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THE
RESTORATION PROJECT Follow this link to the F34 Chassis Specification AN ORIGINAL NT FIRE BRIGADE PUMP ESCAPE This page will be dedicated to the restoration of our 1964 Dennis F34 fire truck. It is powered by the original 6.5 litre straight-eight Rolls Royce B81 petrol engine, and it has a four-speed automatic gearbox. All pumping gear works well. This appliance was one of two supplied to the Northern Territory Fire Brigade as 'tropical-cab' versions, simply meaning that they were supplied without doors. Only sixteen appliances of this model were ever produced by Dennis Brothers ... two for Australia, two for New Zealand, and the remaining 12 stayed in the UK.
The 1964 Dennis F34 as found in Sydney (left), and (right) finally back home in the NT
The 50 foot (15 metre) Merryweather wheeled escape sitting over the rear-mounted pumping gear
The controls are quite basic. And the light blue colour will DEFINITELY change!
This appliance was Darwin's main pumper in the 1960s and early 1970s
The fibreglass front of the appliance being prepared for some restoration
At the present time, the restoration of the fire truck has stalled, as we are in the process of building a 'fire station' at home in which to garage the appliance and continue the restoration. With the monsoonal 'wet' season upon us in Darwin, this has become a slow process. We gratefully acknowledge the kind offer of Bully and the crew at the Humpty Doo Fire Station to allow us to garage the Dennis in their engine room over the wet season. Thanks guys!
UPDATE: (25 April 2008) A number of roof trusses were donated to us, which dictated the final size of the fire station. We decided that the 10.4 metre long trusses spaced 5 metres apart would give us a roof area of 125 square metres which is not a bad size fire station at all. The column height will be 3.85 metres to the underside of the trusses, which will clear the top of the wheeled escape by 450mm. The footings are completed, and the columns and bracing are at present being fabricated. Roof purlins are on the ground, pre-punched and ready to sling up onto the trusses as soon as they are in position.
UPDATE: (8 November 2008) The Fire Station has now been constructed, and is just in time for the wet season. The finished roof area is 132 square metres which fits the bill perfectly. There are no walls planned, however on the prevailing wind side we have established a garden and planted trees and shrubs which will form a windbreak and give protection from driving rain, at the same time still allow ventilating breezes to waft through.
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