A Foreign Government Takes Delivery.
Page 27
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THE DENNIS commercial vehicle has always been popular . with foreign authorities, and many typeg of vehicle of this make are in service in different parts oi the world, although it must be admitted that since Sir Raymond Dennis's world tour the number of orders which the company have secured from overseas has received a decided impetus.
The largest individual order from overseas which has ever
been received for fire-fighting appliances by a British firm has recently been completed in the works of Dennis Bras., Ltd., and shipped in a single consignment. The order consisted of a 75 h.p. 6-sylinder 600-700-galloTl turbine fire engine; three 60 h.p. 400-500-gallon turbine fire-engines three 40-45 h.p. fire tenders fitted with first.-aid pumps and 30-ft. telescopic ladders, and nine 40 h.p. 750-gallon water tanks fitted with centrifugal pumps, which can be used both for filling the tanks and for delivering two jets of water at a, pressure of 60 lb. per sq. in.
The 16 machines which are detailed have had to comply with drastic specifications, and the tests which were carried out before the vehicles were shipped were made in the presence of a ennunission of Greek officers, presided over by Colonel Vlassis, the Militaiy. Attaché to the Royal Greek Government.
We illustrate the group of vehicles .on this page and incidenfs in the course of the tests to Which they were sub.
mitted. Amongst the tests which had to be carried out satisfactorily was the climbing of a. hill known as The Mount, which is a continuation of Guildford High Street and possesses a gradient of 1 in 6. The ascent and descent, of this hill had to be made at specified speeds, and an indication of the severity of the test can be gathered when• it is stated that the water wagons fully loaded weighed over 8 tons, it would be difficult to find a suitable road for ascertaining maximuni possible speed, but it is interesting to note that the 75 h.p. fine-engine was tested over a length of three miles to do 40 m.p.h. with a full equipment of men, hose, etc.
The lack of water, which is a very serious factor requiring due consideration in connection with firs in Greece, is the reason for the large number of water tanks in the composition of the fleet. These vehicles act not only as fire pumps, but they convey the water to the scene of the conflagration. This comprehensive order is by no means the first which, has been executed -by Dennis Eros., Ltd., for the Government and municipal authorities of Greece. As a matter of fact, Dennis turbine fire-engines are a familiar sight not only in Athens, but in Pirseus, Larissa, and other parts of Greece. In this connection it may be interesting to recall that -at the great fire at Salonika during the War two Dennis engines operated continuously, without an .involuntary Stop, for 14 days and 10 days respectively, during the whole period of which they were pumping sea-water.