West Midlands Fire Service bought this solitary Rapier as an evaluation appliance after, in the early '90s, Dennis announced the end of production of the very popular RS and SS. It was put through its paces at the very busy inner-city station of C1-Highgate for a couple of years. After its appraisal It was transferred to the only retained compliment in the otherwise wholetime urban brigade, D3 in the village of Sedgley, just west of Dudley near to the Staffordshire border. The mk1 F88 Rapier proved very popular indeed, and it was believed by many that WMFS would go on to buy Rapiers in vast numbers. But they didn't buy any; they decided instead to plump for its bigger sister, the Sabre, the Sabre XL in fact. And the rest is history. WMFS bosses tried for years to close Sedgley but were always met with fierce resistance. It wasn't until D9 Dudley fire station in the town centre was replaced by a new station a mile or so to the west of the town did the powers-that-be finally get their way. Because then, wholetime Dudley could respond to calls in Sedgley before the retainers could. By then the writing was definitely on the wall. Sedgley closed in 2008 and was demolished soon after. Three houses now stand on the site. Their Rapier found a new life in Ireland. And that was the end of retained firefighters within the brigade. Previous to that Willenhall ran a second pump crewed by retained personal. But that was disbanded in the 1980s.
@John2347-k5v
6 жыл бұрын
YelpBullhorn It was at Fallings Park from new, but only for a short while. Great fun to drive. It handled like the sports car of fire engines.
@EnidAgnusDei
8 жыл бұрын
Retained get a Rapier? nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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