Fire Services Museum Melbourne Victoria Australia -Appliance Timeline>

Fire Services History Victoria	39 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, 3002, Australia (Cnr. Gisborne Street and Victoria Parade), East Melbourne
Fire Appliance Timeline The Fire Services Museum Victoria purchases and restores historically important fire appliances including vehicles, breathing apparatus, pumps, etc. Over the years many vehicles have been acquiried, restored and displayed by the Museum; some are included in this timeline. Engine and pumping capacities are given as per originally supplied. The Museum also has a wonderful collection of old photos of fire brigades and appliances used in fighting fires over the years throughout Victoria. A sample of the collection is displayed here in date order. We thank you for respecting our copyright.

1851 "Lady Don" Merryweather Horse Drawn Manual Pumper Horse drawn appliance made in England by J. C. Merryweather, Royal Engineers of Long Acre, London. This vehicle was placed in service at Talbot, Victoria. The townsfolk of Talbot named the pumper in honour of "Lady Don" who donated this pumper in appreciation of a successful theatrical tour by the company with whom she was travelling. The pumper can be worked by a crew of up to 36 (18 per side) and can, at full capacity, pump 200 gallons per minute (900 L/m). The cranking action of the side arms or "brakes" draws water into the double action piston chambers. From there it is forced out through either, or both delivery hoses. The Lady Don Manual Pumper is currently on display in the Fire Services Museum Victoria, East Melbourne. Now on display	All Photos - Fire Services Museum & MFB Collections

1890 Hand drawn 40 feet "Curricle" Escape Ladder Technology dates from 1880 when first introduced in various extensions 40, 50 and 60feet. Originally hand drawn, then early 1900's horse drawn and by 1908 placed on the back of a motorised fire engine although remaining detachable.

1890's Shand Mason Steamer First purchased in 1891, the English made steamer was stationed mainly at Eastern Hill.	Photo - B. McCumisky Private Collection

1911 The "Melba" Pumper The fire appliance on the left of the image is the Melba Pump. It is known as the Melba, because the chassis was originally the Pierce Arrow car owned by Dame Nellie Melba, the famous opera singer. The MFB acquired the car in 1919 and converted it into a pumper. The Fire Station pictured was the former No. 48, and it was located in Curzon Street, North Melbourne. This image was one of a series shot to depict all the MFB fire stations in 1926. The middle appliance is a 1928 Morris Commercial Inspection Car. The appliance on the right of the image is a 1914 Hotchkiss Hose Carriage and rotary pump.

1913-1925 Hotchkiss Hose Carriage The vehicle chosen to replace horses-drawn vehicles was the "Hotchkiss Hose Carriage". Weighing 35 cwt and offering 30-40 "horsepower" the Hotchkiss came from France and cost 820 Pounds each. The Hotchkiss was equipped with a 200 gallons per minute Rotary Pump which was designed, manufactured and fitted by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Workshop. Also fitted with a 30 foot extension ladder, 1000 feet of 2-1/2 inch canvas hose and hand chemical fire extinguishers. Thirty five of these vehicles were placed in commision between 1913-1925.

1914 "Dennis" Pumper 1000 gallons per minute pump, 80 "horsepower", four cylinders.

1926 "Dennis" Pumper More Details: click here

1938 Leyland Metz 126 ft. German Metz Turntable Ladder rear mounted on an English Leyland 50 hp chassis. First placed in commission in January 1939 and used at all of the largest of Melbourne's fires through to the early 1970's. Considered to be the Rolls Royce of turntable ladders.

1934 Dennis "Big Four" Fire Engine Dennis Pumper with 650 gpm centrifugal pump. Able to produce foam as well as pump water. Stationed predominately at Eastern Hill and carried a crew of six men.

1942 "3" Pump Fargo Pumper Equipped with a rear mounted 600 gallons per minute (3,0000 L/m) centrifugal pump driven by a power take off, fitted at MFB Workshops, 1942. The distinctive feature of this vehicle is the large "rose bowl" type collector head fitted to the pump. This allows up to six hose line to be used to feed the pump. This vehicle remained in service until 1972.

1947 Austin Tanker - "Lulu" These tankers were the first vehicles designed and built for the newly formed C.F.A. in the late 1940's. The original tank fitted a a capacity of 300 gallons (1300L.). First used in service by the Colbinabbin Rural Fire Brigade in Northern Victoria in the early 1950's. Some late model Austins were still in service as recently as 1990.

1952 "Austin Series II" Front Mounted Pumper These vehicles were built throughout the 1950's and 60's for the Country Fire Authority in Victoria by several body builders and later by the Authority workshops at Ballarat. The pump is a front mounted "Thompson" 350 G.P.M. (1,570L/m) fitted to an Austin chassis. The side compartments carry approximately 1,200 ft. (350m) of hose, fittings, adaptors and tools. Later models were fitted with larger pumps and water tanks. This vehicle has served with Ararat, Newstead and Trentham Brigades.

1970 International 'C' Series 200 G.P.M. 'Rotary' Hose Carriage More Details: click here The International Hose Carriage/Pumper series was in commission from 1959 to 1970 with engines ranging in horsepower from 32.6 - 34 HP (24.3 - 25.4 Kw).

1975 "M" Series Bedford Tanker More Details: click here	All Photos - Fire Services Museum & MFB Collections
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