Green Goddess

The Green Goddess is the colloquial name for the Bedford RLHZ Self Propelled Pump, a fire engine used by the British Army. These green-painted vehicles were built between 1949 and 1968 for the Auxiliary Fire Service. The design was based on an army transport truck. There are about 900 working vehicles, which are used only in emergencies such as a firefighters' strike.

Unlike modern engines they have no radio, no cutting equipment, only a single 35 feet ladder, and a top speed of 35-50 mph. They also have less water capacity (300 gallons) than a modern vehicle and poorer stability due to a lack of partitions in the water tank. A further problem is that the vehicle cabins are made of wood and offer very little protection to the crew in the event of an accident.