Green goddesses were built in an era before 'blues and twos', having twin orange flashing lights above the windscreen and a bell mounted on the near side cab roof, operated by the person sat in the cab passenger seat via a leather strap dangling from the bell through a hole in the roof! As the world moved on, bells became less common, until the 1980s when they were finally removed from the green goddess fleet and replaced with flashing blue lights and two tone air horns. However, the bell hangers were left - handy for mounting the horns!
Well, although 326 remains (and will stay) in Op Fresco livery from 2002/2003, I did think that a bell might be a nice touch as a nod to the past. Proper GG bells - with the crown and ER cipher and date stamp - do pop up occasionally, but they are expensive so I wasn't going to pay too much! But I keep my eyes peeled nonetheless.
Cut to last Tuesday when a saved search on eBay ('fire bell') brought up a genuine GG bell. With a starting price of £50 and no bids! I immediately bid and hoped with nearly 5 days to go, it would stay that way. It did, until Saturday afternoon when I was outbid by £2. So, with bidding at £102, I upped mine again, securing the top bid. Time ticked on, so slowly. Minutes then seconds left. Would I be beaten or 'sniped'? I hovered over the bid button, but time ran out and it was mine - £104 plus postage. Result!
Anyway, it arrived today - a proper, pukka GG bell. Heavy, shiny, loud. I just have to swap the air horns to sit outside of the bell hanger, remove the cover from the hole in the roof and get it up the ladder and on!
The bell as it arrived:
Who or what company cast the GG bells? Asking for an owner of a bell.
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