Fire engine and ambulance crashes.

[Fiddlestick]

Anyone remember these two incidents ? Both happened in the 1960's I think, could be late 50's. The first was two corporation Austin Sheerline ambulances crashing into each other  Commonside way. The second was a Dennis fire engine which crashed into what is now the HSBC building on Hoyle Street. Both the Sheerlines and the Dennis F12  fire engines were superb, stylish vehicles, replacing the war period utility vehicles, the Sheerlines sporting large, 11 inch Lucas P100 chrome headlamps ( there's one on 'Picture Sheffield' under 'ambulances' ). When the Sheerlines came on stream around 1952, they were in the new livery of dark blue with a cream band ( the reverse of the bus livery ); up to then the ambulances had been cream. They became known as 'Fever ambulances' for some reason with us kids.

 May as well go on.........many police cars in the early 50's were Morris Eights, one of the first models with the headlamps flush into the wings, we used to run in out of fear when we saw one.  Bin lorries ( green and yellow ?) were battery-electric with the whole back lifting vertically to shake down the rubbish. Brown Bailey's still ran steam lorries up to the 1960's, Co-op school milk deliveries were by Dennis Pax lorries with the nose sticking forward of the front wheels. Some of Sheffield trams are still running, 513 based at Beamish museum and 510, Sheffield's last tram, at Crich, along with others. The newer 'Robert's cars were just about 6 years old when scrapped ( by hated Councillor Sidney Dyson ) when the life of a tram was around 40 years, buses about 15, so the preserved 510 and 513 ran just  6 years in the city, but 56 years and continuing in preservation ! Now  trams are back with the original tracks having been exposed when laying the new ones ; planners and councillors eh!  Any memories ?

[Lemmy117]

I remember a fire engine crashing into a former tramway traction pole on London Road in the mid '70's, the pole was one of those filled with concrete for additional strength, needless to say the fire engine was a write off, the pole had barely a scratch!

A couple of points regarding the Sheffield trams, 513 is currently at Carlton Coalville transport museum in Lowestoft, on loan from Beamish for the foreseeable future. The Roberts cars were introduced in 1950/51, all ran to the end of the system so were in service for about 10 years, not 6. 510 will be operating at Crich again this year having had a re-paneling and full repaint a couple of years ago. Here's a picture of it taken in February when I was shunting it around. As the 8th of October falls on a Saturday this year I hope to be driving it as I have first choice of trams that day. (Hope it doesn't rain as much as on the same day in 1960)!

Nigel L