fogrider
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Posts posted by fogrider
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Lovely !! My ex Fire T100 is pretty well the same,but with twin leader front brake and delivered in all black finish. When the Brigade sold it, old documents show A.M. Bott owning it ,then P.A.Bott who bought it again 12 years later. These guys known to anyone ?
The outfit parked opposite moons would be the Norton Big4. 1952 (ish) I think,(ties in with the service life of 20 years when replaced with "my" T100 in Feb 1973).
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The City Fire Brigade might have been the only Brigade that did this, can't find out for sure, but seems so. You remember the dense fogs in the City ? The 3 city fire stations each had a motorbike and sidecar. In the dense fog, the "fogrider" would ride in front of the machines, leading the way as vision was deemed better as he wasn't behind a windscreen . Volunteers only !!. By the sixties, the machines had better wipers/heaters/demisters and , of course, there was far more traffic and fogriding was becoming kinda dodgy and less effective. It didn't officially cease, the outfits were also general transport, occasionally shifting kit or other firemen to another station.The message "fogrider required" could only go out if there was a spare man, not that often. I only did it once, a shop fire, one dark and foggy night down Arkwright Street, I believe that was the last ever time a fogrider was called for. (very few people would do it) , That was late 1972 on the Norton Big4. Hilarious !
After the County took us over in April 1974, they soon withdrew the bikes ( to Rolleston Drive) and they were sold off in January 1975.
The demise of the City Brigade was a great shame. Good days.
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I had 2 motorbikes while I lived in Nottingham, bought a Dommie 99 in 1967 from a shop just as you got into Mansfield, on the right, with a higher level car park. £60.!
Pretty well destroyed it and TMS bought it for spares. Got a DBD 34 from a guy in Radford,(£120) used it to get to work on Colwick industrial estate. Still had the goldie when I joined the City Fire Brigade in 1968. Straight away 'volunteered' to be a fogrider and rode the Brigades' sidecar outfits. I have the last one bought, a Triumph T100 registered ETV99L. Anyone know about the others ? Centrals previous bike was a Norton big4, Dunkirk and Stockhill had Thunderbirds. Would love to find out what their registration numbers were..............
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I have to say, Nottingham has vastly more interesting Architecture (Adolf saw most of Hulls' off) and the railways, tunnels and viaducts!, Victoria Station was fantastic though I only just remember it. The Trip to Jerusalem , Nottingham Castle and of course, Central Fire Station. The Lace market was an H risk, the highest level in the UK. Went to two good fires in there, one on Broadway, one close to short stairs. The sixties were the best days for fire fighting, no safety rules ! We were very badly paid in those days (pre 1977 strike) and a move back to the home City of Hull with a promotion and more pay did it, young married couple and all that. Still miss the City and the lads, but thats' life.
Due to visit in September when the new station opens on London road. Taking an ex Nottingham City fogrider bike, there's a couple of old Central fire engines going too I believe. Will make a day of it.
Regards all, Terry.
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Yorkshire born (1947), moved to Nottingham when I got a job with the Land Registry on Chalfont drive, plans branch, in early 67 I think. Totally totally boring !.I left and got a job in the loading department of Jardine Dobsons at Colwick. Too easy, bored again,, my boss, Ted Randall ,(lived on Raleigh St) said why not join the fire brigade? I did. Brilliant move. April 1968, 3 months training in Birmingham and rode the Dennis pump escape first time early July. Proper fire engines then . Good days. Still have good memories of Nottingham, Yorkshire won though, sorry Nott'm !
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I remember a very small motorbike on the left, not far up Woodborough Rd. That must have been Rayner and Wilsons. I used to walk home past it, there was a Velocette Venom Thruxton in the window, Brand new and a big ticket price. I was told it was the last one ever available for sale anywhere. Late 1968 I think. I ended up buying an ex race DBD34 Goldie from a guy in Radford.
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When I was at Central Fire Station in the late sixties, we had a key to a door in the corner of the yard which took us down steps to three levels of caves. Most had evidence of wartime air raid shelters. There was still Elsan type toilets . There was no ventilation, it must have stunk during air raids ! The Police had a firing range in one corner. I did my breathing apparatus training down there. Smoke not required, pitch black is an understatement !
Great days, pity the old place is to be pulled down.
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Black Boy Hotel
in Images of Nottingham
Posted
Not sure when the building was demolished but I went there for an interview in 1967. It sounded like an exiting job with lots of cash. It was in reality a very nasty selling scheme, encyclopedias. The interior really was impressive. Shame it's gone.
Was surprised to read on here the Albert Hall gone too. Went there in either late '68 or '69 to see and hear the beautiful soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, she was absolutely fantastic, the best moment of my life in Nottingham. Anyone else go?