Dennis F8

This appliance was ordered by the Western Area Fire Brigade on 1st April 1958 and left the works of Dennis Bros.of Guildford on 21st August 1958.

It served mostly at Greenock as a retained appliance but also spent some time at Gourock, Port Glasgow and Paisley.

During November 1976 it was disposed of by auction in Glasgow. After some years, ownership passed to the transport company Tennants of Forth who planned to have the appliance completely restored to original condition but instead, it lay for many years in the corner of a storage shed.

When the preservation group first saw the appliance in late 1995, it was in extremely poor condition and only just roadworthy. It was purchased in July 1996 and driven back to Glasgow under its own power.

Glasgow City Council provided the group with storage facilities and over the next four years the appliance was virtually rebuilt and restored to original condition and livery, all the work being carried out by members of the preservation group. The paintwork was done by the Colin Hutton group after most of the bodywork preparation had been completed.

This appliance is powered by a 6 cylinder Rolls Royce B61 4250cc petrol engine which develops 120 b.h.p. and is rated at 29.4 horsepower. Petrol consumption is approximately 7mpg (on a good day). In 1958 a Dennis F8 Fire appliance cost between £1,600 and £2,000.