When a Bus Became a Fire Engine: AEC Regent III Merryweather Turntable Ladders

Between 1950 and 1957, the renowned fire engine manufacturer Merryweather produced a variety of equipment including pumps, turntable ladders, and specialized tenders with 138 of these items being installed on AEC’s Regent III or Regal III bus chassis. These hybrid creations were assembled on a special production line at the Maudslay Motors factory (by then owned by AEC) and became iconic examples of post-war engineering ingenuity.

AEC Merryweather turntable ladders at an unknown fire, 1960s [ Museum of Fire Collection]

 A Ladder for Canberra: Arrival and Assembly

In 1951, the Commonwealth Department of the Interior, which then managed the Canberra Fire Brigade, placed an order through Sydney Merryweather agents Gibson, Battle & Co. for a set of 125-foot (38-metre) turntable ladders, an impressive piece of equipment capable of reaching up to five storeys high.

At the time, Canberra’s fire brigade operated only modest appliances equipped with extension ladders suited to two-storey buildings. The arrival of a ladder capable of reaching more than twice that height promised to be a major upgrade for the young capital’s firefighting capabilities. 

In anticipation, the fire station in Canberra even extended its building by six feet (1.83 metres) in May 1951 to make space for the new appliance.

Though delivery was originally promised for August 1951, the ladder did not arrive until 1 May 1952. It came in two large packing cases and was transported to Hastings Deering workshops in Lidcombe (Sydney) for assembly under the supervision of NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB; now Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) technical officers.

Once assembled and adjusted, the appliance was stored temporarily at The Rocks Fire Station in Sydney. A senior firefighter from the Canberra Fire Brigade travelled to Sydney for initial training on the new vehicle, with further instruction planned once it was relocated to Canberra.

A Change of Plans

However, the Canberra Fire Brigade’s circumstances soon changed. In 1953, the NSWFB formally took over management of the Canberra Fire Brigade. A review determined that Canberra’s skyline lacked any buildings over two stories, so did not warrant such a large ladder appliance.

As a result, the department decided to sell the AEC Regent III Merryweather turntable ladder to the NSWFB at its original cost price of £14,297 3s 4d (approximately $533,700 today). The sale was finalized in May 1954, and by July, the vehicle had officially entered service at Headquarters Fire Station (now known as City of Sydney Fire Station).

AEC Merryweather Ladders pictured at the Rocks Fire Station, 1952 [Museum of Fire Collection]

In Service Across New South Wales

The AEC Regent III Merryweather was a distinctive appliance. Built on a modified bus chassis and powered by a 9.6-litre diesel engine, it featured an unusual half-open cab design; a style which was only produced for international markets.

From 1954 to 1968, it served proudly at Headquarters before spending a short period as a spare unit in the Sydney Fire District in 1969. In May 1970, it was transferred to Newcastle, where it remained in service until its withdrawal in July 1988.

After more than three decades of service, this remarkable vehicle found a fitting retirement home when it entered the care of the Museum of Fire, where it continues to tell the story of Australian firefighting innovation.

-Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team