| Historical notes: | In 1890, the City of Sydney was still relatively small. However, Superintendent Alfred Bear of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade recognised the growing potential fire risk in an expanding city area. An extract from the Brigades Eighth Annual Report for the year 1891 mentions the: - ‘… ever increasingly lofty blocks of buildings which, for want of a proper Building Act, continue to be erected in the metropolis…” – (MFBAR 1891:2). With multi-story buildings becoming a common occurrence, a fire appliance was needed which could cope with these high rise demands.
In 1890, the Brigade ordered a steamer, affectionately known as "Big Ben", to be manufactured by Shand Mason & Co. of London. The following criteria were established: - 1) It should achieve 100psi in ten (10) minutes from a cold start; 2) It should pump 900gpm of water at a pressure of 200psi; 3) It should throw a jet of water to a vertical height of 200 feet. At a cost of over £1400, the vehicle was completed and tested at the premises of Southwark 7 Vauxhall Westerworks Commission before Sir Saul Samuel, E.C.B, Agent-General for NSW on October 1st, 1891. On January 4th, 1892, Big Ben arrived in Sydney on the S.S. Port Douglas and was tested on February 19, 1892, at Man-o-War Steps, Fort Macquarie before being placed in service at Headquarters on March 12th, 1892. Extracts from the Brigade’s Eighth Annual Report for the year 1891 boasted that “…it stands unrivalled as the most powerful land steam engine that has yet been produced.” Also, "At the tests made at the works, prior to shipment, 100 lb of steam were obtained from cold water in 9 minutes 55 seconds; and from a steam pressure of from 110 to 120 lb a 1 ¾ inch jet of water was thrown horizontally to a distance of 318 feet. This engine… is calculated to work at a steam pressure of 100 to 125lb per square inch, but is capable of being worked much higher; it discharges 1000 gallons of water per minute, and will project a 1 ¾ inch jet to a height of 200 feet." – (MFBAR 1891:2).
On 28th February, 1899, “Big Ben” took part in a spectacular demonstration with another “new” Brigade steamer (No. 25) at Town Hall, and to the cheers of the crowd, Big Ben threw water 20 feet above the 198 foot clock tower. “When the trial was finished the firemen gave the front and sides of the municipal building a much-needed wash. The trials were made under the supervision of Superintendent Webb and Deputy Superintendent Sparkes….” On the occasion, Superintendent Webb said: “… The trials of this morning show that we cold throw water over the highest building in Sydney, which is the Hotel Australia, 160 ft high.” - (SMH 1899: 7).
In 1901, Big Ben was involved in the extinguishment of one of Sydney’s major fires, the “Anthony Hordern’s fire”, which threatened the three gasometers of AGL. One hundred and seventy fireman and ten steamers were required to extinguish this fire, which claimed the lives of five men.
By 1915, big Ben was “… now pulled by truck.” (FF1984:168). In July 1919, a report from the Principal Mechanic refers to the possibility of purchasing “Front Wheel Drive Tractors for Steam Fire Engines – nos. 18 and 25 respectively”. After receiving quotes from “American La France”, “Wedlake – Lamson and Co” and “American and British Mfg Co.” ranging from £1952 to £3090, it was decided that: “As the cost is prohibitive, it would be better to procure a motor pump, and make and rely on towing arrangements for the present.”
Big Ben and No. 25 were to perform together again years later at the George Hudson Timber Yard fire on 8th March, 1928. This was big Ben’s last major pumping job. Both steamers operated so successfully that the Chief Officer of the day, Mr T. Nance, stated in his report “that at the recent fire at George Hudson Ltd, both of these appliances proved their worth and as regards their pumping capacity and reliability are miles ahead of any motor in the service.” – (FIRE 1962:8).
The vehicle was the major fire fighting appliance of the brigade until its retirement in 1929, when it was replaced by the Ahrens Fox PS2 Pumper as the brigade's glamour vehicle. Big Ben was kept as a "stand-by" vehicle until 1934 when it was set aside for preservation. In 1962, Big Ben was restored, in both pumping capacity and appearance, by the board’s workshops and was presented to the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, (now called the Powerhouse Museum), for display purposes. In the yard at Headquarters, on the occasion of being presented to the Museum, Big Ben was put through its paces and proved that it was still capable of pumping 1000 gallons per minute, something that many of the “new” motorised pumpers could not achieve. – (FIRE 1962:8). After the display, Mr B.F. Andrews, on behalf of the board, presented Big Ben to Mr H.G. McKern, acting director of the museum. The vehicle was reclaimed by the Fire Brigades on formation of the Fire Service Museum, Alexandria and finally presented to the Museum of Fire at Penrith for preservation in 1985. In 2001, “Big Ben” took part in the Centenary of Federation Parade, which was significant due to the fact that it also took part in the original Federation Parade in 1901. |