Dundee Museum of Transport picture gallery: Exhibits and collections

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Former 1961 Angus Area / Tayside Fire Brigade Turntable Ladder: preserved and under restoration

MTS 279 is an example of the all-steel, all-British manufactured 100 ft (30 metres) hydraulically operated turntable ladders designed and built during the 1950s-1970s by the highly respected but now sadly long gone Merryweather & Sons Ltd of Greenwich.

MTS 279 was new to the old Angus Area Fire Brigade in 1961, remaining in service with Tayside Fire Brigade until the mid 1980s before being de-commisioned and finally sold out of service in 1992.

Turntable Ladders of this type were then widely used by UK and Commonwealth Country fire brigades as their mainstay high-reach appliance. Their proven high reliability resulted in many remaining in service for 30 years or so, only being replaced when technology moved on and more advanced appliances were developed.

MTS 279 was built by Merryweather & Sons Ltd for the old Angus Area Fire Brigade, passing to Tayside Fire Brigade on regionalisation in 1975. Photo courtesy of Ron Henderson Collection.

Registered in Dundee on 1st June 1961 she entered service on 13th June, thereafter spending all her working life stationed in Dundee, much of it running out of the old 'North Station' on Strathmore Avenue.

Photo courtesy of Ron Henderson Collection.

After many years of being stored in the open, she is now once again under cover and the subject of a restoration project to restore her to her former glory.

Former Dundee Corporation bus ETS 964 returns home

In April 2010 National Express Dundee very generously agreed to donate Daimler CVG6 ETS 964 (fleet number 184) to the Taybus Vintage Vehicle Society. ETS 964 bus entered service with Dundee Corporation on 27 November 1955 and was withdrawn in September 1977.

On Sunday 30 May 2010 the bus was brought back from the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond to the Taybus premises for work to commence on getting the bus back on the road as soon as possible.

Leaving Lathalmond after an 8-year stay, preserved Daimler CVG6 ETS 964 was collected by Taybus Vintage Vehicle Society.

On its way home on the A90 to Dundee the bus certainly drew quite a lot of interest from the passing motorists.

Nearly right for the now changed blind display as the bus passes the Downfield roundabout on Dundee's Kingsway.

Almost there as the bus goes under the Muirdrum flyover. The Leyland Constructor wrecker looks the part in matching Corporation livery.

Daimler bus 184 being pushed into Taybus premises having been towed all the way by Rolls-Royce Eagle powered tow wagon Q131 SES.

And so to bed - the Daimler bus safely in the Taybus garage flanked by Bristol 204 (OSR 204R) and, right, Ailsa 300 (WTS 272T).

Return of Dundee's Horse-drawn Ambulance and Ashford Litter

In June 2010 an old horse-drawn ambulance dating from the 1880s was returned to Dundee from Aberdeen along with an Ashford Litter which was last used in the 1920s. It is hoped that these items will be restored for display in the Dundee Museum of Transport.

The ambulance with Ashford Litter inside is placed on a trailer ready for its journey from Aberdeen to Dundee. Before being given back to the ambulance service it was used as a hen house!

Safely back in Dundee with Jimmy McDonell (left) and Terry Small from DMofT. The Ambulance was designed by Dr B Howard of New York and built by John Burt of London.

Just like modern ambulances there is a side door for access to the inside in addition to the doors at the rear.

A view of the inside of the ambulance with two stretchers in place. Notice the small windows around the front and the two seats (one folded down).

It may date from the 1880s but the ambulance driver has the luxury of full air-conditioning!

A view of the side and back of the ambulance which is in excellent condition.

The Ashford Litter which was last used in the 1920s to take a patient suffering from epilepsy to hospital.

A closer view of the stretcher on the Ashford Litter minus its cover.

The Ashford Litter included a cover for the patient to preserve what little dignity they could muster.

Old Dundee transport pictures used on our banner

Unveiled on Sunday 4 April 2010 the Dundee Museum of Transport banner featured seven images from Dundee's transport heritage. Following requests for more details here are the seven original images used for the banner. If you have more photographs of Dundee's Transport heritage please get in touch through our contact us page.

A closer view of the seven images used on the Dundee Museum of Transport banner.

1. Dundee Corporation bus YJ2792, originally fleet number 65, renumbered 113 and then 159. It was withdrawn from service in 1953 and became a combined Training Bus and Tree-Lopper. Was finally withdrawn and sold in 1966.

2. Horse-drawn trams helped replace irregular horse buses from 1877. The route given on this tram is from the Post Office to West Park Road. By the late 1890s there were 10 such horse trams.

3. For many years a bus was decorated for Christmas and this time it's the turn of 180 (ETS 960, new 1955, withdrawn 1976). It is believed the large crest above the destination was manufactured at Dundee's Robb Caledon shipyard.

4. Until the Tay Road Bridge opened, a ferry service operated across the River Tay, known in Dundee as "the Fifie". Three vessels latterly operated the service - the PS B. L. Nairn (a Paddle Steamer) and ferries MV Abercraig (pictured) and MV Scotscraig.

5. Dundee Corporation were renowned for keeping their bus fleet in good condition. Here bus TS 9861, fleet number 59 (new 1932, withdrawn 1947) is being cleaned at the Central Garage and Depot in Lochee Road (now demolished).

6. Trolley bus number 67 is pictured at the western terminus of the short route between Fairmuir and Maryfield along Clepington Road. Note its use of solid wheels.

7. Paddle steamer PS B. L. Nairn was the oldest of the three passenger and vehicle ferries linking Dundee and Tayport in Fife until services ended following the opening of the Tay Road Bridge on 18 August 1966.