MTS 279 - AEC Mercury Merryweather
This appliance is an example of the all-British all-steel turntable ladders manufactured during the 1950s and 1960s by Merryweather & Sons Ltd of London using the Southall manufactured AEC Mercury chassis fitted with fully enclosed Merryweather manufactured cabs and bodywork.
The vehicle was registered in Dundee on 1st June 1961 and delivered new to the then Angus Area Fire Brigade on 13th June. Tayside Fire and Rescue Service fleet archives show the appliance was insured for £10,500. By comparison, today’s high-tech equivalent appliances cost around £600,000.
Displaying her last radio call-sign “Alpha 2 - 3”, MTS 279 for many years provided cover for the northern side of the city out of the now replaced and currently empty “Station 2” on Strathmore Avenue, known to past generations of Dundee based Firemen as ‘The North’. When new she was initially stationed at the long-gone “Station 1” on West Bell Street (now part of Dundee University), transferring to “Station 2” when the West Bell Street station was replaced with the new “Station 1” on Blackness Road. Although Dundee based, she would have been sent anywhere in Tayside if required.
On local authority regionalisation in 1975, MTS 279 lost her Angus Area Fire Brigade identity and became part of the new Tayside Fire Brigade (now Tayside Fire and Rescue Service) fleet. Towards the end of her service life she became the Brigade’s reserve aerial appliance.
She was de-commissioned and sold out of service in April 1992 when traditional turntable ladders were being phased out in favour of more technologically advanced high-reach appliances.
The vehicle was registered in Dundee on 1st June 1961 and delivered new to the then Angus Area Fire Brigade on 13th June. Tayside Fire and Rescue Service fleet archives show the appliance was insured for £10,500. By comparison, today’s high-tech equivalent appliances cost around £600,000.
Displaying her last radio call-sign “Alpha 2 - 3”, MTS 279 for many years provided cover for the northern side of the city out of the now replaced and currently empty “Station 2” on Strathmore Avenue, known to past generations of Dundee based Firemen as ‘The North’. When new she was initially stationed at the long-gone “Station 1” on West Bell Street (now part of Dundee University), transferring to “Station 2” when the West Bell Street station was replaced with the new “Station 1” on Blackness Road. Although Dundee based, she would have been sent anywhere in Tayside if required.
On local authority regionalisation in 1975, MTS 279 lost her Angus Area Fire Brigade identity and became part of the new Tayside Fire Brigade (now Tayside Fire and Rescue Service) fleet. Towards the end of her service life she became the Brigade’s reserve aerial appliance.
She was de-commissioned and sold out of service in April 1992 when traditional turntable ladders were being phased out in favour of more technologically advanced high-reach appliances.
Vehicle Stats
AEC Merryweather 100 ft Hydraulic Turntable Ladder
Ex-Angus Area / Tayside Fire Brigade
Date of Registration: 1 June 1961
Chassis Type and No: AEC Mercury 2GM4RA - 4144
Date Delivered into Service: 13 June 1961
Date Sold Out of Service: 24 April 1992
Stationed: Dundee - initially at the long-gone Station 1 (Central) on West Bell Street, transferring to the now replaced Station 2 (North) on Strathmore Avenue, finally becoming the Brigade’s reserve aerial appliance before coming ‘off the run’.
Ex-Angus Area / Tayside Fire Brigade
Date of Registration: 1 June 1961
Chassis Type and No: AEC Mercury 2GM4RA - 4144
Date Delivered into Service: 13 June 1961
Date Sold Out of Service: 24 April 1992
Stationed: Dundee - initially at the long-gone Station 1 (Central) on West Bell Street, transferring to the now replaced Station 2 (North) on Strathmore Avenue, finally becoming the Brigade’s reserve aerial appliance before coming ‘off the run’.
Post Service History
Since being retired from operational use MTS 279 has had a number of owners. For many years she was stored in the open and has sustained weather related deterioration, now needing a fair degree of work to restore her to her in-service condition.
MTS 279 is displayed generally in her ‘April 2010 as found’ condition, with her gradual restoration having started at the beginning of 2011.
Along with the physical restoration of the appliance, it is hoped to create a display album detailing MTS 279’s history. The present owner would like to acknowledge the help given by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service and several other good friends in researching their fleet and personal archives. Any further contribution to help develop the album e.g. unwanted photographs, documentation or personal experiences of riding on or working with MTS 279 from former or serving members of the old Angus Area Fire Brigade or latterly Tayside Fire Brigade, now Tayside Fire and Rescue Service, would be most welcome. Please make contact with [email protected]
MTS 279 is displayed generally in her ‘April 2010 as found’ condition, with her gradual restoration having started at the beginning of 2011.
Along with the physical restoration of the appliance, it is hoped to create a display album detailing MTS 279’s history. The present owner would like to acknowledge the help given by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service and several other good friends in researching their fleet and personal archives. Any further contribution to help develop the album e.g. unwanted photographs, documentation or personal experiences of riding on or working with MTS 279 from former or serving members of the old Angus Area Fire Brigade or latterly Tayside Fire Brigade, now Tayside Fire and Rescue Service, would be most welcome. Please make contact with [email protected]
