Steam fire engine
Click image for an A4 printable version
Early 20th Century fire
engine
Click image for an A4
printable version
HCB Angus fire engine
Click image for an A4 printable version
21st Century fire engine
Turntable ladder |
Until 1850, all fire engines
were hand pumped and although they would produce a steady
stream of water they were generally inadequate for their
task, liable to break down, and totally dependent on the
physical attributes of their unskilled volunteer workforce.
About this time, steam driven water pumps were introduced.
Although far more efficient they were very heavy and needed
teams of horses to pull them through the streets.
These
steam fire engines were to remain in service until early
in the 20th Century when motorised vehicles started to
replace the horse drawn machines. Remarkably, it was
not until the late 1930’s, and with the onset of
the Second World War, that all Fire Brigades in Britain
finally converted to motorised fire engines.
During the war, and due to the damage caused during the
blitz, many more fire engines were needed than could be
built. So ordinary lorries and in some cities, taxis, were
assigned to the Fire Service to tow water pumps around
to the bombsites to help the firefighters.
It
was during the war that the traditional ‘red’ fire
engines disappeared to be replaced by the ‘grey’ wartime
appliances.
After the war, and with the re-organisation of the Fire
Service, the development of the fire engine gained pace.
Not only were fire engines designed for firefighting but
further appliances were designed for the other tasks now
associated with a modern Fire Service. Today we have Emergency
Tenders and Rescue Tenders that would go to accidents.
We have decontamination vehicles that go to incidents involving
chemicals and we have Turntable ladders or Hydraulic Platforms
that would be used if there were high buildings involved.
And of course… all fire engines
are red again!
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