1950s ex-HMAS Nirimba Thornycroft Nubian airport fire tender

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Mon Nov 07, 2022 4:48 pm

My thoughts exactly (I am lucky to exist), but did you see the Royal Navy fire truck?

Tricky's Footnote: You mean in the background at 2:15 and at 2:43...? For more on the accident itself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHZN2HLkWGU

BC · **Posted:** Mon Nov 07, 2022 7:01 pm

I did!

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:19 pm

Continuing to labour on the timber frame for the truck (bit by bit). As it is not intended as a complete restoration but an austere fix, there is no intent to remain entirely faithful to the former product use but, I thought that I might replace the former steel screws in parts of the frame with ones of greater longevity (a hint of sarcasm noting the truck was built in 1953, I was born in 1955 and this work is being done in 2022). So, the choice was passivated steel, galvanised or 304 stainless steel (price variation was amazingly very little). Whilst standing in the hardware shop with the picked 304 S/S screws in hand, a brainfart ensued:
Way off topic: I remembered that the staunchions and guardrails on the FFGs (all above maindeck) had 304 stainless bolts and they had an issue after more than 20 years in service :omg1:

. Then I remembered that, at the time, the naval architects considered the lamebrain idea to change all of those bolts to 316 stainless steel :banghead:

(product determination, process to prove change of material, approval, change to every drawing associated with, etc). If they had gone ahead with it there were only two FFGs left by the time all approvals and processes would have been completed.
Back on topic, 304 stainless steel it is.....

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Sun Oct 22, 2023 5:24 pm

I thought a yearly update:

I thought it time to update on the progress on the truck (not that a great has occurred but it is still not on that scrap pile).
Unfortunately we have not had a great deal of opportunity to go down to our place so work on the truck (on site) has been limited (though it is still safely undercover in its new shed).

I am still trying to completely dismantle the rear brake cylinders at home (I have got them apart but there is a multi manufactured piston that has to be taken apart and this continues to be problematic). As I offered earlier there are no replacement parts for this design anywhere in the world (contacts in the UK have overhaul kits but no complete cylinders) so I have no choice but to not give up.

Replacing the rotten timber continues and I am starting on the bottoms of the rear door frames (this will be added to when I start making the new rear posts). I have made some fitted timber bits around the guard in the area of the front doors. When bolted onto the guard I should be able to attach the front doors (still very little remaining timber around the roof line).

Having reattached the gauge panel I attempted to turn the engine over but the only visual indicator was smoke coming from the gauge panel (I believe it involved a dead short on the main supply from the starter to the starter button so, just another glitch to overcome). The guy down in Victoria who has one of the Albatross units (only a cab chassis) sent me some film work of his successful effort to start his truck (his description was that he cleaned the plugs and points, replaced the old fuel and battery and started the truck). We have the complete truck, he has the one that easily starts (how strange that the Nirimba unit could not be started at the time of the Wardroom fire in 1966 - and only 80 metres away)….

I have relocated all the steel cupboards doors to home. One has been refurbished and returned to the truck, the rest are in my shed at home waiting their turn. As the slam latches used on the cupboard doors are also impossible to source, I am going to have to rebuild them as well. To date I have rebuilt two of the slam latches, one with an entirely different spring system (but it works).

Nothing else to report....

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2023 11:47 pm

Hi Brian, well done, please feel free to send me some photos :happy3:

of your progress if you wish and I'll upload them to your post... :type:

BC · **Posted:** Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:17 am

Yeh, there's nothing better than seeing the "Before & After" shots of rusted/busted parts, and the corrected results of all that hard work.

Keep chipping away. :whip

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 07, 2024 4:08 pm

For those who may (like moi,) regularly watch 'Car S.O.S.' on ABC's Channel 2, today's show (Series 10 Episode 7,) featured, [-X

not the usual vintage car, per se, [-(

but a 1973 Dennis Fire Engine...! :omg1:

https://iview.abc.net.au/video/ZW3976A007S00

(...log in to ABC for FREE to watch...) :happy:

Whilst we're all well aware that Brian 'Stroppy Chippie' Mackenzie voluntarily :prayer:

undertook to painstakingly restore HMAS Nirimba's Thornycroft Fire Tender, :notworthy:

I don't think many of us truly appreciated
the absolutely mammoth task :omg1:

Brian had taken on...

Considering that about 50% of the bodywork on the Dennis/ Thornycroft is timber/ fibreglass, it's worth grabbing yourself a coffee :coffee2:

to watch the sort of challenge Brian has embarked upon...! :yess:

Stroppy Chippie · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:33 am

I would like to thank Rick for putting me onto this particular episode of Car SOS.
It was quite an experience to see their aspects of restoration work on a younger (by 20 years) fire truck.
A friend who has a former NSW Fire+Rescue ACCO pumper has a secret dream to source and restore a Dennis fire engine - it is the bodywork component shown in the episode that continues to put him off (yes, I told him of the episode. No, he has not replied).
Comparisons between the Nirimba unit (Thornycroft UK build) and the former Kent UK unit:
The same storyline - A son purchased it for his father who had previously had an association with the truck. The father passed away and the passion and ability was not the same.
Dennis started, the Thornycroft engine is still a work in progress.
The Dennis brakes were overhauled (parts are available), the Thornycroft brake cylinders are no longer available - so there is only one choice. Have not removed the front wheel cylinders but they appear to be in a similar condition and the master cylinder/air system unit - well it is still tucked up in the chassis.
The Dennis pump operates, the Thornycroft pump is seized (at this time).
The bodywork - yes, the bodywork. I wish the Thornycrofts was as good as the Dennis. Actually, I wish that the two tradsemen involved in the build had worked off the same plan.
I did note that the Thornycroft six wheel drive/Rolls Royced engined airfield fire units that were developed from the shortcoming of the first post WWII Nirimba unit went on to be a success, around the world for decades (albeit with a fully metal built body, unlike the 73 built Dennis) - that I found surprising.

Hippy Chippy · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2024 11:32 pm

My pleasure Brian, my first thought on seeing that episode was you, :yess:

...my second thought was also of you... :omg1:

as the person who found The MOBI Yacht 'Nirimba' :captain:

which catapulted us onto
the restoration/ maintenance we persevered with for over a decade... :snap:

Thanks Stroppy... :roll:

I think...! :yea:

Seejay · **Posted:** Mon Sep 09, 2024 7:17 am

One of my favourite shows on the box, and all episodes are great stories. This one was great, and also very surprising re the wooden frames. Then I saw the Jaguar engine and was really surprised!

How's your massive project going, Brian?

1950s ex-HMAS Nirimba Thornycroft Nubian airport fire tender

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