spies look just a little bit further than anyone would expect, naturally. The Americans didn't mind at all forwarding it to me. And they didn't say: 'Sir, do you want cheese with that...?' BLB clearly opens some internationally 'hidden doors', you know...!"
Tom Cunningham, Biglorryblog's faourite snapper, www.tomcunningham.co.uk. I've sends me this cautionary tale regarding fire engine photography! "It's a funny business, photography," says Tom, adding " No matter how much of a clever dick you think you are, a brief comes along which completely upsets the apple cart - i.e. you're faced with something totally new. Looking at your recent BLB Scania fire thread, I was reminded of a job I did in Liverpool last year for VT plc. through their agency, GK. As the company who looks after the fire brigade's 'pod' system vehicles (aka New Dimension), VT wanted a nice image for their 2009 calendar. During the consultation process, I suggested a wall of fire across the top of the MAN TGA. A location was found (Liverpool FB's Training Centre in Croxteth) and we duly rocked up one Wednesday afternoon. "Would we like a small fire or a really big one... ?" they enquired. I guess you know what the answer to that was!
Now I'd seen the Scania stuff already, so I thought to myself, "how hard can it be... ?" Very - is the short answer. First problem: When we got to the bottom of the yard in question, I had neither the time or space to set up my lights. The difficult thing would be trying to correctly expose for the fire truck and the flames (it's hard to do multiple exposures with a moving wall of fire). Second problem: When asked how long I'd like the gas turned on for, I responded with something like "5 minutes?", to rapturous laughter from the Liverpool FB guys. "How about five seconds," they replied. It transpires this particular rig eats gas at the rate of something like £150/minute.
Third problem: It's very hot! We positioned the truck as best we could. I stood on a grass bank as the guy in the control room opened the tap. Then 'whoosh', out pops this roaring wall of flame. I can't describe the feeling of intense heat - but it's like something I've never experienced before. I battled frantically with my exposures and came up with what you can see. "
Now click through here for Tom's "problem number 4" It's er....heating up....
Bimbling through the excellent Scania image gallery I found this rather fine firey red-hot trio which I thought you might like...starting with this P270 (it says 4x2 but I think it's a 4x4) short crew cab putting out a flaming plane...(or a plane 'facsimile!)
Followed by this (definitely) 4x2 P340 crew cab oputting hout last night's barbeque at Biglorryblog towers...hmmm maybe that petrol 'starter' was a mistake?
And to finish off a nice 6x2/4 P380 hook loader (it was used to carry away the burnt sausages and burgers...) Now click through here for a very strange truck from the 'other' Swedish truck maker...
Is this the world's oldest fire engine? Mmmmm... Word reaches Biglorryblog that Cheshire Fire and Rescue and Thomas Hardie Commercials have restored the 'World's Oldest, Shand Mason Fire Engine' to its former glory and there it is on the back of this...err...other fire engine (and for a pie what is it?)
It seems the 90-year old single-cylinder fire engine was one of three purchased from London Fire Brigade back in 1916 by the Posnett family, owners of the Highfield Tannery in Runcorn who later donated it to Runcorn Town Council. It was then subsequently inherited by Cheshire County Fire Brigade and renovated during the winter of 1995-1996 by Bill Davies of Wrexham.
The Shand Mason, believed to be the oldest, original single cylinder model anywhere in the world to be in full working order, gets a regular trot out at many rallies and events throughout Britain and Europe courtesy of the Chief Officer of Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service. Now click through here to find out where Thomas Hardie comes into the story...
I thought it was about time I had a fire engine on Bigloryblog and what better one to showcase than the Western Star 4900 FA which comes with a choice of no less than five engines including a of either a Detroit Diesel 60 series, cat C11, 13 or 15 and the Mercedes MBE 4000 (over here we call it the OM457 and fit it in the Axor) with a power offering from 305-625hp! Now click through here for another shot of the mighty 4900 FA.
Two-Stroke has written to me to say: "Brian---we've had the Commer ambulance, and the Commer fire engine in recent days. It would be good not to dodge the issue and finish the complete set off with the Commer police van---on display courtesy of the
TS now sips into a warm reverie to say: "It takes me back to those heady 'Heartbeat' days where protective front wire mesh and anti-bandit screens where not normal police van attire. It would be interesting to see how well it would perform when the blues and twos are switched - looking at the size of the body maybe this had a more supporting as a mobile incident room?. The walkthrough is a brilliant concept but is this one extra high so you can walk through with your hat on? With regard to Elfin Safety you'd need a full harness and climbing gear to change the blue light bulb. "
Seeing as we've had a string of postings on Commers on Biglorryblog I thought you'd like this 1965 Commer Ambulance (with just 9,455 genuine miles on the clock) which was recently sold for £3,650 at a dedicated van and truck auction at Manheim 
It also provides an astonishing insight into how the emergency services have changed over the past 40 years. In the last 10 years alone it's won several awards at shows, fairs and exhibitions and still has all of its original equipment including stretchers, first aid bags, steel helmets, a gas mask, contamination meter, minuteman resuscitator, Civil Defence overcoats and a Neil Robinson immobilisation kit. Now click through here for more...
Ever fancied driving and airport fire tender? But wondered how you'd get the chance...Well now you can---or at least a simulator. Mark Pilling, Editor at Airline Business has sent me this link and in his words " Hi Brian - have referenced BLB on a piece I've done on an airport CFR vehicle simulator - looks a blast!" And here's the link
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/airline-business/2008/08/you-too-can-drive-an-airport-f.html
Now click through here for an Oshkosh airport fire tender..'the mighty' Striker'
Having bullied Agent Reg for not sending me enough pictures of new Volvos he's come good by sending me this very nice shots of one of East Sussex Fire Authority's 14 new Euro-5 Volvo fire appliances, which will keep watch over the communities of East Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove. This makes East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service the first service in the UK to use Euro-5 compliant FL-280 fire appliances.
The new fire appliances replace older Volvo FL6 models and a low-level 15-tonne chassis, a one-piece factory-made Volvo cab and the latest D7 280-bhp Euro-5 compliant engine. Now for a pie...what's that famous local building in the background.
And click through here for more details on the Volvos--and another picture too!
Biglorryblog was tipped off about this video clip on YouTube by Ashley (the Crane King) Coghill. Keep watching it as it’s got a happy ending. Only haven’t the Americans heard of air bags to raise an overturned trailer?
While I’m on the theme of fire engines here’s another one for all of Biglorryblog’s mystery truck pie-addicts. The picture comes from Peter Lynch who says: “Here’s an easier one for your readers. It starts with an A, and is an English marque----but it’s not made in England.”
So what is it? An Atki? An Albion? An Arkwright Spinning Jenny? Tell BLB..he’s all ears.
Call it a knock-on effect if you like. No sooner does Biglorryblog post a story about Oshkosh than I get this back from Neil Temple who says: "Hi Brian. The info you posted on the Chinese Oshkosh trucks inspired me to have a wee browse on the internet and I came across this website
This has a comprehensive collection of pretty much any old Oshkosh you could care to think of. It also shows a few pictures of the intriguing P15/M12 twin engine fire trucks too. I’ve not been able to come up with much info on them but I wonder if any other BLB reader would know anything about these trucks?"
Well there's a challenge for BLB's anorak army. In the meantime, I leave you with a picture of the magnificent Oshkosh Striker airport crash tender above. And if you click through here you can find a link to some fabulous Striker video clips on the Oskosh website!
Thanks to my regular Presspass@BusinessWire.com news alert I can tell Biglorryblog readers that Oshkosh Truck Corporation's Airport Products Group has won a $10.6m order from the Beijing Capital International Airport for 26 Oshkosh of its H-Series snow removal vehicles consisting of 24 front-mounted broom units (that's one of them above) and two high-speed blowers (pictured below).
All the units will be delivered by the fall of 2008, and will be commissioned and in service for the 2008-2009 snow season. One can't help wondering, consdiering all the snow they've had lately, if they wouldn't like them now...
“This is Oshkosh’s largest order from the People’s Republic of China, and one of the largest single orders ever for the H-Series line of chassis," Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh chairman and chief executive officer tells Biglorryblog. "Our ability to provide the world’s most technologically advanced and innovative snow removal vehicles, plus around-the-clock local support through our dedicated Oshkosh facility in Beijing, were critical in Oshkosh being awarded this prestigious contract,” adds Bohn.
Now click through here to see the cockpit of an H Series...if you're into knobs, switches, joysticks and doodahs you'll love it.
Yesterday, after having attended a Mercedes event on the Drivers’ CPC at the nearby Mercedes World (or is it World of Mercedes?) Biglorryblog sneaks off for an hour to wander around the splendid Brooklands Museum where my guide is none other than former Conmmercial Motor Editor Allan Winn, now director the Museum. Prouldy showing me around his toys Allan is clearly as happy as the bacon producing mammal in the brown emulsifying substance...and with good reason. He’s a real enthusiast for old cars, commercials and aeroplanes and BLB heartily recommends a vist to the museum in Surrey just off the A3/M25. For more information click on this link to the museum's website.
That’s why yours truly wasn’t doing much blogging yesterday---but I did take these pictures on my travels and for old commercial vehicle fans there are some real treats starting with this Thornycroft 6x6 airfield crash tender pictured above (it still runs) powered by a straight-eight petrol engine. Sounds terrific.
Next we have this six-ton Chubb Spearhead rapid intervention vehicle from 1975 powered by a Chrysler H440-4V petrol lump and with an Allison auto.
This was a new one on me. It’s a BMC WF420 AvGas refueller from 1968 with a 70hp BMC four-cylinder Series 200 3.8-litre engine. The 4.2-tonner was built at Bathgate—and that’s the bit I didn’t know---indeed I can’t say I’ve seen to many bonneted BMCs, though no doubt Richard S can tell me all about it!
Ahhh the trusty Series III Land Rover 109—it was formerly the BAE Dunsfold aerodrome ambulance. Given its aviation heritage, Brooklands has a decent number of commercial vehicles that used to work on airfields in one capacity or another---like this David Brown 1948 heavy industry towing tractor.
Now click through here for more weird and wonderful machines from Brooklands,..and an appeal for old tyres for 'Milly' AND a BLB 'for a pie' quiz!
