# Leith Fire Brigade MacDonald Road - Merged Threads



## paul0510

*Leith Fire Brigade.......*

......ran fire-fighting courses for Mariners in a mock-up ship's superstructure and engine room. I was sent to be singed alive twice within a couple of years by BP and although I came away with burned wrists and ear-lobes like bubble-wrap on both occasions, I really came to appreciate the dangers of fire on board....and those who help to put 'em out.
Sifting through some old memorabilia dated early 7th Decade of the last century, I came across two group photos of participants (or part-icipants, the icipants like myself having left part of themselves in the blazing infernos) coughing and spluttering in front of said 'ship'. If anybody is interested, I'll scan 'em tonight and put them into the Members' Fizzog gallery for scrutiny. Maybe you were mad enough to have accompanied me.


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## benjidog

Paul,

Doesn't sound like much fun but it is always better when someone else is suffering rather than yourself so please upload them!

Brian


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## John Cassels

Paul

Was there in around 1971 - I think.

Was it not at "MacDonald Road fire station. ?.

JC


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## Jeff Egan

did mine at Speke airport in Liverpool came away without my fringe worst bit for me was the smoke filled mock up of a ship pitch dark full of smoke and the doors dogged down.


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## Gulpers

*MacDonald Road*

Paul,

I also did a firefighting course at MacDonald Road, Leith.
What an experience and probably one of the most valuable courses any of us did. The severity of the course gradually increased as the week progressed.
On the first morning we studied a model and walked round the unit in daylight to become familiar with our surroundings. After lunch, the unit was filled with smoke and we were told about the inch of clear air lying at deck level. We had to follow a prescribed route through the unit without BA and the instructors warned us that they would know if we had been hugging the deck in order to breathe the clean air because we would have soot ingrained on the tips of our noses. They were right, every one of us looked like Black and White Minstrels when we emerged from the exercise.
On the second day we were introduced to the BA and spent an exhausting hour charging up and down the training tower – what fun! In the afternoon we were back into the smoked filled unit with BA but without torches!
Wednesday morning we were back in the smoke filled unit with BA *and a torch* – what comfort we got from those torches – you couldn’t see bugger all but somehow you felt safer.
Other highlights of the week were flash fires from the Galley, recovering the heaviest dummy I have ever seen from cabin spaces, and the final exercise of course which was a cracker. This one involved an oil fire on the engine room bottom plates. Access was from above, across a grating, which conveniently had a blazing oil trough and a load of burning pallets placed directly underneath it. This was the exercise where you could feel the tops of your ears popping into blisters as soon as you set foot in the engine room.
Like you, I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Please post your photographs – you never know some of us may recognise the participants. (Thumb)


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## cymruman

remember Mcdonald road well, after the first exercise, the smoke and no BA one we all fell out of the unit coughing and spluttering, eyes and noses running, and just glad to be in some fresh air, when one of our group sits down and lights up a ***. 
The same guy was chopsing off about how easy it was to hold the fire hose, guess who got to try holding it on his own as the smiling fireman cranked on the water, yep he ended up soaked to the skin flat on his back, of course we all rushed in to help him (after a few minutes lol)
Never forgot that course though it was 4 days long and one of the better courses we did. ( Also did a nuclear war plan course in Glasgow but maybe someone will start a new thread on that one ).


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## fredkinghorn

Well well my children, now you know what fred and then gang put you all through.
we had to do the same thing many times, it is all changed now , due I suppose to the so-called Health and Safety Regs.
Many times I led my crews through the " ship" as we called it on regular exercises.
Did any of you ever go through the " Tunnel " where you had to take the B.A. set off your back and push it through first as there wasn't enough space with it on your back.? If your ears weren't singed when the exercise was finished, you hadn't done it properly. Do you remember going down the " fiddley " to get the dummy and after putting as line around it, trying to drag and push the damn thing up again?

fred 

" I don't want to set the world on fire "


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## cymruman

Yes I remember it well now you mention it, We were told after that the fireman was never more than 10 feet away, was that true. 
Couldnt see a great deal at the time, and all i could hear was my breathing through the BA. That was a hell of a week, how you guys did it day after day beats me but I bet you had a good laugh at some of us especially the Macho types who thought they were the dogs sphericals.
Is that course still running or has it been tamed down as most things seem to be these days thanks to good old H&S


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## Banni

I was there 1976, still got the certificate. Left there without an earring and never wore one again. Anybody any pics of that era. Also what about the bars in leith walk at that time!!


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## Makari

The only fire fighting course I ever took part in was on the Royal Mail ship Pardo, half way from London to Rio, the Old Man had a brainwave, he decided to try out some antiquated contraption supposed to be used for a fire on ship, well seeing as I was the youngest crew member, it was decided that I would be put into this thing that went over my head, it had a glass front panel that could be screwed shut and an air pipe attached to some kind of hand pump, the 1st mate shut the front and gave the thumbs up for the pumping to commence, immediately my vision was cut off along with my air supply, the bloody thing must have hardly ever been used and the pipe or hood was full of sand or fine dust! there I was, choking, completely blind, holding an axe that was as big as me and was supposed to go into a fire to save my ship mates! thank God there never was a real fire and that thing never had to be used, really funny thinking about it now, Mac. (Cloud)


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## Jim S

*Macdonald Road Fire Training Centre*

There was I thinking Fred Kinghorn was a nice guy and it turns out he could have been one of those sadistic so and so's that ran these fire courses.
I consider I was one of the lucky ones that did my first course at South Shields - positively tame, then subsequent courses at Montrose.
While they could be tough the instructors there generally used the centre as a way to get jobs as Fire & Safety Officers in the offshore oil industry (the average time an instructor hoped to stay at Montrose was about two years)
So they did not want to harm their prospects at future oil company interviews if you see what I mean.
Fred is quite right though in his thoughts that the courses may have been tamed down now. - Some would say perhaps by too much, apart that is for the courses set for specialist fire teams. - many of these guys in the company I worked for revelled in the specialist fire team courses that they did annually. They had the advantage of being a team and working as such rather than the bunch of strangers that attend other courses.

My apologies Fred.
ps did you have to go through that daft ritual that they did at Montrose where instructers had to change into white uniform shirts after a hot and sweaty time on the fireground?


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## fredkinghorn

I remember years ago, the Oi/c asking a course if they had enjoyed the experience. 
to a man they said " Yes "
His next remark was " well if you want to enjoy your f******g selves, you should have gone to the f*****g pictures "

the Instructors had to have a shower and put on clean kit for the de-brief.
did you all like the Siebe Goeman Mk2 ? 

fred.

" when the flame of love dies, smoke gets in your eyes "


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## Gulpers

*MacDonald Road*

As mentioned in my earlier posting, our introduction to lugging BA sets around was charging up and down the tower.
I vividly remember an "old" fisherman ( well, I was only in my mid twenties) who was completely knackered during this exercise. He had a BA set with a squeaky demand valve, which used to 'phaaaart' during each inhalation and we discovered him sitting on a step part way up the tower gasping for breath. We all collapsed with a fit of the giggles and had to remove our masks when we noticed that he had spat out his false teeth which were rattling about in the bottom of his mask !
Considering we had ample opportunity to learn our way around the unit during our course, we were still getting lost at the end of the week. We truly respected our firefighters by the end of the course since we could appreciate the difficulties they faced when entering a burning property or vessel which they had never clapped eyes on before. (Applause)


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## Jim S

*Macdonald Road Fire Training Centre*

Fred,
You mentioned the tunnell exercise - I recall the story concerning one of my colleagues, a former tanker captain, this guy was built like the proverbial brick outhouse, in fact he was known as the "Jolly Green Giant" He was not so jolly when he got stuck in the tunnel and apparantly came bursting out of it like the " Incredible Hulk"

The Mk2 Siebe Gorman was that with or without the positive pressure face mask? 
At South Shields the helmets were WW2 ARP types, I knocked mine on something, displaced the seal on the non-positive pressure face mask and got a lungful or two of smoke which made the eyes water.
On this same course prior to one of the first exercises to familiarise us to a smokey environment the old "smoke eater" instructer entered the container to light the fire - there was a big bang, door burst open and a dazed looking instructer staggered out looking like something from a cartoon - how that filled us with confidence.
Regards 
Jim S


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## Gulpers

fredkinghorn said:


> Well well my children, now you know what fred and then gang put you all through.
> we had to do the same thing many times, it is all changed now , due I suppose to the so-called Health and Safety Regs.
> Many times I led my crews through the " ship" as we called it on regular exercises.
> Did any of you ever go through the " Tunnel " where you had to take the B.A. set off your back and push it through first as there wasn't enough space with it on your back.? If your ears weren't singed when the exercise was finished, you hadn't done it properly. Do you remember going down the " fiddley " to get the dummy and after putting as line around it, trying to drag and push the damn thing up again?
> 
> fred
> 
> " I don't want to set the world on fire "


Fred,
Yes, I remember both those exercises. What an experience!
I also remember on the Friday engine room exercise being aware that my hands were "boiling" inside my soaked gloves. I stood waving my hands about in the blistering heat and was even aware of blowing on them to cool them down - with a BA mask on ......... doh! (?HUH)


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## lakercapt

Amazing how one comment brings back all those memories.
I too did that firefighting course at McDonald road and although I did many more through the years considered that the best all round course I was ever on.
Even had the high expansion foam to fill the cargo hold.
Rememeber that we wore the B.A. constantly and after a day of exercises taking it off felt as though an elephant was lifted from your back.
One instructer would check your air reserve when you came out of the mock up and if you had any left made you climb the tower.
Guess they were like the U.S. Marine colour sargents and were specially trained so they would get the best out of you.
One guy had to quite as he had a heart attack.
Many attending the course stayed at a local hotel but I lived nearby and went home every night. (Hence did not have a hang over next day)
Had a bath when I got home and one evening fell asleep I was so knackered.
Got the photo too and as I knew it was going to be done cleaned my hard hat so I was the only one that was white & readily stood out.
The lessons learnt there lasted me all me seagoing career and even when at home I had a fire escape plan for the family.
Wish I knew how to post thumbnails as I would do a couple


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## paul0510

*Black Todger of Salford exposed!!!*

_Word is out, Sentence was getting on his nerves, that the true identity of the nefarious Black Todger of Salford, famed for his exploits on both sides of ye olde Mancunian Waterwaye, is none other than a certain Noxious Fume of McDonald Road in ye olde burgh of Leith. Teased into the open by his hairdresser Helmut Purple, Fume fumed at his captors imprecating 'blood, snot and tears' upon their offspring should they ever tarry twixt Tunnel and Fiddley._
So, gentlemen.....and Fred, I guess by now you've all had a butchers at the mugshots I posted last night? Recognise anybody? Mr. Cassels, Sir? Fred, you hanging out here somewhere..Black Todgers usually do.
So enough of this smut 'tis time for a smoke.

Fred...first and last time I ever accepted a Kleenex from a man. Aaatissue.


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## WLH

Re MacDonald Road Fire Station, also did course, with two photographs, will dig them out and post same.
Regards.............WLH


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## fredkinghorn

Things move on, I'm led to believe that MacDonald Road Fire Station will be closed and sold in the next few years. they are going through a " modernisation? " at the moment and a new one will be built down at the docklands area. 
The wheel goes round as they say, when I joined the Brigade the Fire Station was at the dock area, that was closed and they built Macdonald Road! 
I will be back down there on Tuesday evening so, I'll stand in front of the " Ship " and give her all your regards.


fred.


" remember to check your D.S.U. "


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## dom

*dom*

if the halfway house or albert bar is still there have one for me,clancys, red lion boundry bar,black bull,moirs,


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## paul0510

*McDonald Road (Leith) Revival....*

..since I uploaded these two pictures over 1 1/2 years ago (taken in 1971 and '73), membership has sky-rocketed and the number of photos has risen to over the 80,000 mark!. 
Only a few weeks ago, BlytheSpirit, who has been a member for almost a year, finally stumbled on the photos and has identified himself. Not only that, Keith (aka Off***..diddlydum!) boggled at his own fizzog staring at him from way back! Which has put 3 of us, including myself, on a picture taken 34 years ago amongst a group of 20-30 other masochists...just look at that sexy gear, man! 
So, study these faces hard all you newbies, (don't you just hate that word? I mean, of course, Newly Assigned Members but, thereagain, who would like to be referred to as a Namby?) put some hair back on your bonces, you could find yourself amongst the élite. One member, or should I say ex-member (?) 'fredkinghorn' , haven't seen him around for ages, was an instructor here and also the guy who dished-out the paper snot-rags (insider knowledge).

Click here for photo taken in 1971
or here for the photo taken in 1973

(Thumb)


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## lakercapt

I think I have one of the photo's when I did the course in 1967?
Will see if I can find it. Were well and truely knackered at the end of each day I remember that!!!
When we were told about the photo op I cleaned my helmet and it showed out white amongst the others
Bill

Have tried to download a thumbnail with no luck and fid out I can't do in in the gallery HELP


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## John Cassels

lakercapt said:


> I think I have one of the photo's when I did the course in 1967?
> Will see if I can find it. Were well and truely knackered at the end of each day I remember that!!!
> When we were told about the photo op I cleaned my helmet and it showed out white amongst the others
> Bill



Bill , I was also on the course around that time . It was at the same time
as one of the conflicts between the Israelis and Egyptians , but can't
remember if this was '67 or '68.
Look forward to seeing the photo.


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## eldersuk

I can't remember the exact date I was on the course - must have been late 60's/early 70's. We had proper firemen's helmets then.That's me third from left back row. Anyone else care to own up.

Derek


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## John Cassels

eldersuk said:


> I can't remember the exact date I was on the course - must have been late 60's/early 70's. We had proper firemen's helmets then.That's me third from left back row. Anyone else care to own up.
> 
> Derek



Is that Bert Buckley middle front row ?. Any other ex Denholm members
care to comment ?.


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## Tom S

McDonald Road Fire Station mid 1960,s recognise anyone?
TomS


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## Banni

Anybody got a photo from 03/1977, hopefully attachment will be readable!


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## randcmackenzie

*Bert Buckley*



John Cassels said:


> Is that Bert Buckley middle front row ?. Any other ex Denholm members
> care to comment ?.


I'm pretty sure that is Bert right enough, John, and a fine fella he was too.

What do you know of him today, is he still around?

Best Regards,
Roddie.


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## John Cassels

Tom S said:


> McDonald Road Fire Station mid 1960,s recognise anyone?
> TomS


I can certainly make yourself out Tom . And a fine looking lad at that.
Front row left also looks familiar but can't out a name to the face.


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## John Cassels

randcmackenzie said:


> I'm pretty sure that is Bert right enough, John, and a fine fella he was too.
> 
> What do you know of him today, is he still around?
> 
> Best Regards,
> Roddie.


Sorry Roddie , no idea what happened to Bert.


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## Irvingman

Banni said:


> Anybody got a photo from 03/1977, hopefully attachment will be readable!


Just checked the dates on my certificate and discover that we must have been on the same course, the dates match and my cert number is 004795. I was phase III at Glasgow at the time. 

My strongest memory of that course is that Scotland played Wales at Murryfield the Saturday after the course ended. The Welsh fans started to arrive from about Tuesday and continued to pour into Edinburgh throughout the week. We spent some memorable times with them, quite often in a spot called "The Weigh Inn" watching the young ladies "dance (*)) " and doing things with the supporters scarves that they definately weren't designed for. (POP) 

I don't remember an official photograph of the group, (group of firefighters that is, not young ladies) I certainly don't have one sorry to say.


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## Irvingman

I remember old oil drums in the "Engine room" where the main engine would be, these being filled with wood, set alight, and kept stoked all week so that by the time of the Friday exercise the entire structure was red hot!!(EEK).
Getting hoses crossed on the E.R. steps and feet stuck in between wrestling to get free. Watching people going forward with an extinguisher to put out the fat fire as a member of the staff approached with a bucket of fuel to throw on to give the blaze an extra whoosh (Jester) . I also remember the Foam filled room, quite a strange experience. 
I did several courses elsewhere but none had the same feel of reallity as experienced at Leith. (Thumb) 

I mentioned the Welsh Rugby supporters, also visiting Edinburgh that week, and the "Weigh Inn" in my comments on the group photos "posts" here http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=14219 so won't bore you again.


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## MARINEJOCKY

I came across this area today after up loading a group photo of us guys going thru' the course. My comments along with the photo stated that on one of the days we came staggering out of the "ship" to see young girls trying to get over the big gate to see a pop group which I could not remember the name of. well the old memory has come back, it was a group called "Slade" and they had just made a mvie called "FLames" along with a record and to promote it they came to use the old fire truck from the musuem at the fire station. 

Did the instructors always play that 999 emergency call with the people crying out for help on each course

Scotch pie & beans + a pint or two at those wee bars down by the docks and wondering if a few more beers would really help with the women


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## Harrisman

Did the course twice and will never forget it. I consider that our era were indeed lucky to have such realistic training and I do not think I will ever forget what I learnt there.
Beer never tasted so good after a session in that 'Engine Room' !!


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## gordy

Did the MacDonald Rd course in the early 70's and it was as hard as any I did at Montrose, must have done about 7-8 there, being part of the fire team on offshore installations.
One Mac Rd experience stands out. We were to be the last squad of the day through the ship, but the ground crew got mixed up and put out all the effect fires. Our instructors decided to take us in to their firemen training rig. They put us in BA in a smoke filled domestic room and told us to do a 'left hand search'. Somehow the lead man drifted into the middle of the room, stumbled into some furniture and got a hold of the last man in the line, we then proceeded to go round this object clockwise until the instructors were so sore laughing, they called it off.
The social side was as physically draining as the training. It happened that a hard drinking 2/e from our company was on the course too, so we were off down Leith docks every night. One morning he was looking particularly rough and it turned out that back at the hotel he had staggered back as he opened his wardrobe, grabbed the top and he and wardrobe fell onto the bed, where he spent the rest of the night. His initial reaction in the morning was that he was in a coffin!
Happy days indeed.


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## wandering_sailor

I too survived the MacDonald Road experience in the late 70s. Being the only girl on the course I was sent into the smoke-filled mockship first - I've always wondered if it was a bit of clever psychology on the part of the Fire Brigade in that if I made it then all the blokes would feel they couldn't duck out (although perhaps they thought I wouldn't make it - but I've always been a stubborn sod!). Remember one cadet not following advice and getting caught in the flashover from the galley fire - and the struggles we had to get dummies over the storm steps (if it had been a real person then we'd probably have paralysed them by dropping them!). Must have been fit in those days too - I don't remember the run up the tower with BA on as being hard work (would be impossible now!) - but perhaps I was lucky, avoiding the drinking in the bar until the last night of the course (must have been hell with a hangover) (H)


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## Cutsplice

I did 2 fire courses at Speke (now apartments) 1 at Leith and 2 at Warsash. By far the worst one was at Leith burned ears, Speke a blackened face Warsash seemed to have the safety of us as a high priority.
But hell we learned a lot about fires which was the main object of the course, today most of what I learned is still fresh somewhere in the grey matter. I wish I could say the same for most other things I learned in the past.


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## bathgate

I may need some help.
I am trying to post a request to find out if any of the TS Dolphin Leith Catering Class 22nd April 1958-25th July 1958 are logged onto the site. I never met up with any of them after going to sea and still have a photo of as fine a body of seafarers you would hope to meet.
I do not seem to be able to find a post box, hope someone can help.
Strangely I have posted before.
Thanks Bathgate.


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## david freeman

*Fire Fighting course Leith.*



paul0510 said:


> ......ran fire-fighting courses for Mariners in a mock-up ship's superstructure and engine room. I was sent to be singed alive twice within a couple of years by BP and although I came away with burned wrists and ear-lobes like bubble-wrap on both occasions, I really came to appreciate the dangers of fire on board....and those who help to put 'em out.
> Sifting through some old memorabilia dated early 7th Decade of the last century, I came across two group photos of participants (or part-icipants, the icipants like myself having left part of themselves in the blazing infernos) coughing and spluttering in front of said 'ship'. If anybody is interested, I'll scan 'em tonight and put them into the Members' Fizzog gallery for scrutiny. Maybe you were mad enough to have accompanied me.


While at sea I was sent by BP on completion of my 2/e cert 1966 to take part in the training, and again later (71) as a shore based personnel with Bp. The then Leith Fire Brigade senior training officer, I met again when I changed career and worked for the fishing Insurance in Hull (1973)- Here the fire officer was the chief Fire Safety Officer for implementation advisory matters to the UK Trawlers Mutual Insurance Company in HUll on St Andrews dock. By then he was no longer a dragon and had stopped breathing in smoke, in acrid smoke filled places without BA. The gentlemans name I cannot recollect (Crucshanks/sandy?-I do not remember accurately), but during my time in Hull I learnt from his experiences and training methods as a young trawler insurance surveyor.


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## Gulpers

Tom S said:


> McDonald Road Fire Station mid 1960,s recognise anyone?
> TomS


Recognised you nae bother Tom. (Thumb)


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## Gulpers

John Cassels said:


> Is that Bert Buckley middle front row ?. Any other ex Denholm members
> care to comment ?.


Certainly looks like Bert Buckley.
He was Master on Erskine Bridge when I joined her.


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## Gulpers

It's amazing how these old threads resurface after a while! (Applause)


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## Burntisland Ship Yard

Need to dig out my discharge book for precise dates, but I did the Phase 4 course at McDonald Road during 1977.

We had been warned by the lecturers at GCNS, you will be asked where you did your previous phase 1 fire fighting course, the response should be keep stum !

Cannot remember now, but of course there was one smarty who said he did his in Southampton {I think} the tutors response was "will be watching you" and I can assure you that we can make the ship hotter than any other training centre could. Suffice to say they were not wrong.

The other thing was, that McDonald Road was an operational station and we were told if the alarm sounds, stand to one side if you were in the corridors as the firemen would not stop for anyone !

On the last day we did the final all encompassing course dealing with every thing we had taught. No one came out of the excercise without some burn.

I still have the scar on my right hand, caused by my glove slipping down and my hand touch the "warm" rail......

Finally, the Tennents Lager in the shower post excerise was brilliant.

Like most guys, I had a great deal of respect for the tutors, and as it turned out laster in my sea going career was only to great full for the training they gave us....

The station is still operational and is the Scottish International Fire Training Center.

Hope this link works - http://www.lbfire.org.uk/SIFTC/index.htm


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## Pampas

*MacDonald Road*

Did the course early 70`s, I do remember searching for the dummy, 3 of us found it and tried to lift it, thought this was a realistic dummy, eventually got on deck, discovered it was a real fireman, boy was he heavy with the BA set and clobber. "Very well done, I said a dummy not the watchman".

Never did figure out how they new everbody was ok, must have eaten a lot of Carrots to see through all that smoke. Best course that I have everbeen on.


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## david freeman

fredkinghorn said:


> Things move on, I'm led to believe that MacDonald Road Fire Station will be closed and sold in the next few years. they are going through a " modernisation? " at the moment and a new one will be built down at the docklands area.
> The wheel goes round as they say, when I joined the Brigade the Fire Station was at the dock area, that was closed and they built Macdonald Road!
> I will be back down there on Tuesday evening so, I'll stand in front of the " Ship " and give her all your regards.
> 
> 
> fred.
> 
> " remember to check your D.S.U. "



As a BP Fleet enginneer I also remember the trials and trivulations in the 60's of this fire training. I later on in life met the chief fire officer instructor (Mr Sandislands???), in Hull as he had become the chief fire officer advisor for the UK Mutal Insurance Co Hull, advising trawler owners on fire protection in Hull, Grimsby, Fleetwood and Granton, and associated insured vessels.


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## G0SLP

I've done a couple of courses at McDonald Road - the last one was their 'Command & Control' one - bloody good course, that  (Thumb)

However, they've had to drop the temperatures in the tank from what they used to inflict on their victims, sorry trainees - yep, Elf an' Safetee (Sad)


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## Burntisland Ship Yard

G0SLP said:


> I've done a couple of courses at McDonald Road - the last one was their 'Command & Control' one - bloody good course, that  (Thumb)
> 
> However, they've had to drop the temperatures in the tank from what they used to inflict on their victims, sorry trainees - yep, Elf an' Safetee (Sad)


So guys, if you were now faced with an engine room fire, you need to stick in a thermometer first............

(Frogger)


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## lakercapt

*Found photoghraph*



lakercapt said:


> Amazing how one comment brings back all those memories.
> I too did that firefighting course at McDonald road and although I did many more through the years considered that the best all round course I was ever on.
> Even had the high expansion foam to fill the cargo hold.
> Rememeber that we wore the B.A. constantly and after a day of exercises taking it off felt as though an elephant was lifted from your back.
> One instructer would check your air reserve when you came out of the mock up and if you had any left made you climb the tower.
> Guess they were like the U.S. Marine colour sargents and were specially trained so they would get the best out of you.
> One guy had to quite as he had a heart attack.
> Many attending the course stayed at a local hotel but I lived nearby and went home every night. (Hence did not have a hang over next day)
> Had a bath when I got home and one evening fell asleep I was so knackered.
> Got the photo too and as I knew it was going to be done cleaned my hard hat so I was the only one that was white & readily stood out.
> The lessons learnt there lasted me all me seagoing career and even when at home I had a fire escape plan for the family.
> Wish I knew how to post thumbnails as I would do a couple


Found it at last in a box of old photoghraphs.
How young I looked.
Anyone recognise themselves????


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## TIM STENNER

Can just agree with everyone else. Fire Course was brilliant and taught me a lot.

Can anyone put a name to any of these guys?
Attached is photo taken in 1973 (August)). Photo taken while doing Fire Fighting Course at McDonald Road. Most guys in photo were attending Glasgow Nautical College and travelled from Glasgow to Edinburgh each day.
Fantastic 5 day course, learnt a lot....and we were even allowed a pint or two at lunchtime.







]


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## oldman 80

I completed my 5 day fire fighting course at Macdonald Road Fire Station on 27th March 1970.
Without doubt, it was probably the best course I ever did. Demanding in the extreme, but well worth every minute of it.
The certificate I was issued with is signed by a Firemaster named F. Rushbrook, - I think - looks like it anyhow.
However I seem to recall the guy most actively engaged in running the course was called "Dave" although I could be wrong on that one.


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## Eltel

Anyone do their fire course at Macdonald Road, Leith? Did mine in January 1975 and it was tough! There was a gang of us from Leith Nautical and a squad from Glasgow on the same course. I remember after the exercises there was a case of Tennants and a case of Export in the locker room for 50p (I think) a can. The profit was for the station's kids Christmas party. They reckoned we were the first course to drink the two cases and ask for more after a particularly hard exercise. We were also made members of the fireman's social club while we were there. Happy days! I couldn't see it happening in this day and age.


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## Derek Dunn

I was there in 1971 or 72 and all of you have described the exact same course. The first day was brutal! We were all engineer cadets from our third phase at Springburn College and I remember one fellow cadet from Liverpool who decided it would be better to put out the "effect" fires! The firemen quickly sorted him out. Great memories.


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## Andrew147

Derek Dunn said:


> I was there in 1971 or 72 and all of you have described the exact same course. The first day was brutal! We were all engineer cadets from our third phase at Springburn College and I remember one fellow cadet from Liverpool who decided it would be better to put out the "effect" fires! The firemen quickly sorted him out. Great memories.


Derek, I think I might have been on the same course. Other Springburn lads would have been Alec Dron, Ross McCloud, Ian Hazeldine, Steve Kelly etc. As we were brought into the yard in their Landrover from Waverly a new Radio shack was being lifted onto the top, the old one having been "burnt off". Apparently the oringinal was in ally being replaced in steel.
One of our number managed to break/part the face mask hose in an exercise, apparently a very rare happening and caused him being pulled out pronto.


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## ccurtis1

My brother, a 2nd Engineer with Palm Line, broke his arm on the Leith Fire-fighting course.


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## Barrie Youde

Everybody here seems to say, with pride, "The Leith Fire Brigade dismisseth us."

How many could say, at the same time (as a matter of interest), "The Leith Police dismisseth us"?


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## Eltel

Barrie Youde said:


> Everybody here seems to say, with pride, "The Leith Fire Brigade dismisseth us."
> 
> How many could say, at the same time (as a matter of interest), "The Leith Police dismisseth us"?


Or "In Rollock's yard I rattled my bottles, I rattled my bottles in Rollock's yard". Could be start of new thread!


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## Binnacle

How many cookies could a good cook cook if a good cook could cook cookies ?


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