The paint job on an antique ambulance that roams the streets of Fredericksburg hints that a story behind this truck is waiting to be told. Was it part of the British Royal Air Force stationed in Lossiemouth, Scotland? Was it connected to Prince Harry?
Did it see time in the Falkland Islands war in the early 1980s?
Answers to these questions arenât etched in stone, but one thing is for sure: âIt drives like a tank,â said owner Hamilton Palmer, a resident of Fredericksburg who owns the ambulance, which has become a novelty of sorts.
What is known about it started with the British Royal Air Force, which used it at their fighter base in Lossiemouth, Scotland, in 1973. They owned this ambulance made by a company called Marshall, but something happened to the wheel structure, so it now sits on a 1983 Land Rover frame. One of the previous owners, Ed Wallis in Stafford County, kept it in his yard near the Stafford Airport, where he was the airport director. He brought it over from Europe and sold it to Palmer.
Palmer does know some things about his ambulance, which has a for-sale sign on the front seat. Heâll sell it to someone whoâs serious about buying, but heâs not really advertising it anywhere. He does drive it around town a bit and seems to like the novelty of owning this collectorâs item. You better hope Mike Wolfe from the âAmerican Pickersâ show doesnât show up with a wad of cash.
âIâve seen it around, but I donât know anything about it,â said a woman passing by on the sidewalk.
When Wallis was the airport director, Palmer was one of the officials there, too, which led to the ambulance transaction in 1989. Somehow, he drove it over from the airport and fixed it up a bit.d
Palmer went into the database of British Military Vehicles, matched the Vehicle Identification Number, or âVINâ as they say around the garage, and became entrenched in his ambulanceâs capabilities.
Itâs powered by a Land Rover 225 engine, and in the back, there was room for two people on stretchers as well as mounting brackets for two more stretchers. âYou could put four people in here and two bodies on top,â he said. There is a NATO-sized plug in the back and the gas tank nozzle is under the front passenger seat. The windows in the back are treated with a substance that makes them âblack outâ in case it is in combat, and thereâs a rack on the front that is used to push airplanes off the runway when needed.
âI drive it once a week,â Palmer added. He did loan it to the Historical Fredericksburg Foundation once but hasnât entered any parades. Some have asked about refurbishing it but Palmerâs not enthusiastic. Thereâs NATO camouflaged paint and red crosses on the side, and itâs registered with the DMV. âAs far as Iâm concerned, itâs preserved,â he said.
The project, assigned to Fresh Air Cleaning LLC, encompasses extensive preparation work, including sandblasting and sealing, before repainting. This initiative is part of VREâs ongoing life-cycle maintenance strategy to uphold and improve its facilities.
During the public comment segment of the March 2025 board meeting, Prince William County resident Alfred Williams, 84, highlighted the challenges senior passengers face when purchasing tickets at the station.
âI had to go to Washington, D.C., and there was no way to buy a senior ticket at the machine,â Williams stated. âThey charged me full price, and I had to call in to get a refund. There used to be a vendor at the station, someone I could talk to, but not anymore.â
Williams advocated for reinstating an in-person ticket agent or vendor between Woodbridge and Alexandria to assist senior riders and others struggling with electronic kiosks.
Board members and staff acknowledged his concerns and encouraged him to contact VREâs planning team directly for further assistance.
The Woodbridge Station repainting is scheduled to commence in the coming months. VRE officials hope that the refreshed station will provide a more welcoming environment for all passengers.
Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School senior Rania Lateef is no stranger to hard work and high achievement. As one of just 40 national finalists in the 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nationâs most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, Rania has earned her place among the countryâs top young scientific minds.
Rania, who also attends the Governorâs School at Innovation Park in Prince William County, was recognized for her research on the effects of disrupted sleep and circadian rhythmsâparticularly blue light exposureâon mental and physical health outcomes. She presented her project in Washington, D.C., to renowned scientists during a weeklong competition, earning $27,000 and competing for awards totaling $1.8 million.
âMy research journey started with Mrs. Brown at Colgan High School and culminated with Dr. P at the Governorâs School,â said Rania. âIâm truly grateful for their unwavering support and guidance.â
She also credited the opportunities offered by Prince William County Public Schoolsâlike science fairs and the Virginia Junior Academy of Scienceâfor preparing her for success.
âI would have never been exposed to this if it wasnât for all these opportunities,â Rania told the School Board on March 19. âThank you for helping students like me reach this level.â
School leaders recognized her academic excellence and passion for science as part of the school divisionâs Thriving Futures Focus, a spotlight on students making outstanding contributions at the state and national levels.
âThis is my daughter,â School Board Chairman Dr. Babur Lateef said during the meeting. âI think she pointed out very well that the school division is really committed to science and opportunities for our students across all STEM categories, and weâve spent a lot of time and energy on that. And I think for parents and students alike, we are very grateful for the commitment the school division has⊠I think it just leads to just great success for students everywhere, so weâre very grateful, so thank you.â
Raniaâs mentors, including AP Biology teacher Stephanie Brown and school counselor Lisa Sharp, joined her for the recognition.
Looking ahead, Rania says she plans to pursue further research in science and medicineâfields where sheâs already making a name for herself.
Editorâs Note: Rania Lateef is the daughter of Prince William County School Board Chairman At-large Dr. Babur Lateef.
OmniRide, the public transit agency operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), is entering a new era of service expansion thanks to a newly passed state law.
The passage of Senate Bill 1317, unanimously approved by the Virginia General Assembly and currently awaiting the Governorâs signature, officially grants PRTC the authority to expand transit service beyond its founding jurisdictions. The move clears the path for the agencyâs recent expansion into Front Royal, in Warren County, marking the first time PRTC has offered service outside its original member localities.
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âThis is more than just a commuting road,â said Backmon. âIt will be transformationalâimproving the quality of life, increasing access to jobs, and stimulating economic vitality.â
Backmon addressed the Dumfries Town Council on March 18, delivering an update on NVTA's investments in Prince William County and urging local leaders to prepare for an upcoming opportunity to apply for new transportation funding. The NVTA will issue its next Call for Projects this spring, covering fiscal years 2030 and 2031.
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Families in Stafford County must now opt-in to receive school bus transportation for the 2025â26 academic yearâa major change prompted by last yearâs transportation meltdown that left thousands of students without a ride to school.
Starting April 8, 2025, parents and guardians must log into the school divisionâs system and indicate whether their child will ride the bus. The district will not assign bus service to students who are not registered through the opt-in system.
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A routine agreement for using school buses by Prince William County government agencies was anything but routine Tuesday, as the Board of County Supervisors raised sharp concerns over dramatic cost increases and deferred the decision for further negotiations.
The board voted 5-2 to defer action on the agreement until April 8, after supervisors questioned a 72% hike in hourly rates and a 66% jump in mileage fees proposed by Prince William County Public Schools.
The agreement would allow county departmentsâprimarily Parks and Recreationâto use PWCS buses and drivers for programs such as summer camps and events like the Neabsco Boardwalk Holiday Walk of Lights. The proposed rate change would increase the hourly rate from $32 to $55 and the mileage fee from $1.50 to $2.50. A new clause would also require the county to provide insurance for the use of school busesâanother point that drew criticism.
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At its March 18, 2025 meeting, the council discussed a $1.5 million project to extend the Riverwalk, with $1.2 million of the funding expected to come from a state grant. The expansion would add to the townâs popular waterfront path, increasing public access and improving walkability in the historic district.
Town Manager Adam Linn said the project timeline depends on whether the grant requires matching funds and whether that funding must be spent after the grant is awarded. If no match is required, work could begin as early as this springâor if previously earmarked local funds can be used. Otherwise, construction may be delayed into Fiscal Year 2027.
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Despite renewed interest in expanding Metro to Prince William County, the regionâs top transportation planner says itâs unlikely anytime soon.
Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), told the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday that local leaders across the region have little appetite for billion-dollar rail expansions. Instead, regional planners are focused on improving existing services, including buses and infrastructure upgrades at current stations.
