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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

Looking out over Sprinbank.

The “wobbly knees” view.

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

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

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

One of us is not scared of heights…

Who needs a drone?

All those gauges!

Wonderful reflections.

This one came via the US.

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

Photographer photobomb!

Those are some massive outriggers.

Thank you Mother Nature for a wonderful sunset.

And up and up and up it goes.

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

Grumman exited the business in the ’90s.

Some magic in those skies.

An impressive sight!

Look waaaay up.

“The Big One”

It can almost fully extend in the horizontal position.

The boom and bucket from the Scot.

Its reach is about half that of the ladder truck.

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

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

Dan of DanOCan at the wheel.

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

The last rays of sunlight…

…And soon it’s dark.

Just a hint of Auroras.