City of Birmingham Bedford SB Fire Engine LVP 118

Fire brigades were managed nationally during World War Two but returned to local authorities in 1948. Birmingham Fire Brigade's new fleet after the war contained no less than 27 Bedford based pumps and pump escapes.

The Bedford chassis is actually a design intended for coaches; the wheelbase was shortened for fire brigade use by Prestage, Bedford's Birmingham agents. The streamlined bodywork was designed by Divisional Officer Jimmy Hole and built by Wilsdon, a builder of commercial vehicle bodies in Solihull. The enclosed cab accommodates six firefighters including the driver and officer-in-charge. The vehicle has a Dennis No 2 pump capable of drawing 500 gallons a minute from open water using hard suction. Water can also be taken from fire hydrants located on the underground water mains. Initial response at a fire can utilise the 100 gallons of water in the onboard tank. A separate pump is used to supply the rear mounted hose reel.

The escape ladder is detachable on this type of fire appliance and manoeuvred manually. It is made of wood, which may seem surprising for attacking fires, but steel would have been too heavy and risky with overground tram and trolley bus cabling. The ladders were often transferred from one generation of appliances to another; this ladder dates from 1932, mounted on a 1927 carriage.

LVP 118 was originally allocated to Erdington station and ran until 1972.