The Springbank Lights Fleet

We have this friend, a most ingenious fellow who operates an unusual niche business. His firm puts up decorative lights – you know those elaborate Christmas displays or those “lit-up-like-a-pinball” show homes you see? That just may be his handiwork. But it gets better since he does it in a most interesting way. No ladders, no man lift, his tools of the trade, a pair of vintage fire trucks with extendable platforms. With these he can do the work no matter how far away or high…and turn heads in the process.

This is Springbank Lights, from the entrepreneurial mind of Andy Hill. He saw a need, filled it and ever since it’s kept him pretty darn busy. In addition, you can have his truck show up at on your kid’s birthday. Cake? Presents? And a fire truck? The best party ever! Since the trucks have high-flow pumps, flood pumping services are also offered. But mostly it’s about the lights.

The Springbank Lights Fleet: two old fire trucks used by a display-lights firm. Researched, written and photographed by Chris Doering & Connie Biggart (BIGDoer.com/Synd/Canada.com)

There’s two trucks in the fleet. The first was acquired back when the business started, so a few years ago now, is a late 1970s era Scot/King boom and bucket truck. Scot, a small manufacturer from way back east in Nova Scotia (in business 1972-1980) supplied the cab, chassis and drive train (it’s powered by a “Screaming Jimmy”). King, a prolific maker from Ontario (in business 1956-1985), added the body and all the fire fighting bits.

Scroll down for photos and to comment.

This truck, from new, was based out of Revelstoke BC until being retired a few year back. When parked it only had some 17k miles on it (or 23k clicks). Fire trucks, which sit most of the time, are typically low mileage, even when as old as this one.

Grumman Aerial Cat

Springbank Light’s Grumman AerialCat.

The truck is equipped with a 55ft (roughly 17m) extendable boom outfitted with a bucket and a powerful water canon (snorkel). In addition to pulling from a nearby hydrant, or pond or creek, there’s an internal tank that can used when no water is present. This truck, of the two, has a lighter footprint and so is used on jobs when that’s a consideration.

Want to know a lot more about it, go here: Scot C1FD.

The second truck comes from maker Grumman, a firm most often associated with hi-tech fighter aircraft. For a time, circa 1976-1992, they produced fire fighting apparatus. Grumman Emergency Products, as they were officially called (earlier Howe Fire Apparatus), produced a full line, one of their most popular products the AerialCat (sometimes two words, Aerial Cat), specially designed long reach ladder equipped trucks with platform ends. The factory was in Virginia.

The AerialCat seen here is late 1980s model coming in from the US. It’s a huge beast stretching from sunrise to sunset (oh goodness, the sunset this day) and makes the Scot look almost toy-sized in comparison. Instead of a boom, an extendable ladder supports a snorkel equipped platform. This arrangement allowed it to double as a rescue unit for evacuating taller buildings.

The chassis used came from the firm Duplex (we believe). They were a big in the business and supplied many fire apparatus outfitters.

Grumman AerialCat

A peek inside.

The ladder can extend up to 102 ft (roughly 31m, or almost double that of the Scot). Amazingly it can also do just shy of that distance horizontally – wow, that requires one stiff backbone. Keeping everything steady are some of the largest outriggers ever seen.

Take away the ladder for a moment and the truck cuts a surprisingly low profile.

The AeiralCat line, on Grumman’s closing, was acquired by another firm (KME Fire Apparatus, in Pennsylvania). The AerialCats made today don’t look all that different – must be a good design. But then, it has fighter plane DNA.

The unit arrived needing of many repairs – odd since it was in front-line service till just before being sold and should have been in A+ condition. Lots of money and time spend getting it up to speed, but it’s running fine now.

For a time, there was a third truck in the Springbank Lights fleet, but it was found to be unsatisfactory and sold off. It was kind of a plain and ugly anyway, so no loss.

We’re offered the chance to “go for a ride”. To “get high”. Your humble author, terrified of heights takes a pass – put a gun to my head or go and I’ll take the bullet every time – but Connie’s game. She’s not the least bit bothered by it, where as me just thinking of it gives me wobbly knees. I like back down on solid ground – look for the yellow jacket down there.

Looking up, damn, that’s some elevation. That’s almost ten stories fully extended! Our friends Dan and Emily, of DanOCan.com also take up the offer including a ride on the Scot. Such amazing views from up there! Who needs a drone?

Grumman Fire Truck

It can reach to the heavens.

The smile on Dan’s face on being asked to park the one truck – it’s an ear to ear grin. A fire truck aficionado, this must be his Nirvana. No one offered me the keys! I’ve only had a four or five accidents…this year…and no more than a dozen tickets. Give or take. No big deal, right?

Mother Nature puts on a big show for us. The sunset is amazing and the skies are alive with colour. After dark there’s a hint of Auroras. We’re in Springbank so light pollution from this community, plus that of big city Calgary not far away, mostly washes it out. Still, we’ll take it. What a magical experience, the whole time here, hanging with friends and playing with fire trucks and taking some fine photos. Pure bliss.

If you own an old truck, or any kind of interesting vehicle you think we should document, drop everything and contact Team BIGDoer. We’d love to hear from you! We’ll come out, photograph it, chat with you about it, maybe bring some burgers to BBQ, a bottle of wine, or two, and have good time. Now who’s interested?

Here’s how you get in touch with them…springbanklights.ca (now offline).

Trucks of all kinds…
Kelts’ Collection.
Autocar Coal Hauler.
Scot King C1FD – a full article on Springbank Lights’ Scot Truck.
A Rugged Pacific Truck.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: September, 2017.
Location: Springbank, AB.
Article references and thanks: Andy Hill of Springbank Lights, Fire.Wikia.com, YoungstownFire.com Forums.

Grumman Ladder Truck

Fully extended here and a bird’s eye view of the BIGDoer-mobile.

Springbank Alberta

Looking out over Sprinbank.

Grumman Aerial Cat Fire Truck

The “wobbly knees” view.

Scot Fire Truck

Foreground, the firm’s “smaller” Scot/King boom equipped truck.

Springbank Lights

It’s ex-Revelstoke BC Fire Department and is from the 1970s.

Springbank Community Alberta

Calgary’s just over that ridge. Any Bolers down there?

Springbank Lights Truck

One of us is not scared of heights…

Scot King Fire Truck

Who needs a drone?

Fire Truck Gauges

All those gauges!

Fire Truck Lights

Wonderful reflections.

Aerial Cat Fire Truck

This one came via the US.

AerialCat Fire Truck

It’s a fine looking rig and dates from the 1980s.

Chris BIGDoer.com

Photographer photobomb!

Fire Truck Grumman Aerial Cat

Those are some massive outriggers.

Fire Truck Grumman AerialCat

Thank you Mother Nature for a wonderful sunset.

Grumman Ladder Truck Extended

And up and up and up it goes.

Grumman Aerial Cat Ladder

The reach is some 31 metres (or 102 feet).

Grumman Fire Trucks

Grumman exited the business in the ’90s.

Aerial Cat Fire Truck

Some magic in those skies.

AerialCat Fire Truck

An impressive sight!

Grumman Fire Apparatus

Look waaaay up.

Grumman Fire Apparatus

“The Big One”

Fire Truck Ladder

It can almost fully extend in the horizontal position.

Fire Truck Boom

The boom and bucket from the Scot.

Scot King Bucket Truck

Its reach is about half that of the ladder truck.

Vintage Fire Trucks

Read the post to find out what they do with these trucks.

DanOCan.com

Hanging with DanOCan.com – that’s them up there.

Scot C1FD Fire Truck

Dan of DanOCan at the wheel.

Scot Fire Truck C1FD

You can’t see, but his grin is a mile wide.

Fire Truck Controls

The last rays of sunlight…

1980s Gumman Fire Truck

…And soon it’s dark.

Old Grumman Fire Truck

Just a hint of Auroras.

30 responses

  1. Zackie Jones says:

    Love these images. What a great job in processing.

  2. Lloyd Feller says:

    Great pics!

  3. Bonnie Laing says:

    Andy did our lights.

  4. Silver West says:

    Beautiful photographs, Chris and Connie! Another wonderful piece!

  5. Glenn Mewel says:

    I like!

  6. Jamie Mielke says:

    I want one!

  7. Jay Donovan says:

    There are no words for this tribute…

  8. Andrew Hanton says:

    Superb photos mate!

  9. Rosaire says:

    Beautiful trucks!

  10. Carol Kewell says:

    Oh wow, what awesome trucks!!!!!!!!!

  11. Eric Stern says:

    Beautiful pictures!!! You guys are the best.

  12. Lori Gibson says:

    Love old Fire trucks!! I was a Volunteer Firefighter for 10 years.

  13. Jenn says:

    Pretty cool! Do they still have the sirens or is that something that is removed when it’s not an official fire truck? I have no idea.

    • Both still have all the fire truck features including the sirens and the light show circuity. My understanding is they’re supposed to be removed on retirement from service, but I guess that never happened. I can just imagine the fine if they were to be used in public. He let us hear one and it was deafening. And it drove the dogs next door at the holiday kennels to the point of madness. It got them all barking incessantly and they didn’t stop for a good ten minutes. Oooopsie!

  14. Justin Bilheimer says:

    I’m sure I saw one of these trucks today!

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