Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

New Fire Engine

Splendid Equipment

The Launceston Fire Brigade has always recognised the necessity of providing the city with modern fire-fighting appliances and has just acquired a new speed waggon which will add considerably to the already high efficiency of the brigade’s plant.

The new unit is a Ford VS two-ton waggon with Dennis pump, scaling ladders, and searchlight attached. The work has been carried out by G. M. Jackson Pty. Lty., Cameron-street, and the superintendent of the brigade (Mr. C. G. Croft), in his monthly report yesterday to the board, eulogised the firm for the manner in which the contract had been carried out.

Carried with the unit is some 1200 ft. of hose, section hoses in short lengths for the pump, tools, and plant necessary for fire-fighting, first-aid service, and draw-hook for attaching carriages with long scaling ladders.

The members of the board, following the monthly meeting yesterday,

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Advanced Fire Hose Coupling

If there is one thing more than another upon which the Innisfail Fire Brigade prides itself, it is efficiency – which, being a fire brigade, is as it should be. One particular instance to which the superintendent (Mr. A. F. King) pointed is the adoption of the Morris instantaneous coupling device, which is part of each hose connection.

He states that the Innisfail Fire Brigade is the only one in Queensland which has this device in use at the present time, and has benefitted greatly from its employment. It does away with the delay occasioned by the necessity for screwing in the connection, as it slips immediately into place. A washer expands with the pressure of water and prevents leakage.

Incidentally, there are few people locally who know that, amongst his other qualifications, Mr. King is the only certified fire engineer in North

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Firemen’s Arch Of Ladders

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade intends to take part in the welcome to the Duke and Duchess, and it is planned that with their equipment the men shall form a novel arch under which the Royal procession will pass. This will be carried out with the ladders, which, mounted on their trollies, will be extended to form the two wings of the arch of welcome. With the firemen at their posts on the vehicles, this will form an effective picture, which should be all the more striking because of its novel formation.

Description source:
The Telegraph, 5 April 1927

View the original image at the Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 18211

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

A fire engine is loaned to Innisfail

Co-operation between Fire Station Chief Officers in the North was proved today when Chief Officer Griffiths of the Cairns Brigade consented to loan the Innisfail Brigade one of the Cairns engines.

Cheif Officer A. F. King, of the Innisfail Brigade, stated that he had telephoned Chief Officer Griffiths and enquired whether he had a spare engine to lend Innisfail.

“Cheif Officer Griffiths was most kind,” said Chief Officer King,” and told me that Innisfail could have the loan of their Denis machine until our Denis was repaired.

“This will mean,” added Chief Officer King,” that a lot more time can be spent on our machine to give it a good overhaul.”

Firemen from Innisfail went to Cairns to this morning to collect the Cairns Denis engine.

The motor of the Innisfail Fire Brigade Denis engine was damaged when the machine was proceeding to a

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Winton Fire Brigade.

New Motor Fire Engine.

Though Winton has not had more than one very serious fire, and that some years ago, it is the first town in Western Queensland to equip its fire brigade with a modern motor fire engine. The engine was housed in the Station of the Rockhampton Fire Brigade ready to be despatched to its destination.

There have, however, been other very serious fires in the west, notably at Longreach and Barcaldine, resulting in the destruction of some thousands of pounds of worth of property, and the Winton Fire Brigade, with such events in mind and ill-equipped as it is at present with an antiquated plant, consisting of only a hand hose cart, decided that nothing but an up-to-date fire engine, fully equipped, would meet requirements in the case of a conflagration in the town.

To continue reading visit:
The Capricornian, 9 April 1921

View the

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Hose Laying Fire Engine.

A new British hose-laying fire engine capable of carrying over a mile of 3 1/2 inch rubber lined canvas hose will go to aid Trinidad’s programme of fire service expansion, to cover busy industrial cities, small towns and villages on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.

The new fire-engine has joined company with other British appliances in the Trinidad Fire Brigade, a 60ft. turntable ladder, a dual-purpose pump and wheeled escape ladder, and a powerful 600 gallon water tender, which carries a rear mounted fire pump, first aid, hose reel, ladder and searchlight.

In the new hose layer, the lengths are stored already coupled, in narrow compartments which form the rear section of the vehicle. Mounted on the roof are monitors for delivering water fed from a turbine pump mounted in the centre of the vehicle.

Crew accommodation provides

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Dodge Trucks Fill All Requirements

Dodge trucks are so skillfully engineered and so scientifically constructed that they adapt themselves with remarkable ease to any type of special body or additional equipment.

Among the special types of bodies usually specified by truck users are the various kinds of dump trucks. Dodge chassis are so finely balanced that they operate with the maximum of efficiency whether the dump is by gravity or by hydraulic hoist.

If you have an important hauling job in which reduction of costs plays a principal part, it is conceded that the use of trailers will go a long way toward solving your problem. Dodge units are well adapted for use with trailers of every type, and, combined with the advantages of trailer use, may be counted on to cut hauling costs in a number of different ways.

Fuel cost is reduced as well as maintenance and

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Loan For Engine

Atherton Fire Board To Seek

Atherton, Jan 13. – A special meeting of the Atherton Fire Brigade Board was held last night to consider the purchase of a fire engine water tender, and following discussion, the board decided to apply to the Treasury Department for a Treasury loan or permission for the sale of debentures of the amount of £4800 to purchase a fire engine water tender.

The provision of this equipment to the board at Atherton will provide a service to the unreticulated parts of the town and places within the board’s area and will also provide for the shortage of water for fires in the upper levels where the pressure of water is not sufficient. Tenders will be called for the supply of the water tender.

Description source:
Cairns Post, 15 January 1954

View the original image at the Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 18205

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Modern Fire Engine

Longreach Fire Board Cost £1200

Body To Be Built Locally

At the monthly meeting of the Longreach Fire Board held on Tuesday night, the recommendation of the sub-committee, (Messrs. F. C. Longworth, G. C. Coar and S. Byrne) to purchase a Barton fire engine combination with Dodge chassis, body to be built at Longreach, at a total cost of £1200, was adopted.

The sub-committee considered that the purchase was within the margin of the finance available and, subject to the pump and plant being approved by the Department’s engineers, it would meet the requirements of Longreach for many years.

To continue reading visit:
The Longreach Leader, 5 October 1935

View the original image at the Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID 18630

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Motor Fire Engine For Brisbane.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade, of Brisbane, Queensland, will shortly put into service a powerful motor fire engine of novel construction. This machine, which has been built by Messrs. Merryweather & Sons, of London, is a double cylinder chemical fire engine, propelled by a 16-20 horse-power, four cylinder petrol motor.

It will be able to start instantly on an alarm of fire, travel over 20 miles per hour on the level, and climb any hill in the district. The two chemical cylinders are of polished copper, each of 36 gallons capacity, and will be kept charged in the fire station.

Both are connected to one reel, carrying 180 feet of special hose, so fitted that, on arrival at a fire, the hose has only to be taken into a building and a tap turned to throw a powerful jet charged with carbonic acid

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