Fire Engines Photos

Only three years later Merryweather built the UK's first motor fire engine, with a petrol engine, which was delivered to the County Borough of Finchley, now part of London.

Although they had already built the self-propelled Fire King steam pumpers in 1900, these were not very successful, because of the fact that they had to have a full head of steam before starting out from their station!

The Finchley machine had a mid mounted PTO driven 250 gpm piston pump, a 40 gallon water tank and soda-acid first aid hose reel system - and carried a 50 foot escape ladder!

Now that's what we call progress.....

Added by Rob Johnson on 11 March 2018.

Ah now there were two earlier Merryweather petrol motor fire engines before the Finchley one.

Added by Ronald Henderson on 15 March 2018.

Tell me more! C V Blackstone's history is my source, and I have always taken it as gospel since I first read it in 1958...

Did either of the others get their own postage stamp, too?

Added by Rob Johnson on 20 March 2018.

First Eccles hose & chemic 1901 A Failure
Second Liverpool tender. 1901 Failure

First Merryweather petrol motor 6-1903 Tottenham
Second 9-1903 Capetown
Third 10-1903 Port Louis
Fourth Valparaiso
Fifth 1904 Baron Arthur de Rothschild. Hatfield pump
Sixth 11-1904 Finchley Hatfield pump


Added by Ronald Henderson on 23 March 2018.

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