YHS151H 1970 Dennis F108 Water Tender Escape

This fire appliance has the distinction of being the last wheeled escape carrying vehicle to have been ordered by a Scottish Fire Brigade. It was delivered to the Western Area Fire Brigade in 1970 and stationed at Port Glasgow. It was then transferred to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute where it replaced the Dennis F12 Pump Escape KHS590.

After a spell as a spare appliance in ‘E’ Division of Strathclyde Fire Brigade the vehicle was then used as a Demonstration appliance. Mechanical problems caused the vehicle to be laid up at Brigade Headquarters with its future now in doubt. In 1995, the newly formed Strathclyde Fire Brigade Preservation Group were given the appliance on a permanent loan basis and set about restoring the vehicle to original condition and livery.

In 2002 the original Perkins V8 510 diesel engine was beginning to give up the ghost and we managed to source a replacement Perkins 540 engine which the staff at Brigade Workshops, Hamilton, fitted.

Water is provided by a rear transversely mounted Dennis No.2 fire pump giving an output of 630 GPM (2866 l/m). A Coventry Climax/Godiva lightweight portable pump is also carried. This has an output of 350 GPM (1575 l/m). Know popularly as the Featherweight Pump (it took four men just to lift it!) this piece of fire service equipment was used by most UK brigades. The engine was also fitted in the famous Cooper Climax racing car.

This fire appliance has won many awards and trophies including Best Fire Appliance at Emergency Truckfest in 1997 and 2005. In 1999 it attended the annual ‘Vesting Dagen’ festival at Hellevoetsluis. Holland.