Coventry fire service appliances

[20A-Manor House]

This is from around 1975.

[20A-Manor House]

A couple of the 'Green ones' that came here during the 70's firemans strike. The one on the left is named "Lady Godiva".

[20A-Manor House]

Green Goddess "Lady Godiva", December 1977.

[dutchman]

Many thanks Manor House

I've rehosted your pics on a faster server to make them a bit easier easier to view and to speed-up page loading as we have very limited bandwidth.

[rebbonk]

Great pictures - Thanks

[20A-Manor House]

Here is the Corgi model:

I'm not conviced that particular fire engine ever carried that colour so it may have been just a marketing gimmick by Corgi?

I thought the same as you dutchman, that Corgi had got it wrong, then i came across this, AND it even has yellow ladders!

[dutchman]

Great find Manor House I certainly can't argue with that evidence!

[20A-Manor House]

YVC 355L a 1973 Bedford HCB Angus fire appliance.

[dutchman]

Thanks Manor House

I don't remember seeing that type of appliance in service although it was long time ago so I may simply have forgotten.

[20A-Manor House]

YVC 354L & YVC 355L arrived in 1973, a second batch came during 1974.
The HCB Angus cost £3000 less than a comparable Dennis vehicle. A coach built cab with aluminium panelling was specified in preference to the glass fibre cab as fitted to the Dennis vehicles, which frequently develop cracks notable around the door hinges.
The gross weight was 8tons, its unladen weight being 5tons 10cwt. They could accelerate from 0 to 40mph (from cold) in 20 seconds.
However, they were very unstable, 2 overturned in the City.
After the West Midlands took over, they were painted pink, (as can be seen on PHP 31M, in the photo at the top of this page). and dispersed around the West Midland's region, they were soon taken out of service.