| Historical notes: | Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia / The Museum of Fire.
On Thursday 13 March 1969, a meeting was held at Turramurra, which resulted in the formation of the Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia (HFEA). Collectively, the association's eleven members possessed some fifteen vehicles.
Following the association's first meeting, contact was made with the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW and a longstanding relationship was formed between the two bodies, with the Board's president, L. Verrills, being appointed as patron. At this time, the New South Wales Fire Brigades was still using a wide array of fire engines of different vintages. 'Standby' vehicles, which were fitted with pre-war, open-cab (Braidwood) bodies, were stored strategically around the suburbs to cover 'breakdowns'.
In 1971, the HFEA first sought to preserve a fire engine for its historic value, successfully acquiring a Leyland FT3 pumper. Five years later, the Board of Fire Commissioners announced that a section of the new training college at Alexandria would be set aside for a Museum: the association was invited to establish and administer the new museum. The museum was completed in 1979. The following year, the museum was the proud recipient of four significant fire engines, formerly under the custodianship of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science (now the Powerhouse Museum). These were a fine addition to the museum's collection; however, the Board soon found itself constrained to expand the training college facilities - by utilising the space then occupied by the museum.
Following consultation between the Board and the Museum during May 1980, a solution was found. The Board agreed to fund the costs involved in securing a lease with the Maritime Services Board and establishing the museum in a section of wharves four and five, at Walsh Bay. Two more bays of the building were later sub-leased for the purpose of providing a vehicle workshop area and, on 10 January 1981, the new museum opened for business.
At this stage, the entire staff were volunteers, mostly evenly divided between Board and private owners. As a result of a 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. p. 18).
A task force recommended the appointment of a full-time Director, the museum began to generate an income, and in 1985, almost broke even financially; however, later that year, the museum was once again forced to relocate
In September 1985 the museum was re-established in the old Power House at Penrith, and on 16 November 1986, the Museum of Fire was officially opened.
Fire & Rescue NSW - Heritage Fleet.
The involvement of Fire & Rescue NSW (formerly 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'. It is not known to which museum the engine was destined, however, and unfortunately nothing appears to have eventuated - the engine disappears from the records in 1918.
With the withdrawal of the last of the manual engines in 1930, two (along with the Shand Mason Curricle Ladders) were retained, and were subsequently used in parades and demonstrations. Over the ensuing years, these vehicles were stored at various fire stations.
During the early 1960s, the Board of Fire Commissioners handed over five fire engines to the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse Museum) for custodianship. These included:
- A 1916 chain-drive Garford, which had survived since the late 1930's by being utilised as a hose-winder for 'Volunteer Fireman State Championships'.
- An 1891 Shand Mason Steam Fire Engine - one of the most significant, engines to be preserved. Having been replaced by the Ahrens Fox PS2 motorised pumper, the steamer was kept at various stations as a 'standby' pumper, until after the post war years. In 1962, it was restored by the Board's workshops and was presented to the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, (Powerhouse Museum), for display purposes.
- The Ahrens Fox PS2 - a super-pumper, and once the 'pride of the fleet'.
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 (used as a funeral engine)', the Ford Mobile Canteen, and the 'Scout Car'. These were preserved 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 and now comprises forty-six fire engines. This number will continue to increase under the terms of the Museum of Fire's Acquisition & Collection Policy. |