| Historical notes: | Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia / The Museum of Fire.
On Thursday 13th March 1969, a meeting was held at Turramurra, which resulted in the formation of the 'Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia'. The initial membership comprised of Brian Nebenzahl, Ron Franklin Barrie Gillings, Brian Blunt, Gilbert Ashby, George Green, Ron Healey, Robert McCarthy, Ross Murray, Laurie Stewart and Bob Winch. The collective ownership of the association’s fire engines was about fifteen vehicles.
Following the first meeting, the association made contact with the members and staff of the Board of Fire Commissioners. This was the beginning of a long standing relationship and following the second meeting on the 24th July that year, the President of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Mr Len Verrills, was appointed as Patron.
In 1970, the New South Wales Fire Brigades was still using a wide array of fire engines of different vintages. The most modern appliances were the D series Fords, with the Dennis Jaguars arriving in mid 1970. Macks were still ‘front line’ equipment in many stations. Although the norm was closed cabs, there were still plenty of ‘standby’ vehicles, which were almost entirely fitted with pre-war, open-cabbed, Braidwood bodies. These were stored strategically around the suburbs to cover ‘breakdowns’.
In 1971, the association first sought to preserve a first fire engine for specifically for its historic value, and successfully acquired it - a Leyland FT3 pumper. In 1976, the Board of Fire Commissioners officially announced that part of its new Training College complex at Alexandria would be set aside for a Museum, and invited the association to set up and run it. By 1979, the museum was completed, with the installation of the old 1909, Headquarters Switchboard, and the NSW Fire Service Museum became a reality. One year later, four fire engines, which up to that time were under the custodianship of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science, were transferred and delivered to the museum at Alexandria.
In May 1980, it became necessary for the Board to expand the Training College into the space occupied by the museum and sought the associations suggestions on how this might be handled. The solution to the problem was that the Board funded the ‘set-up’ costs and established a lease from the Maritime Services Board for a section of Wharves 4 & 5 at Walsh Bay. About twelve months later, two more bays of the building were sub-leased for the purpose of providing a vehicle workshop area. On January 10th 1981, the new museum opened for business.
"At this stage, the entire staff ... (consisted of) ... volunteers, mostly evenly divided between Board and private owners. As a result of Government decision on a changed use of the wharf, the Museum was obliged to move, in 1984, to No. 7 Wharf, Circular Quay, on a lease renewable yearly, but with no guarantee of permanency because of proposals re Circular Quay Bicentennial Redevelopment. The Board’s Transport Department moved the collection, and the Board met the rental costs for a smaller space." (Fire News, October 1986:18).
"In 1984, a full-time Director was employed. In 1985, the museum began to generate an income, met the salary costs of the Director and nearly broke even financially." (Fire News, October 1986:18). However, later that year, the museum was once again forced to relocate.
In September 1985 the Board of Fire Commissioners approved the underwriting of the re-establishment of the museum in the old Power House at Penrith in an agreement with Elcom. On November 16th 1986, the Museum of Fire was opened for business and officially opened in March 1987.
The NSW Fire Brigades - Heritage Fleet.
The involvement of the NSW Fire Brigades in the preservation of old equipment can be traced back to 1916. During that year, No 4 Shand Mason Steamer was approved for retention as a ‘museum exhibit’. No mention was made as to which museum the engine was destined for. Unfortunately, nothing appears to have eventuated, and the engine disappeared in 1918.
With the withdrawal of the last of the manual engines in the early 1920’s, two were retained, along with the Shand Mason Curricle Ladders, and were subsequently used in parades and demonstrations. Over the years, these vehicles were stored in various fire stations.
During the 1960’s, the Board of Fire Commissioners handed over five fire engines to the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences for custodianship. These included: -
- In October 1961, a 1916 chain-drive Garford, which had survived since the late 1930’s as a converted hose-winder for Volunteer State Championships.
- In 1962 , one of the most significant, engines to be preserved - the 1891 Shand Mason Steamer. After it was replaced by the more modern Ahrens Fox PS2 motorised pumper, it was kept at various stations as a ‘reserve’ or ‘standby’ appliance until after World War 2. In 1962, it was restored by the Board’s workshops and was presented to the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, (now called the Powerhouse Museum), for display purposes.
- In 1963, the Ahrens Fox PS2, in September of that year.
In April 1969, the Board retained a Garford Hale pumper, the last of its type to be withdrawn from service.
In 1974, the Board of Fire Commissioners consented to preserve the Dennis Big 6 ‘Funeral Motor', Ford Canteen and ‘Scout Car’, by leasing them to the Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia, in response to their offer to store and care for them.
Since that time, the 'Heritage Fleet' collection has progressively grown, now consisting of thirty-six fire appliances, and this number will continue to increase under the terms of the Museum of Fire, Acquisition & Collection Policy. |