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Fire Engine Photos
Findon Fire Brigade.1938-2011.
Findon Fire Brigade was formed in 1938,then after the Second World War,in 1948 the station became part of the newly formed West Sussex Fire Brigade.
From 1938 until 1965 when this station was finally opened,the brigade operated out of just a large wooden shed that had been taken over by the local authority for the war effort and made into a tempory fire station just before war was declared in 1939.
On the 31st March,2011 having given some 73 years loyal service to its local community and the County of West Sussex,the fire station at Findon will be closed and those large red doors will come down for the very last time.
This photograph was taken in March and shows Findon's Dennis/JDC'Rapier'WrL at the station for that very last historical photograph.
Thanks go to Andy Beale(Findon)for his assistence in moving the appliance for that last photograph on such a poor occasion......The closing down of Findon Fire Station.
Findon Fire Brigade was formed in 1938,then after the Second World War,in 1948 the station became part of the newly formed West Sussex Fire Brigade.
From 1938 until 1965 when this station was finally opened,the brigade operated out of just a large wooden shed that had been taken over by the local authority for the war effort and made into a tempory fire station just before war was declared in 1939.
On the 31st March,2011 having given some 73 years loyal service to its local community and the County of West Sussex,the fire station at Findon will be closed and those large red doors will come down for the very last time.
This photograph was taken in March and shows Findon's Dennis/JDC'Rapier'WrL at the station for that very last historical photograph.
Thanks go to Andy Beale(Findon)for his assistence in moving the appliance for that last photograph on such a poor occasion......The closing down of Findon Fire Station.
A sad day for the communities of Findon and area Pete. How far is the next nearest appliance, and is it retained or wholetime.
Added by Paul Warnock on 30 March 2011.
Added by Paul Warnock on 30 March 2011.
Paul, Worthing(Wholetime)are the nearest station being about 2 miles away from Findon, the next are the retained stations at Storrington(2 pumps)and Steyning(1 pump), but these stations are about 6 miles away from Findon.(Lets just hope they're available when that next call comes in).
Added by Pete Matten on 31 March 2011.
Added by Pete Matten on 31 March 2011.
I was furious and wrote to the local MP but no joy I'm afraid. Worthing is the nearest fulltime station, about an eight-minute run away. But if they are out then a job in Findon will have to wait more than twenty minutes.
By the way, there was an earlier volunteer brigade with a station and horsedrawn machine in School Hill, not far from the Gun Inn.
Added by Michael Bissett-Powell on 31 March 2011.
By the way, there was an earlier volunteer brigade with a station and horsedrawn machine in School Hill, not far from the Gun Inn.
Added by Michael Bissett-Powell on 31 March 2011.
Pete, thank you for the reply, I think we are in for some interesting times ahead.
Added by Paul Warnock on 31 March 2011.
Added by Paul Warnock on 31 March 2011.
Michael, I have no details of an earlier volunteer fire brigade being in Findon.Can you contact me on my email address with any details you may have please.Thanks, Pete.
Added by Pete Matten on 31 March 2011.
Added by Pete Matten on 31 March 2011.
Goodbye Findon. Thanks for all your service and to the dedication of all your crews to your community over the years. You will be missed.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 01 April 2011.
Added by Andrew Middleton on 01 April 2011.
Thanks for posting this Pete - you beat me to it! A very sad day indeed, for the village in which I got married and played cricket for 20 years. Thanks to all those Fireman who have served the village over the years, thanks for your help and memories(and pumping all that water out of my Dads shop basement a couple of years ago!). Thanks, you will indeed be missed. Jon
Added by Jon Godden on 01 April 2011.
Added by Jon Godden on 01 April 2011.
'FOR SALE'....Well, just twenty days after those big red doors closed for the very last time and we said goodbye to Findon Fire Brigade, the 1965 Findon Village Fire Station has now gone on the market and up for sale for the sum of £300, 000.The new drill tower recently installed at the station costing thousands though is not included in the sale.
The West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service had to save £1.2 million on their budget during last year(2010/2011), but already this year they've spent that on new fire appliances????.
Did the brigade really have to go as far as closing down retained fire stations at such a small cost to run them?, I think not, but I'm sure time will tell.
These are only my expressions, but I'm sure the expressions of many other's who have like myself served in the fire service in days gone, and those that still serve today.
Added by Pete Matten on 20 April 2011.
The West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service had to save £1.2 million on their budget during last year(2010/2011), but already this year they've spent that on new fire appliances????.
Did the brigade really have to go as far as closing down retained fire stations at such a small cost to run them?, I think not, but I'm sure time will tell.
These are only my expressions, but I'm sure the expressions of many other's who have like myself served in the fire service in days gone, and those that still serve today.
Added by Pete Matten on 20 April 2011.
The Station at Findon operated many appliances over the years the first being a Dodge 82A Commercial lorry or emergency water tender. This was a basic commercial lorry adapted for fire fighting use, having a 400 Gallon tank portable pump with the first aid hose reels slung on the chassis a two stage 30ft/35ft double extension ladder (later years saw an ajax) with a crew cabin sited behind the lorry cab. Hampshire operated several, West Sussex operated two Findon and Camelsdale. Hampshire in the fifties sent several to Carmichael for conversion started off as Home Office A type but later went to B type. Camelsdales was replaced in late 1959 and this appliance then went to Findon and Findons becoming a brigade spare. In the summer of 1960 it had a short spell at the station at Arundel as a spare.
In 1961 Findon gained a hand down from Midhurst in the form of a Karrier/Gamecock/HCB Water tender XPO 373 this appliance was indeed very unique in the respect it was the only one of its type ever built it incorporated a 1000Gal per minute rear pump, and several other refinements the pump however was changed on arrival to the brigade as the appliance in question was a demonstrator for HCB and had in fact stood in the corner of the works for many months prior to its arrival within the brigade and had been cannablised for various parts it was stationed at the Wharf at Midhurst prior to being placed at Findon. In 1974 this appliance was replaced by a Bedford J/5 water tender 98 CBP this in turn was replaced in 1976 by a Dennis D series (D600 a4) water tender ladder JCR 324P from Ardsheal road Worthing.
Added by BOB CARVER on 21 March 2013.
In 1961 Findon gained a hand down from Midhurst in the form of a Karrier/Gamecock/HCB Water tender XPO 373 this appliance was indeed very unique in the respect it was the only one of its type ever built it incorporated a 1000Gal per minute rear pump, and several other refinements the pump however was changed on arrival to the brigade as the appliance in question was a demonstrator for HCB and had in fact stood in the corner of the works for many months prior to its arrival within the brigade and had been cannablised for various parts it was stationed at the Wharf at Midhurst prior to being placed at Findon. In 1974 this appliance was replaced by a Bedford J/5 water tender 98 CBP this in turn was replaced in 1976 by a Dennis D series (D600 a4) water tender ladder JCR 324P from Ardsheal road Worthing.
Added by BOB CARVER on 21 March 2013.
I am interested in the above comment about Findon being used as an Ambulance station - it has been empty since it closed, with for sale signs up - these have now disappeared and green security Fencing and gate put up accross the drill yard entrance - but no evidence of any use on Easter Monday when I was passing- indeed still lots of West Sussex County Council folders visible in the watch room - more info welcome.
Added by Jon Godden on 02 April 2013.
Added by Jon Godden on 02 April 2013.
Dennis
Added by Alan on 30 March 2011.