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Old Fire Appliance Rescued in England
2nd February, 2007 | ||||
In England, the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have restored back to its
original condition a vehicle from its historical fleet, a Dennis F7 Pump Escape
Fire Appliance. The vehicle, dating back to 1949, has undergone a complete makeover after
many years of service have eventually taken its toll. Many hours of hard work
have gone into its refurbishment including a complete replacement of the
appliance’s interior and various mechanical elements, as well as a body
re-spray and new livery, bringing the engine back to life. Being part of the fleet for the past 56 years the Service were not willing
to let the engine look run down. Transport Manager, Hayden Day explained, “The
restoration work was important to us, the vehicle is not only unique to Cheshire
Fire Service it is also become part of our heritage.” The restoration project has been carried out in partnership with members of the
Service and Thomas Hardie Commercials, the Northwest Truck and Bus Distributors. Hayden commented that, “The final results look fantastic.” He added that,
“everyone involved has done a great job.” Thomas Hardie Commercials carried out one of the final tasks in the project,
re-spraying the vehicle. Paint and Body shop Business Development Manager, Bill
Watkins commented that, “Having the task of re-spraying the vehicle has been an
honour.” He added that, “The vehicle looks as good as new, all the hard work of
everyone involved in the project has finally paid off.” Back in the 1950’s the F7 was known for its advanced performance and modern looks.
Its Rolls Royce Engine, 0-60 mph speed of 45 seconds and a typical fuel
consumption of 3 to 4 mpg were quite impressive for the time. With no power
steering and hydraulic brakes the F7 was known to be difficult to drive. Driving
one was considered quite an art, although drivers still loved using them. Now the appliance has retired from its official duty the F7 still attends shows
and has become a local attraction in its home town of Chester. With approximately
5 remaining from the 50 that were made, enthusiasts and others alike still want to
see a working F7 model. |
ABN 47106248033 |
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