Fire truck that 'wasn't rapid enough' up for sale

Richard Wallis said the vehicle was decommissioned as it was "not rapid enough"

A 1950s "one-off" fire vehicle is to be sold at auction almost 50 years after it was decommissioned.

Richard Wallis, from Gimingham, Norfolk, acquired the Rolls Humber Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV) while he was working at Cranfield Airport, Bedfordshire, in his 20s.

The 1950s vehicle is set to be sold by Hansons Auctioneers on Saturday and could fetch up to £20,000.

"There is no other fire appliance like this in the world; it is truly a one-off," said Mr Wallis.

Before it was decommissioned in the 1970s, the RIV was also based at Kempston fire station, also in Bedfordshire.

Formerly an army cargo truck, it was converted into a RIV fire truck with a Rolls-Royce motor.

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Mr Wallis, 65, said: "It's a rapid intervention vehicle and, sadly, it was not rapid enough to meet the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) requirements.

"It had to be decommissioned because it was not fast enough to go from the station out to a crash site."

Mr Wallis believes the vehicle should go off to a new home where it can be shown off and not hidden away

While working on the vehicle, he found the original certificate from the engineers who built it.

Mr Wallis worked on the vehicle in his 20s while living at home with his parents, and exhibited it at shows.

He said it was now time for it to be "moved on".

"It wants to go to somebody who is going to love it and cherish it, that's the main thing; someone who will look after it and not chop and change it, and look after it and show it off," he said.

"It deserves to be seen and not sitting underneath this wonderful shed under a cover.

"I would like to see it again at some show, certainly... it's taken up a lot of my time in the early years."