E21 ARROCHAR

1 Pump Retained

Stations

  Garage attached to Arrochar Hotel
to 1982 Lynwood Hotel, Teighness, Arrochar.                      Photo
13/1/1982 Church Road ,Arrochar G83 7AZ.                              Photo

Firemasters

1955 Volunteer Leader Roi Cordiner
1965 to 1982+ Sub Officer Ronald MacDonald
1998 to 12/2/2007 Sub Officer Donald Nicolson
12/2/2007 Watch Manager (A) Ronald Ross (there 8/5/2023 now called Watch Commander)

 

Appliances

    First RRU ATV
  1976 JWG892    
  1982 FVD844K VSD192K  
  1983 FVD844K LSU580Y  
  1989 GGG660T LSU580Y  
  1990 GGG660T G839DCS  
    C431KDS G839DCS  
  1993 C431KDS   H881MKV
    M336DSU   H881MKV
  2002 N834JSU   H881MKV
  2005 N834JSU    
  2010 Oct 18 SF53PPK    
  2022 Feb SF13GXO    

 

2002 Land Rover H881MKV now tows a Forestry Trailer instead of the ATV, all of which have been withdrawn.

2005 Land Rover and Forestry Trailer now off the run. The Forestry Trailer was moved to Inveraray and then to Oban. In 2010 the equipment on the Forestry trailer was put into a cage and can be carried on the MIU based at Clydebank.

 

  JWG892 Bedford S WrT
  FVD844K Dennis D/Dennis WrL
  VSD192K Land Rover/SWAFB RRU
  GGG660T Dodge K1613/HCB Angus WrL
  LSU580Y Ford Transit/Johnstone Workshops RRU
  C341KDS Dodge G13/Fulton and Wylie Fire Warrior 3 WrL
  G839DCS Ford Transit/SFB RRU
  H881MKV Land Rover plus trailer tows L4V
    Scot Trak Garron ATV
  M336DSU Volvo FL6-18/Emergency One WrL
  N834JSU Scania 93M-220/Emergency One RPL
  SF53PPK Scania 94D-260/Saxon RPL
  SF13GXO Scania P280/JDC/Polybilt RP

 

The Central Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

  Equipment Volunteers
  1 Portable Power Pump 1 Leading Fireman
    6 Firemen

 

Establishment 2000

  Equipment Retained
  1 Water Tender Ladder 1 Sub Officer
  1 Land Rover 2 Leading Firefighters
  1 All Terrain Vehicle 11 Firefighters

 

 

1941 to 1948 National Fire Service
1948 to 1975 Central Area Fire Brigade
1975 to 2005 Strathclyde Fire Brigade
2005 to 2013 Strathclyde Fire & Rescue (Name change only.)
1/4/2013 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

 

 

On the 27th June 1978 the Police and Fire Committee of Strathclyde Regional Council approved an increase to the Establishment at Arrochar and Lesmahagow of 1 Leading Fireman and 3 Firemen as a Road Rescue Unit was being provided at both stations.

Was 1 Water Tender and 1 Road Rescue Unit. Road Rescue Unit was moved to Inveraray when ATV arrived.
April 1979 Land bought for a new Fire Station.
Arrochar used to be a Volunteer Unit until ? Apparently they once refused to go to a grass fire as they could see the fire and it wasn't endangering anything. They were asked to turn out a few times but kept refusing and as they were volunteers they couldn't be forced to go. So some time afterwards they were made a retained unit so they would have go if turned out.

The Land Rover and Forestry Trailer were taken off the run on Tuesday the 15th February, 2005. The establishment will be reduced to 10 through natural wastage. Alterations done to the station means it is now a 1 bay station as a disabled toilet has been built in the second bay.

In Edition 2, April 1976, of the "Strathclyde Fireman" newspaper there s a photo of the Arrochar retained crew consisting of:- Tommy Kay, Alex Parker, Sub Officer Ronnie MacDonald, Nicky Bichart, Rab Campbell, Graham Gillies, Leading Fireman Arthur Ross, John Fiskin (kneeling) and Darkie the dog.

When the new call signs were being implemented in the WEST SDA over a 7 week period beginning 31/8/2020 doing 1 LSO Area per week, Arrochar was changed from L11 to E21.

 

Notes

New Fire Station

It was learned at the District Council Meeting last week that steps are being taken by the appropriate authority in collaboration with the new County Council towards providing new accommodation for the local fire fighting equipment.
(Helensburgh and Garelochhead Times, October 16, 1957. Page 3)

NEW FIRE STATION AT ARROCHAR

For the first time in its history Arrochar is to have its own custom built fire station.
The new station will be officially opened on Wednesday and will house one fire engine and a road rescue vehicle, a specially converted Land Rover.
The station will be manned by a crew of retained firemen, and is equipped with its own training yard and tower.
The opening will be performed by Councillor William Goudie, chairman of Strathclyde Regional Council's buildings and properties committee, and also attending will be Councillor James Jennings, chairman of the police and fire committee.
Local regional councillor Billy Petrie will attend as will MP Ian Campbell. Dumbarton District Council will be represented, and after the opening, scheduled for 11-30 a.m., a luncheon will be served in a local hotel.
(Helensburgh Advertiser, Friday, 8th January 1982, Page 9)

ARROCHAR'S NEW FIRE STATION OPENED

The village of Arrochar is the proud owner of a sparkling new fire station which was officially opened last Wednesday.
The new station, which replaces the shed from which the crew used to operate, is situated in Church Road and was finished recently at a cost of £119,000.
Councillor William Goudie, chairman of Strathclyde Regional Council's building and property committee, was introduced by Councillor James Jennings, chairman of the police and fire committee, as "a man who always attends the opening of all police and fire stations, but never opens one."
"But," he continued, "as this is the last station to be opened before we all come up for re-election I thought it would be kind and fitting to ask Mr Goudie to open this station"
Before pulling back the curtains covering the plaque marking the opening, Councillor Goudie delved back into history. "Not very long ago Arrochar was served by an early wheelbarrow pump which was manned by two local hotel owners, the daughter of one of them, and the village butcher .... but we have come a long way to this station, a crew of 14 retained men and both a pumping appliance and a road rescue unit."
The station has a lecture recreation room, kitchen and office. There is also a training tower and a compressor room for re-charging breathing apparatus units.
Councillor Goldie complimented the crew on their enthusiasm and dedication. "They have a large area to cover, stretching from Balloch to Inveraray, and difficult roads to travel, but there is no doubt that this crew will deal admirably with them, and that this station will help them improve their service," he said.
The station was dedicated by the Strathclyde Fire Brigade chaplain, the Rev Peter Houston, who outlined the dangers involved in the life and work of a fireman. "They are only called out when there is danger, and they must show courage in times of great peril," he said.
During the ceremony the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was presented to the Station Sub-Officer Ronald MacDonald. He joined the service 20 years ago and was promoted to Leading Fireman in 1963. Two years later he was promoted to Sub-Officer, and he has held the post since then.
When he is not out fighting fires Mr MacDonald works as a maintenance engineer at the BP Ocean Terminal at Finnart. He was presented with the medal by Councillor Jennings, and Strathclyde Firemaster Richard Knowlton congratulated him on his achievement.
The guests and leading firemen then attended a lunch at the Cobbler Hotel.
<PHOTO> Strathclyde Firemaster Richard Knowlton with other senior officers and members of the Arrochar unit outside the new fire station. (VSD192K and FVD844K)
<PHOTO> Station Sub-Officer Ronald MacDonald. Staff photos. (Holding his medal in front of station plaque(13/1/1982))
(Helensburgh Advertiser, Friday, 22nd January 1982, Page 11)

DREADFUL FIRE DISASTER AT ARROCHAR


What is believed to be one of the most calamitous fires ever recorded in this part of the County, in which four people-a woman and three men-lost their lives, occurred at Tighness, Arrochar, in the early hours of last Friday. The Loch Long Hotel, belonging to Miss Sheena Macfarlan, was completely gutted and all that remained of the building after the fire was extinguished were the blackened walls and a three foot deep heap of debris lying inside.
The four people who lost their lives were Mr James McSherry and his wife, Maisie; Mr John King (24), of Rockhampton, Gloucestershire; and Mr N. J. Cook (30), of Twickenham, London.

Personal Particulars

Mr and Mrs McSherry resided in the hotel, where she was employed as Book-keeper, and he was an electrician with Messrs. Marples, Ridgway and Partners at the Hydro Electric Scheme now under construction at Cairndow. They had been in Arrochar district for six years or so.
Mr Cook and Mr King had been in the area for some months and residing in the hotel while they were engaged along with two colleagues in survey work on behalf of the Air Survey Company, London. The two dead men had been planning to travel home for a holiday by the morning train from Arrochar.

Alarm Raised

The outbreak was discovered by a Mrs Murray who woke up to find her room full of thick smoke. She immediately wakened Miss MacFarlan and between them they raised the alarm and endeavoured to warn everyone in the hotel.
It was impossible to reach the telephone in the hotel because of the heat and a call for the fire brigade was telephoned from a neighbouring house.
The alarm was received at 4-30 a.m. and the Arrochar voluntary fire brigade was at the scene of the outbreak in eight minutes. Mr Rio Cordiner, who was in charge, said that they had two lines of hose playing on the fire within a few minutes but he realised there was nothing they could do to save the building.
Mr Cordiner and his local fire brigade are to be complimented on their valiant effort and strenuous endeavour.

Like A Flaming Torch

The whole interior, Mr Cordiner said, was like a great flaming torch, the floor of the upper storey had fallen before his arrival and shortly thereafter the roof fell in. Additional help was given to the local unit by the Forestry Commission's fighting team which arrived with their fire engine shortly after the siren had been sounded.
Fire brigades from Helensburgh, Alexandria, Dumbarton and Clydebank raced to the scene, the Helensburgh brigade actually arriving within half an hour of the call being received, but the whole building by then was alight from end to end and completely beyond saving.
Owing to depleted water supplies, following on the protracted drought, when the village was completely without a supply for many weeks, the brigades which had arrived ran out hoses to Loch Long and obtained a sufficient supply from there to ultimately extinguish the flames.
All four who died are believed to have been suffocated by smoke. Because of flames and smoke, rescuers could not reach their bedrooms which were on the upper floor. Their bodies were afterwards found at the ground floor level.

Villagers Assist in Rescue Work

There were 11 or 12 people in the hotel which had 12 bedrooms, and when the alarm was raised some of the guests escaped by leaping from top floor windows at the back of the building; others were helped to safety by villagers who had hurried to the scene when they heard the siren, a ladder being placed to bedroom windows in some cases to assist.
Fortunately, there were no injuries to those who escaped by jumping or scrambling down rhone pipes, but most of them lost practically all their possessions.
It has been concluded that the outbreak originated in the lounge, but it has not been possible to determine the cause.

A Possible Cause

What may have had some connection was the fact that the nearby garage, owned by Mr McTavish had been broken into that morning and a number of tools stolen. Whether the burglar had afterwards broken into the hotel and been the cause of the fire is not, of course, known, but the possibility could not be overlooked.
This tragic happening has cast quite a cloud over the district where Mr and Mrs McSherry were well known and very much respected. Although the other two who lost their lives were only a short time in the area they appear to have been of a friendly, sociable nature and had made quite a number of friends.
Considerable sympathy is felt for Miss McFarlan for the ordeal through which she has passed and at the loss of her home and business of which she was very proud and endeavoured to conduct as a friendly, homely establishment.
(Helensburgh and Garelochhead Times, September 21, 1955. Page 3)

 

 

 

 

If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.

 

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