Blazing a trail! (From The Bolton News)

Blazing a trail!

SICKNOTE and Recall eat your hearts out! Blue Watch stars from the hit series London's Burning would turn green with envy at the latest recruits to Farnworth's fire station.

They have just taken delivery of two state of the art engines - at a cost of £250,000.

And the Volvo machines are packed with all the latest fire fighting equipment and safety devices.

The old engines, which have been used in the area for the last 10 years, will be used as part of the brigade's reserve fleet.

Farnworth firemen officially took charge of their new machines when they were handed over by members of Greater Manchester Fire Authority. Among the latest features on the machines are:

Electronic automatic gearboxes and braking assistance mechanisms.

All the doors and lockers can be locked centrally and the storage has been organised to give easy access to fire-fighting and rescue equipment.

Anti-attack windows

High powered lighting equipment

On board, the new machines boast five sets of breathing apparatus which are now half the weight they used to be.

Protection

Lifejackets, which are now in all Greater Manchester Fire Engines, are included, together with floating rescue lines.

There's improved hydraulic cutting gear, chemical protection suits and the latest resuscitation equipment. There are also door rams to get firefighters into locked premises.

The new vehicles have gone down a treat with all the crews at Farnworth.

Station officer Neil Barlow said: "The lads love them. There is more room for the crews in the back of the appliances and you can tell they have been designed with our needs in mind. Crews have been asked their opinions and you can tell these have been taken into account at the design stage.

"I've also been told by the drivers that they handle very well. We've had good reports all round."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.