DENNIS Fire Engines in preservation
BACK TOGETHER AGAIN AFTER 50 YEARS!
FA1075 and E2152 worked together at the Bass brewery for over 40 years from 1921. In 1963 they were abandoned to Langley Mill commercial vehicle breakers but were saved before being cut up. They then went their separate ways and now for the first time in 50 years they are back together again.
There has been a period of rapid expansion in the fleet this year. The first to arrive was VVC898 the ex-Coventry F12 Emergency Tender / Control Unit. In need of a great deal of work after a disastrous 'restoration'. |
Next to follow was the magnificent 1913 Merryweather from the dispersal sale of the Michael Banfield collection. This machine served alongside my Dennis FA1075 at the Bass Brewery for 40 years. |
From the same source came the 1914 Dennis 'N' Type AR5232. This is a very unusual lightweight Dennis. |
Two Merryweather trailer pumps also joined the team. These have 3 cylinder piston pumps rather than a turbine as favoured by Dennis. Piston pumps need pressure vessels to damp out the pulsations. |
Finally just to prove you don't have to be shiny and red to join the team, the only known surviving example of a 60HP WW1 type Dennis Trench Pump headed north. |
REG. NO. | YEAR | MANUFACTURER | MODEL TYPE | CLASSIFICATION |
E-2152 ![]() |
1913 | Merryweather | 'Hatfield | Pump |
AR5232 ![]() |
1914 | Dennis | 'N' Type | Pump |
ED810 | 1914 | Dennis | 'N' Type | Pump |
SN1549 | 1920 | Dennis | 'N' Type | Pump |
BH0500 | 1920 | Dennis | 'N' Type | Pump |
FA1075 | 1921 | Dennis | 'N' Type | Pump Escape |
N/A | 1923 | Dennis | Trailer Pump | No.2 Pump |
NKR31525 | 1927 | Dennis | Ajax | Pump |
FA4067 | 1930 | Dennis | Low Load 60/70HP | Pump Escape |
JD1490 | 1931 | Dennis | BIg 6 | Pump Escape |
BPB644 | 1931 | Dennis | Big 4 | Pump Escape |
FP3564 | 1938 | Dennis | Light 4 | Pump Escape |
EUP313 | 1941 | Dennis | Light 4 New World | Pump |
GXA95 | 1944 | Dennis | Merryweather 100' TL | Turn Table Ladder |
OZ9607 | 1954 | Dennis | F17 Metz 125' TLP | Turn Table Ladder |
EJV955 | 1954 | Dennis | F17 Metz 100' TL | Turn Table Ladder |
DSN175 | 1953 | Dennis | F8 | Pump |
999MHN | 1960 | Leyland | Firemaster Magirus 100' TL | Turn Table Ladder |
EBB783C | 1965 | Dennis | F107 Emergency Tender | Heavy ET |
GDY99F | 1967 | AEC Merryweather | Merryweather 100' TL | Turn Table Ladder |
DHN999J | 1970 | Dennis | F108 Maxim/Holmes 750 | Heavy Rescue Tender |
SBB564M | 1974 | Dennis | F109 Water Tender | Water Tender |
SPY762R | 1977 | Dennis | R130 'R' Series | Water Tender |
FGR281S | 1977 | Dennis | F60 Emergency Tender | Heavy ET |
RTN144S | 1977 | Dennis | F123 Delta Magirus 100' TL | Turntable Ladder |
STY31S | 1978 | Dennis | F131 Water Tender | Water Tender |
ETN909W | 1980 | Shelvoke | SPV Emergency Tender | Heavy ET |
EBB846W | 1980 | Dennis | Dominator | Incident Command Unit |
EBB847W | 1980 | Shelvoke | SPV Foam Tender | Foam Tender |
B759GCN | 1982 | Dennis | SS131 Water Tender | Fire Boat Transporter |
D785XRG | 1984 | Dennis | SS131 Water Tender | Water Tender |
SPECIAL FEATURES |
REBUILDING A WATER PUMP - The secrets of the engine water pump on NKR31525 are revealed |
ON THE STREETS OF BELFAST - Looking back at the life of OZ9607 in troubled Belfast |
GYWNNE TURBINE PUMP - Performance and operating details |
THE RESTORATION OF JD1490 - A pictorial record of new life being breathed into am old engine |
THE PURCHASE AND RUNNING OF SN1459 - Extracts from the minutes of Helensburgh Town Council |
DOWNLOADS - Manuals, sales brochures, advertisments for early Dennis Fire Engines |
Tracing the History of your Dennis Appliance Following the closure of the Dennis Woodbridge Hill factory in 1991 all the factory archives were transferred to the Surrey History Centre. Surrey History Centre - Dennis Archive The factory meticulously recorded all of their appliance production and original factory photographs exist for many appliances. Many of the Dennis drawings and photographs have now been catalogued by the Surrey History Centre. The catalogues may be downloaded by using the following link. The new Dennis factory is still in Guildford on the Slyfield Industrial Estate. I am grateful to the Surrey History Centre and Alexander-Dennis for permission to reproduce images from their archive. These images are the copyright of Alexander-Dennis For further information relating to this Northern Collection of Dennis Fire Engines please email; |