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A Cwmbran fire engine heading routinely on to the Springvale Way roundabout. Shortly before this another fire engine passed us on Maendy Way, also being driven routinely.
The Fire Brigade were out in force. Minutes earlier, another engine had come down this way on priorities. This one cruised sedately down the street, then came back travelling just as sedately back. I almost expected someone to lean out of the cab and shout "where's the fire?"
HCVS London-Brighton run, Merstham, 3.5.15
I picked the location by the Feathers because the sharp bend would slow vehicles down in the dull conditions
This is a pukka fire engine. Large, American and powerful, no messing about!
The model is one of the most detailed I have and I came by it through the fire engine collection my late father kept . After his national service my father volunteered for the local fire brigade as he wanted to miss out on the many cold war army maneuvres he had to attend. Becoming a part time fireman turned out to be a life long pashion. We had several red cars. He started as a jack of all trades and after training became a qualified pump driver / rescue worker. After active service he ended his fireservice as the paymaster on the board of the local regional firebrigade.
The fire department of Block Island, Rhode Island used this Gleason & Bailey hand pumped fire engine during the mid 19th century. Manufactured in the 1850's, this is a typical " crane neck, piano body fire engine".
When an alarm sounded, at least four men would pull th engine, while other volunteers would pull the separate hose reels. The engine was pumped by pushing up and down on the long wooden handles called "brakes". Sufficient pressure could be built up inside the dome to force water through two 500 foot hoses and throw an effective stream over 100 feet.
In coastal towns, shipbuilders often used these fire engines to pump water into the hulls of vessels awaiting launch. The water would swell the planking and tighten the seams, and also indicate any major leaks. In fact, local fire records show that shipbuilders were among the most active supporters of Mystic's first fire company.