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Alvis Salamander Fire Truck Variant G19 in Canada


Dave Jenner

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I don't know if any of you might have seen and read this post. It would seem that it is possible that a G19 as it was designated, could be currently rotting away in a barn in Canada.

 

I first saw the post almost a year ago and tried to get a dialogue going with the person Leah, but it dried up when I was asking about providing more details and a photograph.

 

http://www.fire-engine-photos.com/picture/number2343.asp?c=46701

 

As you will see from reading the thread, the current owner is likely to get shot of it at any time. I have no idea if it is what the thread suggests, possibly the Canadian variant of the Alvis Salamander of which I believe only about 15 or so were ever built.

 

If it were somewhere here in the UK I'm sure it would have been seen by now, quite how this may be accommodated in whats being suggested is a remote part of Canada I really have not a clue!

 

Any idea's gentlemen?

 

Regards Dave

Edited by Dave Jenner
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Dave, you are referring to the posts from May 2014, about 2/3 way down the page, I presume.

 

The owner, Leah, found this forum at around the same time:

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?44556-1958-Alvis&highlight=salamander

 

 

Thanks Sean, I was not aware that had been posted. I am more than a little surprised to be reading that it's a runner!

It's sad to think what might become of it. It's quite probably the very last of it's kind, being the Canadian variant that was a fair bit different to the one built by Pyrene for the RAF.

 

If Leah made a little bit more of an effort he might get somewhere!

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I suspect Leah is a she, or at least it's normally a girl's name.

 

If I remember correctly there were some photos of it published at the time, whether here, in the Canadian classified ad, or elsewhere I can't recall. I have in mind that it was basically complete but quite tatty.

 

I would imagine by now it will have been either cut up or will still be sitting there.

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Good day,

 

I have tried to keep tabs on this and other Stalwart like variants but these darn civvies just wont comply and communicate!

 

What I am trying to get across is while we may all be as enthusiastic and wanting to preserve these machines the current owners have their own agenda and we may not be part of it, and frankly it is their perrogative to do just that.

 

No matter how rare something is does not make it have a high monetary value which usually is a real tick off to the current owners and they have a hissy fit when you tell them that, no matter how gently.

 

There was a Stolly tour beast sold recently and I was in touch with the seller but it all fizzled out. Trust me I have been sickeningly sweet and soft and non pressuring and trying to be helpful etc but that is real life.

 

Robin

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Good day,

 

I have tried to keep tabs on this and other Stalwart like variants but these darn civvies just wont comply and communicate!

 

What I am trying to get across is while we may all be as enthusiastic and wanting to preserve these machines the current owners have their own agenda and we may not be part of it, and frankly it is their perrogative to do just that.

 

No matter how rare something is does not make it have a high monetary value which usually is a real tick off to the current owners and they have a hissy fit when you tell them that, no matter how gently.

 

There was a Stolly tour beast sold recently and I was in touch with the seller but it all fizzled out. Trust me I have been sickeningly sweet and soft and non pressuring and trying to be helpful etc but that is real life.

 

Robin

 

Agreeed Robin, particularly in Canada, where everyone seems to think they are sitting on a vehicular gold mine, but when they want to buy....well, its the opposite end of the stick. I do wish people would at least do some basic pricing research on what they a) want to sell b) want to buy. Its quite tiring to see a truck in a field thats been sitting for 40 years, rotted, up for sale but the asking is as much as a restored one (happened last week M 1009....15,000.00$ FIRM:shocked:

 

What was the final word on thst poor old Stolly "boat" down in Southern Ontario? I know its in rough, and modified shape, but running gear spares are awlyes on the shopping list for us.

 

Salamander is interesting for sure, I think there is one over at Science and Tech in the Store house. On that note, drop me a line on Pauls or my e-mail, I have an idea thats come to mind?

 

cheers

 

Nick

 

CWC Canada

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Dear Nick and others,

 

I am in touch with the Southern Ontario owner of the round the Isle of Wight modified machine, his asking price is outside what in reality it will fetch. The perceived and actual once again separated by a large margin.

 

I saw some emails about the museum issue and did reply.

 

Robin

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Dear Nick and others,

 

I am in touch with the Southern Ontario owner of the round the Isle of Wight modified machine, his asking price is outside what in reality it will fetch. The perceived and actual once again separated by a large margin.

 

I saw some emails about the museum issue and did reply.

 

Robin

Hi You Salamander people might like to know these two are still about,the yellow one with me and the red one up north with its engine out.red one.jpg neither are currently for sale

yelow.jpg

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Leah the owner of the vehicle was in touch through email with me yesterday and sent through these couple of pics. She has no interest in the vehicle in any way except wanting to get shot of it from her barn by selling it either as a whole, or bit by bit. Her emails are rather short, not very sweet and to the point! She apparently has a buyer for the engine, which I think will be a B81, and the gearbox. The gearbox could be a fully automatic one as the RCAF did not like the semi auto pre select box that came with the truck and had them upgraded. I cannot recall the other differences of the Canadian spec G19, there were a few and I think they are mentioned in Bill Munro's Alvis Saracen Family book.

 

There are few remaining Mk.6 versions in the UK, the Museum of RAF Fire Fighting having, I believe, the last remaining running version and the first one off the production line. But this Canadian version is probably quite unique and probably the last of it's kind.

010.jpg

011.jpg

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Hi You Salamander people might like to know these two are still about,the yellow one with me and the red one up north with its engine out.[ATTACH=CONFIG]101578[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]101579[/ATTACH] neither are currently for sale

 

 

Nice to see the ex Headcorn one still about. Is she still a runner?

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  • 4 years later...

I know this is a bit of a necropost but the vehicle did sell and the new owner was in contact but I have lost touch but am trying to reconnect.

I just found a picture of one of the vehicles when in service. The picture is from a series done for a new marking scheme. Likely taken at Rockliffe in Ottawa Ontario

67series14.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Hi guys, here in France I am working on a book about vintage toys.  I would like very much to include two photos of your blog : the yellow Alvis and the black and white photo "when in servie".

Can anyone of you give me permission to use these two photos ?

Many thanks in advance for your reply

Best regards

Pierre

pierre.phliponeau@gmail.com

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  • 1 year later...
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