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New firing lines
Page 16
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This year's Firex show at Harrogate had plenty of new kit and some good examples of brigades showing great thrift by refurbishing equipment. Bryan Jarvis reports.
• Angloco's silver jubilee year is also a record one for fire engine production; 75% of its output is exported around the world, The Batley, West Yorks firm showed off foreign-built demonstrators with Metz, Rosenbauer and Weber equipment, but this 380hp Volvo FfAl2 6x4 with Brent° Skylift is all its own work. The appliance, complete with a converted sleeper cab and 32m aerial platform, is destined for Oxfordshire Fire Service; another is planned for the North Yorkshire brigade.
• Scania and Volvo get the lion's share of fire engine sales in Scotland, but after a 20-year gap Dennis's foot is firmly in the door, thanks to Highlands 8.6 Islands Inverness HQ which, as well as repairing and maintaining its fleet, bodies them too. That includes this Sabre 14.5-tanner with its Cummins C-260/Allison/Eaton driveline. Another example will go into Ink] quite soon. Dennis also has a new 12.5-tonne appliance in the pipeline which is slightly cheaper and aimed at rural brigades on shrinking budgets. It's debut date is next year's Firex.
-1. The pressure's on to get to fires even quicker, hence this Vauxhall Brava double-cabbed 4x4 rapid response unit. It's the work of Vauxhall's Special Vehicle Operations Unit, which first added stiffer roll bars and shock absorbers then fitted the modified Trackman Top rear cover, Instead of a glazed rear panel, a roll-down rear flap and sturdy internal drawers and trays were added to accommodate tools, fittings, ladders and hoses. it's one of six for Cornwall and will be based at Mullion.
MI This 340hp Volvo FM12 6x4 with Iveco Magirus Snorkel ALP 340 was shown by Direct Access Platforms of Coseley, West Midlands, Magirus Germany bodied the Swedish-built vehicle and recessed the sleeper cab roof to accept the extending booms, lowering its centre of gravity slightly and enabling the Volvo to pass the Home Office's 30° tilt-test. Fully extended the platform will take 360kg loads (less when breathing apparatus is carried). Magirus took over the Snorkel designs following Simon's demise.
• Two West Midlands engineering firms, Direct Access Platforms and GB Fire, refurbish existing platforms to help brigades save up to 40% on new vehicle prices. DAP reworked a Simon Snorkel and built it on to a new ERF EC8 6x2 with rear air suspension for Warwickshire's Royal Leamington Spa brigade; GBF did the same with this 19-year-old Snorkel, mounting it onto a new ERF 4x2 MB for the Cheshire brigade. Cheshire set a 3.4m height limit, but recessing the cab roof saved another 30mm. Rebuilds like this extend the equipment's service life by 15 years, which is good news for council tax payers.
II Webster has a new PTO drive unit to match Allison automatic gearboxes. It uses gearbox oil under pressure which forces inbuilt clutch plates together via the solenoid pump—when this pressure is released, auxiliary drive is lost. Finely ground helical and spur gears reduce drive noise. The unit can transmit 400-475Nm of torque: ratios of 1.06, 1.15, 1.45 and 1.60:1 (for MD gearboxes) are available. At 1.60:1 the engine can run at 2,000rpm which enables the water pump to run at 3,200rpm.
SUPPORT ROLE
Lisburn-based appliance specialist Browns Coachworks has built a technical support vehicle for Northern Ireland to cater for chemical spillages and the like. It's based on a 6.0m Volvo FL6; features Include special breathing apparatus storage and fast-acting side platform lifts.
WORKSHOP KIT
German manufacturer Sortimo is marketing a range including workshop fittings and work clothing via its UK agent Sortimo (Wessex) of Salisbury. Its modular cabinets, shelving and load securing systems can be used in service support vehicles.