User:Rgibergues/Follow That Fire Engine

 Follow That Fire Engine is a record-breaking, fundraising expedition. The project is led by Steve Moore, whose father Garth passed away on 18th July 2009 at the age of 63, after a brave battle with lung cancer. Garth was a Fire Fighter at Wimborne Fire Station in Dorset and dedicated his life to fighting fires and saving the lives of others, over the course of his 33 years in service. The Follow That Fire Engine team aims to raise money and awareness for three charities; Macmillan Cancer Support, The Fire Fighters Charity and The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

The fire engine, affectionately known as 'Martha', was the last fire appliance built for the UK market by HCB-Angus and was delivered to the Dorset Fire Brigade from their factory at Testwood near Totton in June 1994. Soon afterwards she was put on the run at Bridport fire station where she remained until 1996 when she was transferred to Shaftesbury. Martha remained in Shaftesbury for just a couple of years before being moved to Christchurch in 1999 as their retained appliance. By then the brigade had been renamed as the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service. With the arrival of new appliances at Christchurch, the role of Martha changed to an off-road appliance with her principal use being at heathland fires. That remained the case until she was donated to FOLLOW THAT FIRE ENGINE in October 2009.
 * The Fire Engine

Statistics:

OM366LA Turbocharged and intercooled six cylinder in-line diesel engine.

Maximum Power 240 BHP @ 2600 rpm

Maximum Torque 560 IB ft @ 1600 rpm

Full Injection Bosch RQ

Performance 0-40 mph 22 seconds

Gears Speed 60 mph

Grade Ability (rolling) 77 %

Clutch:Hydraulically operated single dry plate. 350mm

Axle: Rear cross and interaxle differential lock

The route is split into 9 stages. The crew for stage 1 left London on July 18th, 2010 from the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The stages are:
 * The Route

Stage 1. London (UK) to Moscow (Russia) : 3,000 miles

Stage 2. Moscow (Russia) to Beijing (China) : 5,500 miles

Stage 3. Beijing (China) to Vientiane (Laos) : 3,000 miles

Stage 4. Vientiane (Laos) to Singapore : 2,000 miles

Stage 5. Perth (Australia) to Brisbane (Australia) : 3,500 miles

Stage 6. Christchurch (NZ) to Auckland (NZ) : 2,000 miles

Stage 7. Grays Harbour (USA) to Hermosillo (Mexico) : 2,400 miles

Stage 8. Hermosillo (Mexico) to New York City (USA) : 3,000 miles

Stage 9. Casablanca (Morocco) to London (UK) : 2,000 miles

LONGEST JOURNEY BY FIRE ENGINE
 * The Guinness World Record Attempt Definition

For the longest journey made by a fire engine. This record is to be attempted by an individual or a team This record is measured in kilometres to the nearest 0.001 km, with the equivalent imperial measurement also given in miles. The journey must be continuous, with each leg of the journey beginning at the point at which the previous leg ended. Public transport (scheduled air, sea, or rail services) may only be used between continents or over water

The crew maintain a blog at http://www.followthatfireengine.com/news/blog/ where their daily progress is recorded. Some notable events have been reported in the media, both nationally and locally. BBC Radio followed the crew on their pre-expedition 360 tour, and the story was covered by Glasgow Evening News and the Liverpool Echo. Additionally, the Bournemouth Echo reported on a road accident at the Russian border at which the team were able to put their training to good use: ("Fire engine trekkers on charity trip at heart of real-life Russian emergency".
 * Media Coverage

The project has received support from high-profile celebrities, including:Lawrence Dallaglio, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Darren Clarke and Ewan McGregor
 * Celebrity Support

The crew has participated in a number of fundraising events, including the London Marathon, Lanzarote Ironman and a Cross-Channel Swim.
 * Additional Fundraising Events