View report page

The new ambulances have been modified from time to time and of special note is the
sprung stretcher bed developed jointly by the Council's staff and Messrs. Delaney-Gallay
during the course of 1963. This bed is independently sprung on vibrashock pads which
were originally developed for the insulation of delicate instruments in rockets. It was
decided to instal oil burning heaters independent of the engine in all the stretcher-carrying
vehicles; this was found to be the only effective means of maintaining a high temperature
in the patients' compartment during winter in vehicles operating in circumstances in which
the large rear doors are opened at frequent intervals.
The changing needs of the Service, which now carries many more patients able to sit
while in transit, led to the purchase of vehicles designed to the Council's specifications for
the carriage of such patients.
All ambulances in the emergency section carry a most comprehensive range of equipment,
including portable apparatus for the administration of pure oxygen or a mixture of oxygen
and carbon dioxide either on demand or under manual control. In 1964 plastic inflatable
splints were taken into service. These provide an entirely new system of splinting fractured
limbs and eliminate the need for wooden splints and padding. The double skin of plastic is
placed round the injured limb, the ends are joined together by a rapid fastener and the
splint is inflated by mouth.
A list of the equipment carried on emergency and on general service vehicles is given
at the end of the article.
An exhibition of ambulance vehicles and of ambulance equipment was held at the
Mechanical Works division depot at Wandsworth in March 1964 at which recent developments,
many pioneered by the Council, were displayed. A large number of the public and
of representatives of other ambulance services visited the exhibition.
Premises
During the period 1948-1964 major improvements and adaptations were carried out at
the following stations:
Year Station Details
1948 Western .. .. Moved from temporary accommodation in Allen Street to present
location.
1950 Oval .. .. .. Moved from South Western Ambulance Station to former fire station,
Foxley Road, S.W.9.
1953 West Smithfield .. Station rebuilt.
1954 Hampstead .. ,. New station opened.
Brook .. .. .. Reinstatement after war damage.
1955 Mottingham .. .. New station opened.
1956 Upper Richmond Road New station opened.
1958 Streatham .. .. Yard roofed to provide accommodation for a third ambulance.
Fulham .. .. Former superintendent's house reinstated after war damage for use by
staff engaged on day work ambulances.
1959 Northwestern .. Extra accommodation for vehicles provided.
1962 Battersea .. .. New station opened—rebuilt on old site.
1963 Oval Moved to temporary premises at South Western Hospital during
rebuilding of station.
1964 Russell Square .. Improvements to station officer's office and staff accommodation.
South Eastern .. Extra accommodation provided for fitters and vehicles.
At the end of 1964 work was in progress on the provision of extra accommodation for
vehicles and the provision of a workshop at the South Western station.
76