WHEN KEN MET DENNIS
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A moist-eyed Hawk witnessed this touching moment when Ken Oliver from Camberley was reunited with one of the vehicles that he had helped to build.
Ken was on a visit to the Fire Engine Day at the Amberley Industrial Museum near Arundel, West Sussex, when he spotted the 1981 Dennis fire engine. As it turned out it wasn't the only fire engine at the exhibition that Ken had worked on. It is good to see many of the older machines being preserved," he says. Ken spent 21 years making fire engines for Dennis at its Guildford base; during his time with the company he helped to develop the Rapier fire appliance.
This vehicle with its V8 diesel engine and a life-saving 1,800litre water capacity, was bought by the Kent Fire Brigade and served at Teynham, Wingham and the Kent Fire Brigade Training School.
Being a fire fighter is obviously an occupation that gets under your skin. The passion and enthusiasm for the service is one that extends well out of working hours, as was demonstrated here where many of the older vehicles were owned by both former and serving officers. And who can blame them? Is there a man or boy alive who has never dreamt of having his very own fire engine to play with?