Fire Engines Photos

The very first motor fire appliance in the UK was actually a pump escape, with a 250 IGPM pump, a soda acid first aid tank and hose reel and a 50 foot escape. It was supplied to Finchley fire brigade by Merryweather in 1904 and may be the only British fire engine to have been commemorated with its own postage stamp! Despite this, escape carriers without pumps continued to be bought by many fire brigades until the early 1930s, until the “dual purpose” appliance became commonplace. Big wheeled ladders like this died out in the UK in the 1970s, but similar ladders which were in use in other European countries like France, Germany and Sweden disappeared much earlier - to be replaced by light alloy ladders from 12 to 15 metres and in some cases by small TTLs around 18 to 22 metres.

Added by Rob Johnson on 04 May 2021.

"Early in the 20th century first-aid appliances were being built on petrol-engined chassis. Eccles in Lancashire is credited with having bought the first motor vehicle for fire brigade use, having ordered it in April and taken delivery in September 1901. It was a first-aid tender based on the Bijou car chassis built and supplied at a cost of £180 by the Eccles-based Protector Lamp & Lighting company.

In 1902 C.T. Crowden was building a Daimler-chassied petrol-engined tender for his home town of Leamington Spa. This appliance, reported to have been delivered in March 1903, accommodated a crew of six and was equipped with a chemical engine, hose and a 30ft wheeled escape.

In June 1903 Merryweather supplied Tottenham District Council with a petrol-driven combination appliance [as they called it] which is often said to have been the first of its kind. However, it seems clear that Crowden's machine for Leamington Spa was delivered three months earlier. In July the Metropolitan Fire Brigade followed suit with a 10-12hp Wolseley which initially had a small pump driven from the road engine. This was soon removed, however, and the vehicle was used successfully as a first-aid tender. Also in 1903 John Morris & Sons of Salford produced its first motor tender.

... ...

Having built the world's first fire engine with a petrol engine providing power for both propulsion and operation of the fire pump for Baron de Rothschild's French estate in 1904, later that same year Merryweather supplied Finchley Fire Brigade in north London with a similar machine. Capable of over 20mph, this had a four-cylinder 24/30hp engine with chain drive to the rear wheels through a cone clutch and gear." [This is the appliance highlighted by Rob Johnson.]
(From my book "An Illustrated History of Fire Engines", 2001)

In 1951 Kent FB became the first brigade to decide that all its wheeled escapes should be replaced by 45ft triple extension alloy ladders. Other brigades followed suit but it was 1994 before the last escape in service on mainland Britain, at Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, came off the run.

Added by Roger Mardon on 05 May 2021.

Self propelled steam pumps turned up in the USA around the turn of the century in the US and I think London has two very early on.
In Paris battery electric appliances were used in the very early 1900s before adoption of petrol engines and at the same time hybrid battery petrol units were popular in Germany. Berlin has just bought a Rosenbauer hybrid prototype pumper, but already had some in service 121 years ago! In the US the interim stage was skipped but a lot of steamers were converted to motor propulsion by the addition of a front wheel drive petrol engined chassis extension. Examples can be seen on this site.

Added by Rob Johnson on 06 May 2021.

Great old photo. Had a quick look on Google street view , station is now a industrial unit but the houses are virtually unchanged. E13 8AA is postcode.

Added by CraigW on 06 May 2021.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.