Dennis Sabre

Fire engine manufactured by Dennis Specialist Vehicles

Motor vehicle

Dennis Sabre
A Dennis Sabre fire engine in Dublin
Overview
Type	Fire engine
Manufacturer	Dennis Specialist Vehicles
Production	1995-2007
Assembly	Slyfield Industrial Estate, Guildford
Designer	Capoco Design
Body and chassis
Class	Large goods vehicle (N2, N3)
Body style	Cab over engine
Related	Dennis Rapier, Dennis Dagger
Powertrain
Engine	Cummins C260 Euro 2, turbocharged
Transmission	Allison MD 'World Series' five-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,800 mm (149.6 in)
Length	STD: 2,919 mm (114.9 in) ML: 3,109 mm (122.4 in) XL: 3,309 mm (130.3 in)
Width	2,762 mm (108.7 in)
Height	2,714 mm (106.9 in)
Kerb weight	1,835–4,105 kg (4,045–9,050 lb)^[1]
Chronology
Predecessor	Dennis RS/SS series

The Dennis Sabre is a purpose-built fire engine produced by Dennis Specialist Vehicles of Guildford, Surrey, England from 1995 to 2007. It was the last full-size fire appliance produced by the company before its closure in 2007.

Features

Built as a low-cost alternative to the Dennis Rapier with increased equipment load capacity,^[2]^[3] the Sabre was available in three sizes: Sabre, Sabre ML, Sabre XL, with most of the coachbuilding on these chassis being undertaken by John Dennis Coachbuilders of Guildford, England. Over the Sabre's thirteen year production run it underwent several subtle styling changes, mainly to the grille, and later shared styling similarities with the compact Dennis Dagger. Production ceased in 2007 with the closure of Dennis Specialist Vehicles.^[4]

Like the Rapier, the Sabre is powered by a Cummins C Series turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine and has an Allison MD five-speed automatic transmission. It also uses a double-wishbone suspension with semi-elliptical multileaf and coil springs with telescopic dampers, and the gearing allows a governed top speed of 72 miles per hour (116 km/h). The Sabre holds 1,800 L (400 imp gal; 480 US gal) of water and seats six people in a stainless steel tilting cab.^[5]

Operators of the Dennis Sabre include fire brigades in the West Midlands^[6] and North East England,^[7]^[8] Nottinghamshire,^[9] Hereford and Worcester,^[10] the city of Dublin and the Hong Kong Fire Services Department. The Dublin Fire Brigade are unique in ordering the only Sabre turntable ladders on the Sabre HD (Heavy Duty) chassis, while the Sabre HD was also popular with the Singapore Civil Defence Force as a conventional fire engine. Sabres were also sold to fire brigades in the Czech Republic, Slovakia,^[11] South Africa and the Netherlands.^[12]^[13]

Gallery

A facelifted West Midlands Fire Service Dennis Sabre
One of the Dublin Fire Brigade's unique Dennis Sabre HD (Heavy Duty) turntable ladders
A Hong Kong Fire Services Department Dennis Sabre in Kowloon

References

^ "Sabre Chassis Dimensions". Dennis Fire. Archived from the original on 23 June 2004. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
^ "Road Test: Dennis Sabre vs Volvo FL614". Commercial Motor. 20 March 1997. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ Goundry, Andy (23 March 2020). Dennis Buses and Other Vehicles. Crowood. pp. 139–141. ISBN 978-1-78500-708-8. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
^ Goundry, Andy (6 October 2013). "Whatever Happened To Dennis Fire Engines?". Autonews.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2021. To the dismay of many Brigades [...] the last Dennis Sabre chassis was quietly and unceremoniously produced in 2007.
^ "Dennis Sabre Specifications". Dennis Fire. Archived from the original on 23 June 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ McGlown, Martin (11 September 1998). "Engines revved up to go". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham. p. 45. ProQuest 323126069. The £140,000 [...] vehicles now total 24, accounting for around a third of the [West Midlands Fire Service's] entire fleet.
^ "Brigade steps up a gear". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 31 August 2000. p. 6. ProQuest 328895169. County Durham and Darlington Fire Brigade has just picked up the keys to two of the latest Dennis Sabre fire engines, which will be based at Durham and Newton Aycliffe.
^ "North East's joint procurement". Fire. Vol. 96, no. 1179. Teddington: Pavilion. September 2003. Retrieved 23 February 2022 – via General OneFile.
^ "Front-line kit to the fore". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 1 October 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
^ Smith, Sue (12 October 2000). "Hi-tech fire engines joy". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham. p. 6. ProQuest 323368160. Phil Harvey, fleet engineer for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade, said: 'We have chosen these Dennis Sabre fire appliances for their overall performance, crew safety and, above all, their fire-fighting capability.
^ "New stars rising in the East". Commercial Motor. 4 July 1996. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ "Hot competition in the firing line". Commercial Motor. 12 September 1996. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
^ "Dennis breaks pound barrier". GetSurrey. Guildford. 17 April 1998. Retrieved 6 August 2021.