The "Green Goddess" is a rather affectionate name for the Self-Propelled Emergency Pump vehicles that were ordered by the Ministry of Works in the 1950's for use by the Auxiliary Fire Service in case of emergencies. Over 3000 of these vehicles were built on Bedford SHZ (4x2) & RLHZ (4x4) chassis/cabs (S/R-model, L-long wheelbase, H-fire appliance chassis, Z-outside bodybuilder); and bodies were ordered from a number of suppliers including Park Royal. The chassis/cowl, complete with Sigmund pump, were delivered to the coachbuilders from the Home Office storage depots.
Park Royal built 150 of these ash framed, alloy bodies during the period November 1954 to January 1955 with PRV body numbers B37444 - B37593 and registrations PGW51 - PGW200.
PGW163 (Bedford Chassis
6920 with PRV Body B37566) is owned by Brian Burgess who kindly supplied these
images and the article below. Brian comments "due to Park Royal's craftsmanship, PGW 163's body is in as good a condition
as the day she left the factory and I personally know of another eight Park Royal bodied
Green Goddesses in active preservation today".
Here is PGW163's cab's rear seat arrangement. Underneath the seat and to the
right is the
coachbuilder's plate; a circular plate giving only the body number.
Unlike Weymann and other examples it gives no clue as to Park Royal being the
maker. It is difficult to see in this image but the handle end of the starting-handle is pointing directly
at it.
Pictured here in 2008 at the Cheshire Steam Fair at Tabley Hall near Knutsford
alongside RM1097 (201UXJ originally 97CLT) new into service in February 1962 and
used on the last crew day in 2005, this Routemaster is now preserved by Mr G
Unsworth.
PGW163 pictured here alongside Routemaster RM7 (VLT7) at the Manchester Museum of Transport in
2006. RM7 was one of the
first three production buses; new in June 1959 it went into service at Willesden.
It is now preserved by Mike Hurley. Brian writes "I asked the organisers of the open day to put me as near to her
(RM7) as possible; they (the Museum staff, curators etc) had no idea they were both built by the same company."
Apart from Park Royal, the other bodybuilders involved with the supply of Green Goddesses were; Longwell Green, Harringtons, Hoskins, Jennings, Plaxton, Papworth Industries, Strachan, Willowbrook, Whitson, Windover and Weymann.
Brian is keen to know if anyone can shed any light on the Green Goddess bodies built by the above companies. (Can you help? Please email and I will be pleased to pass on any information; Ed.)
Brian has kindly supplied the following article about the Green Goddess and, in particular, PGW163 and his close and interestingly long association with it. Enjoy! (Ed)
Click here for Brian's article on "The Green Goddess"
There is an Internet Group at: The Bedford R Series Owners Lovers Enthusiasts Society that has more information on the various vehicles built using this chassis and many images, especially of the Green Goddesses. PRV bodied PGW's 109, 127, 144, 146, 151, 152, 160, 162, 163, 175 & 177 are owned by individual members; the largest batch by one coachbuilder in the group. Membership is free.
Here is PGW177 pictured by her new owner David Moore at the time of sale at
WSV (Witham Specialist Vehicles Ltd., the UK Sales & Marketing
organisation for MOD
Plant & Equipment) at Grantham.
More images kindly sent in by David.
Images kindly supplied by Brian Carroll, on the left is PGW144, one of two Green
Goddesses bought to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Irish
A.F.S. by Dublin Civil Defence. Both vehicles are redone in the livery of the Irish
A.F.S. and are currently in storage.
Here PGW 144, is pictured just off the ferry in Dublin.
But not all Green Goddesses were green! Click here for the article on "The Non- Green Goddess"