Real whiff on the streets of Crawley.....

[scooter]

I think its one of the wheels of the caravan

[McColm]

24 hours of LeMans? That's a great idea - you keep all the drivers on board and switch faster. :-)

I bet the Top Gear teams could do something with these ideas.

Oops, LeMONs. Actually, that's an even more likely event for the Top Gear nuts! 

Richard Hammond has already had his own RV/camper van race. Basic rules are; turn up in your camper van, no contact whilst racing ( so don't let them be driven by former Touring Car Drivers!!), either strip out all furnishings to lighten the load and have a rough night or cook dinner, have a peaceful nights sleep and race the following day.
Then drive home in the vehicle you came in, if its road worthy!!

[Martin H]

Looks likle he's still using the pumps and stuff from the old fire engine.

All a Green Goddess was equipped with was a very capable pump, two hose reels a ladder and a few rudimentary tools (read Sledge hammer and an axe). Most belonged to the Home office for civil defense contingency's. In short they were built in the 1960's to hose down buildings in the aftermath of an atomic exchange.
They were last used nationally in operation Fresco back in 2002 by the armed forces who had been deployed to provide fire fighting cover while the civil fire fighters were out on strike.
After that the fleet was sold off, mainly to private collectors. Some were also donated to a number of african countries to bolster their existing fire fighting fleets.

Their use by the forces during strikes pretty much avoided service personnel crossing picket lines. Some thing that will have to happen if another strike breaks out. The plan now is for military personnel to take over civilian fire appliances and stations where needed.
The army already refer to the civi wagons as Red Goddesses.

[NARSES2]

turn up in your camper van, no contact whilst racing

So "argie-bargie" is acceptable either before or after the race ? 

[McColm]

If you've watched the episode, you'll know that the touring car drivers turned the camper vans into a 'banger/stock car race' contact was made, Hammonds' Ford was driveable but he had lost his bodywork.

[rickshaw]

Looks likle he's still using the pumps and stuff from the old fire engine.

All a Green Goddess was equipped with was a very capable pump, two hose reels a ladder and a few rudimentary tools (read Sledge hammer and an axe). Most belonged to the Home office for civil defense contingency's. In short they were built in the 1960's to hose down buildings in the aftermath of an atomic exchange.

I thought they dated from the 1950s and were designed to fight the firebombings from the Blitz? 

[Nick]

You're not too far off the mark there, Rickshaw. One of the biggest effects of the Japan bombs was a firestorm. Fighting that was a key requirement for the planners.
Having a national standard for fire engines was also part of the plan, there being a big difference nationally in the capabilities of individual Fire Brigades. Being able to send crews anywhere in a region or even across the country meant they needed the same equipment anywhere.

Radiation and the effects of nuclear fallout weren't really considered until the late 1950's and into the 60's.

[McColm]

Where's Lenny Henry when you need him?

[Howard of Effingham]

Radiation and the effects of nuclear fallout weren't really considered until the late 1950's and into the 60's.

and i think it would be fair to add that this only came about as as a result in part of the many and varied atmospheric nuclear tests and experiments/research carried out by a number of different nations, ours included.

still AoO, a nice picture scoop and would make an interesting model whatever the scale.