WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

More happy snaps from the holiday to Sydney.

2 pics of Darlinghurst 004 going firecall, attending different jobs.





A City of Sydney unit passing by.

cool...I think I prefer our trucks though good pictures though

Unless things have changed 004 is the station number and darlinghurst is the station name. I don't know how multi unit stations are handled.

Great Pics. If you are still in Sydney take a walk up Castlereagh Street between Liverpool and Bathurst Sts.

Wasn't the Perth's Austral [Heavy Rescue] hated?

written_ficton wrote:Wasn't the Perth's Austral [Heavy Rescue] hated?

I was living in Sydney when they first brought the Australs out. From memory, there were some problems with the shutter doors jamming half down or springing open in travel and some complaints that the early engines were gutless. But I think crews have got used to them by now (must be close to 15 years).

I think if you change anything heaps people are going to be uncomfortable with it for a while.

written_ficton wrote:Wasn't the Perth's Austral [Heavy Rescue] hated?

The trucks in the above pics are Varleys, at least that is what is on the front of the cab. (Also the name of the new composite pods/cages being fitted to the WAPol Hiluxes and Colorados)

auntys_eyes wrote:

written_ficton wrote:Wasn't the Perth's Austral [Heavy Rescue] hated?

The trucks in the above pics are Varleys, at least that is what is on the front of the cab. (Also the name of the new composite pods/cages being fitted to the WAPol Hiluxes and Colorados)

Varley Commanders. http://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=491

I thought Varley were the company who made the body for all the gear? By the looks of that link they do both.
Ive seen Isuzus with the CFS with Varley written on them

Varley started as a coachbuilder I believe. They actually took over Austral (the Fire appliance part) I believe when they became insolvent or similar.

The Varley commander was built entirely by them. These days they mainly do bodywork for the various services, using Popular Cab Chassis.

They're one of the main body builders in Oz, along with:
SEM (Skilled) - Vic
Mills Tui - Qld
Liquip - Qld

There are a lot of other smaller ones, like the few in WA.

NSWFB latest batch are coming from SEM I believe, after protypes were produced from them and Varley.

But they are just pumps? Wereas at least ours are a split role between a pump & resuce

No,

The Varley Commanders are the Class, 3, 4?, 5 pumpers. (difference being the pump duty and type, higher classes having higher capacity)

Class 4? on Scania chassis

Class 2 Pumpers and Class 1 Tankers on Isuzu chassis.

Rescue trucks are either Heavy Rescue tenders on Isuzu chassis (10 units) or theCity of Sydney on a Varley Mk2 chassis. (as well as USAR, PODCars and Iveco vans)

The whole Rescue role is a little tricky in NSW, with 4 agencies involved (the 5th Ambo Rescue has almost been removed entirely now).

Standard pumps in NSW carry a little less Rescue gear than Pumps in WA. These are being upgraded at the moment, but I think they'll still be a little lighter in Rescue than WA. Rescue Pumps have to carry a little more, and then there are Heavy Rescues.

If you are interested beyond that info, I'd suggest you look at one of the many forums or start searching, as there is plenty of information on this elsewhere.