A Foden Vehicles Factory Fire Brigade cap badge from the famous Sandbach factory in Cheshire.  In excellent condition and manufactured by London Badge and Button Company, this late 1970's example with the enamel centre glued / welded to the standard fully pressed Home Office star, both cap fitting lugs attached to the rear of the star.. 
Foden Vehicles started in 1877 by its founder Edwin Foden who formed the company Edwin Foden & Sons Ltd. Slow to start but soon gained a reputable reputation after 1896 when road restrictions affecting road transport of the age were revised, paving the way for heavy goods vehicles ! He manufactured 4 prototype vehicles and in 1901 gained his biggest contract for The War Office, being declared runner up at the same years Self Propelled Lorry Trials ! His model was the basis for a highly successfull line of lorry designs spanning the next 30 years until the 1930's. Edwin's son Edwin Richard Foden ( E.R.F ) which inspired our modern ERF dieselTrucks, E.R.F was born in the 1930's and produced it's first diesel engine, The Foden F1 Lorry in 1931. By the mid 1930's it was full steam ahead, older steam engines being rapidly fased out in place of diesel. The famous name and symbol continued to trade until 1980 when finally taken over by American giant company Paccar. Now as part of its brand, 
I rode many fire engines on duty during my days as a London Fireman. My favourite ( i actually had 2 )....was the E.R.F Pump Ladder, the other being a Shelvoke !