Vintage fire unit returns and firefighters excited

A 73-year-old fire engine which played a significant role fighting a major 1951 blaze in Timaru has returned to the town after a 45-year absence.

The Timaru Fire Brigade Club (TFBC) are the historic vehicle’s new custodians after the Fire Services Historical Society in Christchurch ran out of space in their Ferrymead museum and decided to return it to Timaru on a permanent long-term loan.

The 1948, 75-foot turntable ladder fire engine, originally purchased by the Timaru Fire Board, will be on display at the South Canterbury Traction Engine and Transport Museum on Brosnan Rd.

‘‘I’m quite excited, and the members are quite excited to have the truck back in Timaru,’’ Timaru Fire Brigade Club president Alastair Thornley said.

‘‘The truck was made in the Merryweather factory in London in 1948. It arrived in Lyttelton in (February) 1951 and a couple of firefighters drove it down to Timaru.’’

The appliance was pressed into service before it had been commissioned and training completed to help battle the blaze in the Colonial Mutual Life Insurance building on the corner of Stafford and Strathallan streets.

A TFBC history on the vehicle says the fire started on the top floor in the kitchen of the SC Women’s Club and was aided by a strong southerly with flames extending up to 15 metres in the air and sparks showering into Stafford St. The fire was quickly brought under control with the help of the ladder.

Thornley said the truck stayed in Timaru until 1977 and ‘‘when we got the new snorkel fire engines it was transferred to Whangārei fire brigade in 1978’’.

‘‘It served in Whangārei till 1982 before it was gifted to the Fire Services Historical Society in Christchurch who have owned it ever since.’’

Thornley said the historical society kept the fire engine in their Hall of Flame collection and thought it was a good idea to return the truck to Timaru because their museum was filling up.

The fire truck at the time of the CML building fire in 1951 was unregistered and unwarranted which attracted a ticket from a local Ministry of Transport officer at the time.

‘‘The firemen thought it would be a good idea to use the truck, and they saved a building. I don’t know whether the ticket was paid at the time.’’

‘‘There are ex-fire brigade members around who served when the truck was in service. They are glad to see it back in Timaru.’’

Thornley also said that Paul Smith Earthmoving had transported it from Christchurch at no cost.

‘‘The fire engine runs and drives alright. It just needs a bit of work with the hydraulics.’’

The truck can carry six passengers who had to stand at the back and hold onto the bars. It was repainted to its original carnation red as it suffered paint damage in the Christchurch earthquakes. The carnation red colour was changed to a fire truck red and white in about 1976.

Sandy Cocks, who served on the fire engine 1957-1960 before moving to Invercargill said looking at the truck brought back a lot of memories from over 60 years ago.

‘‘We trained on the truck in night time,’’ Cocks said.

‘‘There were six of us on the night shift. We worked from 9pm to 6am to give the permanent firefighters some release and we lived on the station.

‘‘The truck was quite interesting and it was a great experience working on it. When I moved to Invercargill on a permanent basis, Timaru got the new snorkel truck.’’