Dennis RS series

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The Dennis RS series is a fire engine built by Dennis, it was produced from 1978 until early 1990s. Its new all-steel cab, designed by Ogle of London, replaced the older fibreglass & wood construction of the previous appliances it succeeded, such as the Dennis D and Dennis R.

The first of the Dennis RS fire appliances were fitted with Perkins V8 diesel engines, either the V8-540 (8.8 litre) or the V8-640 (10.6 litre), with or without turbochargers. The all-welded steel cab provided the maximum protection possible to the crew, and had an edge over other commercial trucks, as the RS was a purpose built fire appliance and was not used for any other application.

The Dennis RS could be fitted with a variety of bodies by Dennis/JDC, Carmichael, Fulton Wylie, etc.

Even though the cab design of the RS dates from 1978, they are seen to this day in fire brigades all over the world, with many still in front-line use to this day. In the later years the RS and SS series appliances were dogged with door corrosion, aptly known as "Dennis Disease" as almost every single RS appliance suffered from rotten cab doors at some stage in their lives.

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[edit] Variants

  • RS130 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Turner T5.400 manual gearbox
  • RS131 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
  • RS132 - Perkins V8-540 engine with ZF S6.65 manual gearbox
  • RS133 - Perkins V8-640 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
  • RS134 - Perkins TV8-540 engine with ZF S6.65 manual gearbox
  • RS135 - Perkins TV8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox
  • RS137 - Perkins V8-540 engine with Allison MT643 automatic gearbox

Most appliances had Kirkstall & Eaton axles fitted, front and rear respectively, and some with limited-slip differentials, all chassis came with a choice of a 500gpm or 1,000gpm two-stage Godiva UMPX fire pump, depending on application.

[edit] Users

The first batch of Dennis RS's were bought by Greater Manchester Fire Service and entered service in early 1979, the prototype ANC778T and its sister ANC779T, were followed by ENB640T through to ENB659T in May 1979. Two of these early appliances survive in Ireland, namely ENB642T (re-registered 79-CE-77, ex-Co. Clare Fire Brigade, currently in preservation in Dublin, Ireland) and ENB650T (currently in preservation with Motor Vehicle Preservation Society of Ireland in Co. Wicklow, Ireland)

Whilst successful worldwide, the biggest customers with RS appliances in their fleets were within the UK and Ireland, most UK brigades bought Dennis RS appliances.

[edit] Significant uers

[edit] See also