The ageing Green Goddess fire engines set to help fight fires during the firefighters strike lack the speed, specialist equipment and water capacity of their up to date equivalents.

Hindered by lack of room, they are unable to transport the four sets of specialist breathing apparatus found in modern engines.

The 1950s and 60s Goddesses do not carry cutting equipment used to free people trapped in road or train accidents.

Hitting a top speed of only 35mph - half that of today's fire engines - the vehicles have no radio, but are likely to have a police escort when on call.

Their water capacity is 300 gallons, far less than the 500 gallons capacity in modern fire engines - meaning operators will have less time before they start running out of water and have to connect to hydrants.

There are just two seats for a driver and another crew member - the rest sit on a forward-facing wooden bench at the back of the cab.

While today's vehicles have specialist high-rise equipment with 150ft aerial platform turntables and five ladders with a reach of 45ft, the Green Goddesses only have one ladder with a 35ft reach, which is incapable of reaching any height above the second floor of a house or office.

They do not contain in-line foam equipment used for vehicle fires.

In October this year, a 40-year-old Green Goddess fire engine twice broke down while on its way to a training base in Devon.

Used in the first ever UK-wide firefighters strike in the winter of 1977, the fleets were manned by around 10,000 Army, Navy and RAF personnel.

he fleets were maintained by the military in case of national emergencies, such as the outbreak of war. During 1977 strike, two servicemen died after their vehicle overturned in Manchester.

The six-strong crew inside them is surrounded by timber and plywood compared with the hardened steel cabs in modern fire engines.

Fire Brigades Union national officer Dave Patton previously revealed that modern fire engines are lower on the ground and hence more stable and able to brake faster.

The water tank is also placed low inside the vehicle and contains several metal plates which stops the liquid moving too quickly.

Mr Patton said: ''The Green Goddess has very few of these inside the water tank. This is crucial and not just an academic point. If you brake hard the huge weight of the water moving around is going to topple you over.''

He added: ''Goddesses take forever to get up to 30mph. They don't get you there in time and they are dangerous on the road.''