Coventry Fire Brigade (inc. Hales Street Fire Station)

Hi all I was a fire warden when employed by Courtaulds Eng. I attended a fire prevention training day in one of the upper rooms at the central fire station. I opened a cupboard door whilst there & I was immediately attacked by about ten full size dummies, who wrestled me to the ground. I gave in!

What a fabulous photo: I'd love to be that what appears to be an XK140 driver. How cool would that have been new. Because of that I'd say circa 1955ish? Post copied from topic Trinity Street on 19th Oct 2016 12:16 pm

I found a short video with one on from 1965. Yellow Coventry Fire Engine

Questions: 1. What year was that cutting from leaving the old station? 2. Why did they go? 3. Where was Cherry Street?! Answers on a postcard please.

Hello To Coventry England from Canby Oregon USA I would first to say a big thank you to Rob for helping and guiding me thru this forum and process many times over and over I discovered this Fire Brigade Helmet at an outside venue flea mkt in Portland Oregon USA this past Sunday Front of the outside helmet reads"CITY OF COVENTRY FIRE BRIGADE" AND CAMERA PRINCIPIS" Inside front of the brim reads "KENDRICK & 277215 or 217215" Inside the right side of the brim reads "RO& O O and the numbers 939" I in no way want to know its monetary value but definately the history-manufacture-precinct-owner-just the historic value. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU ROB FOR GUIDING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. CHEERS!

Hello to you in Oregon Could this link be a start to the search? It does mention '3rd Officer Kendrick' attending the funeral of Mr Jack Eaves.

Thank you Foxcote for other info on the City of Coventry and its Fire Brigade history. I do appreciate all input on this subject KRAMER97013 Canby Oregon USA

Regarding 'City of Coventry Fire Brigade Yellow', if my memory is good, I think that it was invented by a local company, John Astley and Sons Ltd, who had a laboratory in Gosford Street. The idea was because the old red colour appeared black under the new street lights which were introduced on the ring road. The yellow/green colour then became known as Saturn Yellow and is now used all over the world in protective clothing and equipment as it is so vivid and can be seen at a great distance to alert people. Regarding Chauntry Place, yes these houses were for local firemen, so that they could respond very quickly. I believe that a retired fireman still lives in one of them.

Coventry City stand fire, 1968, showing yellow fire engine

Now this is from memory and unfortunately I cannot back it up with anything officially, but from memory. Yellow fire engines appeared as the red vehicles were not especially visible under the new street lighting being introduced across the country as a whole, and the blue lights fitted at the time were nowhere near as visible as those of today. This was a Coventry-led scheme, and other brigades followed suit after the yellow had been introduced and the benefits could be very clearly seen. Another advantage was that the blue lights reflected off the yellow, making them even more visible at times of darkness. Despite the major advantages, after a period of time (I cannot remember how long it was), the instruction came from Central Government that the yellow had to be discontinued as - outside of those places where yellow had been adopted - yellow was not seen as being associated with fire engines and therefore visitors might not realise the vehicle was responding to an emergency! I didn't understand this then - and still don't now - quite how anyone could not understand it was on a 'shout' with 'blues and twos' is beyond me. It was not an immediate' repaint instruction, just a ruling, so those so painted remained as such for some time afterwards. The experimental 'pink' appeared as a result but that too was quashed by those outside of the city. The 'yellow' ruling only applied to public incident road-going fire engines. What I can confirm is that 'City of Coventry Fire Engine Yellow' was adopted by literally hundreds of airports not just around the UK but around the world and is still in use to this day.

I was so utterly annoyed by an announcement in the 70's that the Fire Station would be pulled down, like so much in Coventry, that I wrote a letter to the 'Evening Telegraph' pleading that it be kept. I'm sure that wasn't the deciding factor though and glad to see it is intact!

Albeit with a monstrous carbuncle glued on its side!

Quite agree Dutchman, I had forgotten it is actually joined! Not often in Coventry but may be before this year ends.

I was a fireman at Hales St fire station in 1957/58