The tanker that would not retire

The brigade received an ex-army Chevrolet Blitz, a 1943 vehicle, late in 1962. By 8 May 1965 it was asking for a new fire tanker. The following year brought a sustained exchange about oil consumption, breakdowns, repairs and time lost by volunteer equipment officers.

One complaint said flakes of rust from the windscreen frame threatened the driver’s eyes and that the frame might collapse. An April 1966 Council note suggested motorcycle goggles. Other Council assessments found that the engine ran well for its age. Reading both sides reveals a dispute over what counted as an acceptable vehicle.

When a battery was being charged in September 1967, a fire call arrived and the tanker could not operate. By 1972 the equipment replacement plan still said that no vehicle change was required.

A press release dated 2 January 1976 says the brigade had recently taken delivery of an International tanker. It was used, but was welcomed as a major improvement on the wartime Blitz. That dated document places replacement by early 1976, roughly ten years and eight months after the May 1965 request.

The original history’s March 1978 commentary says replacement took thirteen years. That appears to measure to the later equipment return, rather than the delivery documented in 1976. The original wording remains available alongside the earlier evidence.