The Dennis RS/SS series was a range of fire engine chassis built by Hestair Dennis (later Dennis Specialist Vehicles), produced from 1978 until the early 1990s.
| Dennis RS/SS series | |
|---|---|
 A Devon Fire and Rescue Service Dennis RS | |
| Overview | |
| Type | Fire engine |
| Manufacturer | Hestair Dennis |
| Production | 1978-1994 |
| Assembly | Woodbridge, Guildford |
| Designer | Ogle Design |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | Cab over engine |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 3,800 mm (149.6 in) |
| Length | 7,334 mm (288.7 in) |
| Width | 2,286 mm (90.0 in) |
| Height | 3,072 mm (120.9 in) |
| Kerb weight | 11,700 kg (25,794 lb)[1] |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | |
Features edit
Internally codenamed Retained, Steel, the Dennis RS series was first launched in 1979, initially not offered with a tilting cab due to a belief that few fire stations at the time could accommodate a tilting cab. A lower-cost alternative named the Standard Specification, or SS series, was launched shortly afterwards, however at the request of the London Fire Brigade, this would be fitted with a tilting front cab as standard to improve ease of maintenance.[1] The all-steel cab, designed by Ogle Design,[2] replaced the older fibreglass and wood construction of the previous appliances it succeeded, such as the Dennis D and Dennis R, increasing the strength of the cab overall in the event of a collision.
The first of the Dennis RS/SS fire appliances were fitted with Perkins V8 diesel engines, either the V8-540 or the V8-640, with or without turbochargers; by 1987, the RS and SS could be specified with Cummins C-series engines.[1][3] Early appliances were bodied in-house by Dennis at their Woodbridge factory, but when in-house fire engine bodying was discontinued in 1985, the bodying of the Dennis RS/SS series and derivative products was outsourced to other coachbuilders, primarily to Carmichael Fire.[4] The RS could also be fitted with a variety of bodies by other coachbuilders including HCB Angus,[5] Fulton Wylie and Saxon Specialist Vehicles.
Over 1,750 Dennis RS/SS fire engines would be produced, being sold to nearly all fire brigades across the United Kingdom as well as being exported to various fire brigades worldwide.[6] As the appliances aged, RS and SS series appliances were known to suffer from corrosion particularly around the cab doors, nicknamed "Dennis Disease" by mechanics.[citation needed]
Variants edit
- RS130/SS130 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Turner T5.400 manual gearbox
- RS131/SS131 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
- RS132/SS132 - Perkins V8-540 engine with ZF S6.65 manual gearbox
- RS133/SS133 - Perkins V8-640 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox[3]
- RS134/SS134 - Perkins TV8-540 engine with ZF S6.65 manual gearbox
- RS135/SS135 - Perkins TV8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
- RS137/SS137 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
All chassis came with a choice of a 500gpm or 1,000gpm two-stage Godiva fire pump, depending on application, and a 400 imperial gallons (1,800 L) emergency water tank.[1]
Significant operators edit
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2023) |
United Kingdom edit
- London Fire Brigade - Still operating 107 SS137s by 1995
- Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
- Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
- Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Humberside Fire and Rescue Service
- Kent Fire and Rescue Service
- Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
- Northern Ireland Fire Brigade
- Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service[7]
- West Midlands Fire Service
- West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service[3]
Republic of Ireland edit
Elsewhere edit
- Hong Kong Fire Services Department
- Singapore Fire Service[8]
- Romania-former UK vehicles, as donations
- Johannesburg Fire and Rescue
- City of Cape Town
- East London Fire Brigade
- City of Port Elizabeth (now Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality)
References edit
- ^ a b c d Goundry, Andy (23 March 2020). Dennis Buses and Other Vehicles. Crowood. pp. 106–108. ISBN 978-1-78500-708-8. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "If it's a handsome cab, chances are it's Ogle's". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 3 December 1983. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Hestair launch new custom fire-engine". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 22 June 1979. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Dennis moves". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 23 March 1985. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ Fisher, Aidan (15 April 2012). HCB Angus Fire Engine Builders. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-1119-8. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
...during the 1980s some 40 DS and RS chassis were bodied by [Angus], mostly as water tender ladders.
- ^ Baker, Eddie (23 August 2018). Fire Engines. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78442-299-8. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "£1m Dennis order". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 17 August 1989. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Skidchek goes East". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 21 August 1982. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
External links edit
Media related to Dennis RS fire engines at Wikimedia Commons- Media related to Dennis SS fire engines at Wikimedia Commons
