The Green Goddess - Not only a diet expert in a shiny leotard but one of the icons of the cold war.

The legendary Bedford 4x4 auxilliary fire engine was a mainstay of the UK's civil defence program throughout the 50's and 60's. Although unsophisticated compared to modern appliances, they were simple to maintain, did a reasonable job of carrying around ladders and axes pumping water where it was needed and like the strategic steam reserve provided a useful asset for use in a national emergency. They were regularly wheeled out during the seventies when local government employees took strike action and the firemen were replaced by squaddies.

Green Goddess Fire Engine

The awesome Green Godess - yours for two grand with a mere 800 miles on the clock. Not as sexy looking as the jeep but they did the job.

"Now chaps - there's been a 10 Megaton airburst over the town centre and the regional controller is requesting 'pumps 80' so we'd better get cracking..."

But after a long and (thankfully uneventfull) the Godess has finally found a useful retirement putting out fires in Africa. Sadly, it's not hard to work out why one of the richest countries in Africa has to purchase 60 year old second hand fire pumps...

See the Green Goddess still working.