Coventry Fire Brigade (inc. Hales Street Fire Station)

I bet they drew straws to see who would be driving the pink one.

Thought you might be interested in this 2008 news. Death of officer who painted fire engines yellow. I shall keep a look out for you with that film you're seeking .

Wow, what an amazing aerial view! I've never seen any photo showing all that at the back of the station. Thank you for posting it.

Rob, yes, in the fifties I believe there was nothing in the back yard, except training tower, now I think the less said about the fifties is what the authorities wanted, I believe they lost a couple of new engines in fires, it was well rumoured that on a open to public day on Pool Meadow that they swung a turntable ladder too far in an arc that it crashed to the ground and badly injured an officer, that's when they found they needed to fit stabilisers, The telephone call office was just inside the front entrance, a person rushed in one evening said, you're on fire (what?) you're on fire, pointing up, well the fireman's restroom, bar, snooker, was above, but next to it was the Chiefs flat, so they sent guys up on the roof to put the fire out in the rest room, but instead they flooded the Chief's flat, 'hush hush' don't let the Telegraph or public know. Cartwrights timber yard, two stacks of timber, twenty foot high, one catches fire, hey ho, drive the TL in between, wind changes, can't get to the cab, ph't. You won't read that in the paper.

Hey the picture with the words fire station Coventry on, the girl in white in front of the doors, think that was my date, tram had a flat tyre. Seriously, wonder what would have come out of those doors if the bells went down? And that church, were did that come from?

That's Holy Trinity Church School at the corner of Ford Street - Old Postcard

Yet another travesty of demolition of what was old to be replaced by concrete! I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the large building between the Fire station and the arts school was. To the left of the station looks to be two residential detached houses, next to that is a large building with a tower. It looks to be very old. Such a shame that these building were removed for a road.

Hi Gumnut The large building on the corner is Trinity School as mentioned in the post above yours. I remember it being used for toy fairs in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The cottages were for firemen to live in.

Thanks Dutchman, I should have read the post properly first! I'm a 1972 vintage so only have memories of when all those building were gone. When I look at those old pic's I do think how cool it would be to walk those streets, I would get lost for sure but it would have been a privilege!!!

1910 I think

My understanding was that following the blitz of Coventry during WWII, when basically all Coventry fire engines were lost, after the war when new rigs were available research was done regarding what was the best colour for rigs. Resulting in the new brigade being outfitted in "Coventry Fire Engine Yellow".

The word metz, maybe why it was called a German machine, told to me, I have no idea, neither do I have any idea of what the brigade had, all gone under the bridge long time ago, but I do remember the experiences. Fast asleep, ten seconds later hanging on for dear life, as you flew out the doors, within five minutes, top of a roof, putting water down a chimney, water running down your arm, body, leg into your boots, mid-jan, 2am in the morning, 6 inches of snow on the ground, 'hey good fun' I really enjoyed it. Or top of the TL over a grocery store, driver walks away for a moment, you can't descend, finally driver returns, you come down walk away eyebrows singed, trembling, two hours later, cup of tea, ready to go again. If only I had half that energy now?

Feb 1959, fast asleep, early morning bells, go down, fire at COVENTRY RAILWAY STATION, arrive there, workman's shed ablaze, two firemen myself being one of them advance on fire, next thing an explosion two propane cylinders in shed, we got caught in the blast, of to hospital with first and second degree burns to hands and face, not too serious. Incident was printed in Coventry Telegraph with a photo of workman with one of the damaged cylinders.