Buckinghamshire fire engines offered for auction
Three fire engines that have reached the end of their working lives are being offered for sale by the fire and rescue service in Buckinghamshire.
They are being sold in a sealed bid auction, with the money raised set to go towards buying a new engine, which can cost about £250,000 fully equipped.
A fire and rescue service spokesman said engines were often sold to collectors or limousine companies.
The bidding for the engines closes at 1000 GMT on Friday 18 March.
Two previous auctions in 2007 and 2008 raised a total of £30,000, with the top price for a fire engine being about £5,500.
Fraser Pearson from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue service said they were currently modernising their fleet of engines to reduce servicing and training costs.
He said: "Our fire engines have a front-line life of about 12 years. They can become expensive to maintain after that.
"They start out their life at one of the busier fire stations, then move to a smaller one after a few years and sometimes end up as reserve vehicles, to be brought into service when other fire engines are being serviced or repaired, or used as driver training vehicles.
"One of the ones sold in 2007 - the one that featured in the television documentary series Blues and Twos in the 1990s - has been beautifully restored and maintained by its new owner and regularly turns up at our fire station open days."