373 ALC - 1962 Bedford RLHZ/Marshall HRV (Fire Service Heavy Recovery Vehicle)

This vehicle was new to the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in 1962 and allocated to Devon. When the AFS was disbanded in 1968, it was transferred to Cornwall County Fire Brigade at Camborne (station number A4) as fleet number 403, and allocated the radio callsign 140. On reorganisation of the brigade from 2 divisions into 8 districts, its callsign was changed to 210 at Camborne (now station number 21). It was used by the Cornwall Brigade both for the recovery of broken down fire appliances, and for general heavy recovery work at road traffic accidents etc. It was sold out of service in June 1994, and bought by Gary Hale of Saltash for preservation. In 2005 it passed to the current owner.

This type of vehicle was new to the post war Auxiliary Fire Service for use with the mobile fire columns of the 1950s and 1960s, and was similar to the military version, which was designated 'Tractor, 3 ton, GS, Recovery, Light, 4x4, Bedford, RL'. Fitted with a Turner horizontal drum winch of 7 tons pull with 260ft of rope, and a 3 ton jib. They have selectable 2/4 wheel drive, and are powered by a Bedford 300 cu.in. (5 litre) straight six cylinder petrol engine.

Only a small number of these vehicles were used by the Auxiliary Fire Service. The following are known to have been transferred after AFS service into County Fire Brigade use:

368 ALC - Hampshire AFS/City of Coventry Fire Brigade/West Midlands Fire Service
370 ALC - Essex AFS/Essex County Fire Brigade
371 ALC - Lancashire AFS/Cheshire County Fire Brigade
372 ALC - London AFS/Wiltshire Fire Brigade
373 ALC - Devon AFS/Cornwall County Fire Brigade
374 ALC - Derbyshire AFS/Derbyshire Fire Service
375 ALC - Birmingham AFS/Birmingham Fire & Ambulance Service/West Midlands Fire Service
376 ALC - Durham AFS/Flintshire County Fire Service/Clwyd County Fire Service
377 ALC - Scottish Home Office Stores (later used as snow plough)

 

Now owned by Pat Langley.


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