National transport museum

Dennis Metz Turntable Ladder. YRI 584.

DFB 1954 Dennis Metz Turntable Ladder (TL). This vehicle, registered YRI 584, entered service in 1955, from Tara St. fire station, where it spent its entire operational life. The Metz ladder extends to 30m or 100'. This was the first TL in the DFB fleet to have an enclosed cab, with the driver and officer- in-charge in the front section and a canopied rear facing cab for 4 firefighters. Previously, all crew members on older appliances were exposed to the elements. It was first turn-out until 1964, 2nd until 1972 and reserve until 1984. It then was allocated to the training centre and towards the end of its career, it attended community and charity fund raising events. It was transferred to the Museum collection in 2004 and now stands proudly on display there.

Austin Gipsy 4 X 4.
FZD 783.

Austin Gipsy short wheelbase fire appliance, FZD 783, 1962-1985. This fire vehicle was bought by the Dublin Health Authority, predecessor to the Eastern Health Board and the Health service Executive. It was based at St. Ita's Hospital in Portrane for use by their in-house fire team manned by specially trained staff members. Lincoln and Nolan of Baggot St. were the main importers and assemblers of Austin vehicles in Ireland at the time. Fitted with a front-mounted Coventry Climax Godiva pump, it was made redundant and presented to the Museum in 1985 when better cover was provided by Dublin Fire Brigade from nearby retained stations in Swords, Malahide and Skerries.

Bedford Ambulance.
HZU 738.

Bedford J1 ambulance, from 1969 to 1993. Dublin Fire Brigade (D.F.B.) is the principal operator of the emergency ambulance service in Dublin City and County, on behalf of the Health Service Executive with additional capacity provided by the National Ambulance Service. Indeed, the D.F.B., along with the Dublin Airport Authority Fire Service, are the only fire services in the country to provide an emergency ambulance service, going back to 1862 in the case of the D.F.B. and countless thousands of lives have been saved since then. HZU 738 entered service assigned to Tara St. in 1969 and attended the tragic Dublin bombings in 1974. When retired by the D.F.B., it went to Dundalk Fire Brigade as an Emergency Tender until final retirement in 1993. It returned to Dublin and was refurbished at the D.F.B. Workshops in 2000 and was presented to the Museum on 2004.

More information to follow

Morris Ambulance.
PZA 406.

Guinness (Industrial Fire Brigade) Morris Commercial LD Chassis, PZA 406, 1960 to 1985. This vehicle was built as a dual purpose ambulance/fire tender by Guinness craftsmen for protection of the Brewery at St. James' Gate. It was fitted with a gantry to carry an extension ladder and a tow hitch for a trailer pump. It was vandalised during a break-in in 2004 and had to be re-painted as a result. This was done in 2008. Normally paired with a Beresford Stork trailer pump which was donated by the Defence Forces, this vehicle is currently not on display but is in safe storage.

Dennis F8 Fire Brigade.
NIK 888.

Dublin Fire Brigade Dennis F8 pump, 1956 to 1984. One of three delivered to the D.F.B. between 1953 and 1956, this pump served almost all of its life in Rathmines fire station. This type was the first of the enclosed cab model to enter service in Dublin, all vehicles up to then had open bodies offering no protection to the crew from the changeable Irish weather. It has a Rolls Royce 6 cylinder engine and is equipped with a 10.5m (35') wooden extension ladder. As part of our vehicle rotation policy, it is not currently on display, but safely in store awaiting its turn.