Military Fire Appliances Gallery

[wally dugan]

Never been a fan of fire engines but first Thorneycroft DP 4X4 seem to appear it the late 1950s in the list of RAF FLEET numbers the 6x6  in 1960

Edited September 7, 2023 by wally dugan

[Mark Ellis]

3 hours ago, wally dugan said:

Never been a fan of fire engines but first Thorneycroft DP 4X4 seem to appear it the late 1950s in the list of RAF FLEET numbers the 6x6  in 1960

Thanks, @wally dugan

[wally dugan]

l know nothing about fire engines other than a lot are painted red and l keep away from them a lot went to FVRDE over the years 4x2 4x4 6x6 these are just two that were there

Edited September 7, 2023 by wally dugan

[ted angus]

Known as the DP 2, same truck in both shots. The lower shot shows it equipped with a anti- fragmentation screen for use on missile sites such as Thor & Bloodhound. 

The trucks official title. "Truck Fire-Fighting 5 ton 6x6 Water Foam DP2"  Thornycroft Nubian chassis finished vehicle by MILES. 

[Mark Ellis]

50 minutes ago, ted angus said:

Known as the DP 2, same truck in both shots. The lower shot shows it equipped with a anti- fragmentation screen for use on missile sites such as Thor & Bloodhound. 

The trucks official title. "Truck Fire-Fighting 5 ton 6x6 Water Foam DP2"  Thornycroft Nubian chassis finished vehicle by MILES. 

I thought Foamite made all the DPs 

 

 

It's been suggested that MILES made the prototype Salamader for Pyrene. Would you have anything on that, please, @ted angus ?

 

[ted angus]

There were 3 different DP types  D.P. 1 by foamite (4x4),   D.P. 2 by miles (6x6),  D.P. 3 by gloster saro. All on Nubian chassis.

[Mark Ellis]

Many thanks for clarifying that, @ted angus. Much appreciated 

[Mark Ellis]

Would anyone know roughly how many DP1 and DP2 were made, please?

[wally dugan]

numbers allocated to DP 1s 23 AG 96 to 25 AG 80 DP2 25 AG 86 to 26 AG 45

[Mark Ellis]

2 hours ago, wally dugan said:

numbers allocated to DP 1s 23 AG 96 to 25 AG 80 DP2 25 AG 86 to 26 AG 45

Thanks for that, @wally dugan, much appreciated.

If I've done that correctly, 185 DP1 and 60 DP2

[ted angus]

25AG81 -85 were DP 1 special builds for driver training at No 4 School of Technical Training RAF St Athan

DP 2 you need to add 26AG46.

Both the Army and RN had there own DP 2s

Min Supply had there own DP 1s at Farnborough. Bedford. And other research establishments.

 

[Mark Ellis]

1 hour ago, ted angus said:

...

Both the Army and RN had there own DP 2s

Min Supply had there own DP 1s at Farnborough. Bedford. And other research establishments.

 

Thanks for that, @ted angus. Would you know the full production figures for DP1 and DP2 please.
I presume that Foamite made all the DP1 and Miles made all the DP2 - for Army and RAF.
Apparently, Miles sold out to Gloucester Aircraft in 1960, who sold Miles to Dennis at a later date.
Joined a couple of groups to try and find out any history on the Cheltenham factory. Early days.

 

[Mark Ellis]

MERLIN seems rather empty on the DP3, with no DP2 or 1 shown

[wally dugan]

on the DP3 l can only add  afew  27 AG 14 to 27 AG 23  01 AY 51 to 01 AY 53 as to ones that may have been RN they used to reissue the registration numbers Any in the army service l have not looked

[Mark Ellis]

1 hour ago, wally dugan said:

on the DP3 l can only add  afew  27 AG 14 to 27 AG 23  01 AY 51 to 01 AY 53 as to ones that may have been RN they used to reissue the registration numbers Any in the army service l have not looked

Many thanks, @wally dugan

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Mark Ellis

[wally dugan]

MARK a question for you in amongst some files  there are listed THORNEYCROFT 4X4 fire tenders with the suffix PD not DP some have army registration numbers some sent to SUN ENGINEERING ?

[Mark Ellis]

3 hours ago, wally dugan said:

MARK a question for you in amongst some files  there are listed THORNEYCROFT 4X4 fire tenders with the suffix PD not DP some have army registration numbers some sent to SUN ENGINEERING ?

I'll ask the RAF types about the PD. If it was on MERLIN then it would be easy to say typo, because MERLIN is full of those. Do you have FV or contract numbers of the vehicles?

Since I started looking at the Salamander, I'm amazed at just how many companies were making fire engines in the 50s and 60s. We always use the name of the chassis manufacturer, rather than the body builder of the fire engine - except for Dennis of course, who made both.

 
Sun Engineering is yet another body builder that made fire engines. This one being in Feltham, which is where Plymouth based Tecalemit group set up a Foamite factory, which is where the Salamander / Foamite crash tenders were made for South Africa.

I think there was another Sun Engineering in Coventry, but found this.

 

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Mark Ellis

[Mark Ellis]

PD might also be a Thornycroft chassis thing. I found these PD in amongst a load of Thornycroft PE chassis

[wally dugan]

Having a quick look through the files  first it is SUN ENGINEERING FELTHAM secondly the  PD is not a p it appears quite clearly written else were as TRUCK FIRE FIGHTING FD FOAM Thorneycroft . Also TENDER FIRE CRASH Thorneycroft sent to HMS  HERON YEOVILTON 47 RN 44 /6781 this the first fire engine  with a RN NUMBER. As l said l know nothing about fire engines but the more l look the more l am puzzled  just checked its the one on page 90 of the FVRDE 1962 CATALOGUE

[ted angus]

The RN and Army had DP2s. The Army had 3  the RN was an unknown number as the records haven't been accessed  MIn of Supply had DP1s at Farnborough , Bedford Pershore etc.  27 AG 12 and 13 were also DP 3s.  You havent included the operational MK 6 proto 22AG54.    01AY51-54 are not DP 3  the were ex RN MK7 - 6x6 Nubians by Pyrene. 

Re 47RN44, this is a type only used by the RN  6x6 Nubian by Sun, the RN seem to favour rear mounted monitors . they also had a handful on the 4x4 Nubian. 

 

 

[Mark Ellis]

3 hours ago, ted angus said:

The RN and Army had DP2s. The Army had 3  the RN was an unknown number as the records haven't been accessed  MIn of Supply had DP1s at Farnborough , Bedford Pershore etc.  27 AG 12 and 13 were also DP 3s.  You havent included the operational MK 6 proto 22AG54.    01AY51-54 are not DP 3  the were ex RN MK7 - 6x6 Nubians by Pyrene. 

...

@ted angus, Thanks for the info.

Mk6 prototype is the first one on the Salamander reg sheet. I guess I should also add the FV6001 reg on that as well

How many DP1 did the MOS have? Did they have any DP2 or 3, please?
 

[wally dugan]

another RN ONE 47 RN 40/5485 FLEET AIR ARM  OI AY 51 TO 01 AY 53 MY MISTAKE  there are lot's of three ton 4x4 s fire tenders listed but l have no idea  if there DP 1's or what

Edited September 12, 2023 by wally dugan
wrong number 40 should be 47

[Mark Ellis]

13 minutes ago, wally dugan said:

another RN ONE 40 RN 40/5485 FLEET AIR ARM  OI AY 51 TO 01 AY 53 MY MISTAKE  there are lot's of three ton 4x4 s fire tenders listed but l have no idea  if there DP 1's or what

I presume that all DP1s are marked up as Thornycroft DP1, @wally dugan

I was interested in the DP1 and DP2 because they supported the Foam crash tenders. The Salamander can empty the 700 gallon water tank in 1.8 minutes. The DP1 has a 700 gallon tank, and the DP2 has a 1000 gallon water tank - to support the foam crash tenders

 

[wally dugan]

l have found my list of ROYAL NAVY VRN's there where three listed 47 RN 40/44/ 56 which was dated 1991

[Mark Ellis]

Is this a DP1 driver training vehicle @ted angus ?

25 AG 83. The website says TFA