Historic St John Ambulance vehicle returns to the road after restoration

A rare 1929 ambulance owned by St John Ambulance has returned to the road following a major restoration project funded through external grants.

The vehicle, known as Sympathy, is a Ford Model A ambulance purpose-built in 1929 and is believed to be one of the oldest surviving ambulances in the UK. It is also the only historic ambulance still owned by the charity.

The restoration, supported by the Association for Industrial Archaeology and Holman Fleet UK, returned the vehicle to its original 1920s appearance and made it roadworthy once again.

Manufactured at Ford’s Manchester Works in Old Trafford, Sympathy was dedicated in Sidmouth, Devon, on 18 June 1929. In its first five months of service, the ambulance responded to 24 call-outs, transported 14 injured patients to hospital and travelled almost 600 miles. After serving the Sidmouth area for a decade, the ambulance was transferred to London, where it was used during the Second World War to rescue casualties from bombed buildings across the City of London and the East End.

“We’re delighted to see Sympathy fully restored and back on the road. We’re incredibly grateful to our funders for their support in safeguarding this important historic vehicle and ensuring it can continue to engage the public with the rich history of our charity at events across the country.”

Carole Lawrence-Parr, Chancellor and Chief Commander for St John Ambulance

The ambulance was decommissioned and sold in 1947 before being rediscovered on a farm in the 1980s, where it was reportedly being used as a chicken shed.

Volunteers from St John Ambulance recovered the vehicle and carried out extensive restoration work, helping return it to operational condition. Since 1990, Sympathy has appeared at events across the country as part of the charity’s heritage display programme. However, years of public appearances and demonstrations led to further wear on the vehicle’s bodywork and mechanical systems, prompting the latest restoration effort, which was completed in April.

As part of the project, the ambulance was returned to its original Home Ambulance Service livery used jointly by St John and the Red Cross during the 1920s.

“We are proud to have supported the restoration of this unique vehicle. We hope it will be enjoyed by the public at events around the country for many years to come.”

Dr Ian West, Secretary for the Association for Industrial Archaeology

Mark Robbins, Head of Client Relations for Holman Fleet UK, said the restoration was about “safeguarding a living chapter of history”.

He added: “Sympathy represents an extraordinary legacy of service and resilience, brought to life by volunteers who answered the call at a critical moment. All of us at Holman are proud to support our partnership with St John Ambulance and to help to ensure Sympathy can continue to be experienced and admired by future generations.”

St John Ambulance is exhibiting at The Emergency Services Show 2026, taking place from 16-17 September at the NEC in Birmingham. You can find them on Stand T50. Register your interest to attend here.