Dennis Brothers, "the oldest motor makers in England" started out as
a bicycle factory in the town of Guildford, near London. At the turn
of the century the company began producing cars and in 1904 stared
building commercial vehicles, including fire engines.
Its first solid-tired, gasoline-engined fire truck was built in 1908. By 1912 it had sold a total of 130 motorized "fire appliances" to cities around the world including Athens, Sydney, Copenhagen and Aukland (New Zealand) as well as to customers like "The King of Siam" and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.
One of the selling points of these early vehicles was the patented worm drive axle, which had the advantage of running more quietly and was said to be more reliable than contemporary chain-drive vehicles.
During the First World War the company supplied trucks to the military and during the 1920’s became one of Britain's most successful producers of trucks and buses. During WW II it again produced military equipment including the 35 ton "Churchill" tank.
Still located in Guildford, Dennis continues to build fire engines (as well as buses) as part of the Mayflower Corporation group of companies.
Go here for a schematic drawing and specifications
for a Dennis Gwynne 800-Gallon Turbine Motor Fire Engine.
