JOURNAL OF THE AUCKLAND FIRE BRIGADES MUSEUM & HISTORICAL SOCIETY Inc. Patron Murray Binning Management Superintendent: Terry Hewitt Deputy Superintendent: (NZFS Liaison) Denis O’Donoghue Secretary/Editor: Colin Prince Treasurer: Kevin Farley
Committee Graeme Booth Peter (Sprats) Doughty Grant Manning Forbes Neil Tony (Scottie) Scott John (High-rise) Walker Gary (GT) Walker
NZFS Ex Officio Member: Fire Region Manager Kerry Gregory
Correspondence To: Above address membership@afbhs.co.nz Website: www.afbhs.co.nz Like us on Facebook Membership fees: Full: $15.00 Associate: $10.00 (overseas) Brigade/Corporate: $50.00 Membership year: 1 April—31 March
Membership NZ Fire Museum Network Fire Museum Network– USA NZ History Federation Inc. MOTAT Society—Affiliate UFBA—Associate member NZ Ex Firefighters Assn. Registered Charity number: CC 45510
Auckland’s Ford fire Engines By John Walker
The passing of the Mount Eden Ford appliance to the Society by MOTAT is a good excuse to look at the history of Ford appliances in Auckland and the technical advances they offered over some 16 years. Between 1926 and 1932 Henry Ford and his Ford Motor Company developed one of the greatest engines of the motorised world. The Ford V8 flat head engine was in production in one format or another from 1932 through until the mid 50’s. It has been acknowledged as being one of the ten most significant petrol engines ever. That’s not to say it was an instant success with cooling problems besetting early examples, mainly due to the water pumps being mounted in the heads and circulation not being too efficient. Once the water pumps were relocated on to the block these problems were solved and the Ford engine became an automotive legend. With New Zealand fire appliances in general being fairly run down, due in a large part to The Great Depression the appearance of a new powerful range of Ford trucks provided the basis for a major transformation. Some brigades brought basic Ford appliances with 250GPM Hale gear pumps and the
old style “Braidwood” body with the crew sitting facing out. One marvellous example can be seen today in a glass fronted display building in the heart of Te Awamutu. The most progressive change took place in The Capital where Wellington Fire Brigade Superintendent C.A. Woolley worked closely with The Colonial Motor Company, the Ford agents to design a whole new range of appliances. Almost Art Deco in appearance these Fords featured bucket seats for the officer and driver and a transverse bench seat for four crew with a well designed locker body and a gleaming chrome bonnet. While certainly impressive the shiny bonnet had a much more practical function being more resistance to heat from the engine than the somewhat primitive paint of the time. In 1933 one of these appliances was brought up to Auckland to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the new Ford range. A photo appeared in the newspapers of the day showing the new appliance on the wharves after giving a pumping demonstration. The appliance purchase for 1934 had already been sorted out (Bedford WLG for the new Ellerslie
In 1940 another Ford appliance was ordered for Mount Eden Station. Following a similar design to the two latter appliances it was the last Auckland appliance to feature a chrome bonnet and fittings with wartime restrictions taking effect shortly thereafter. It released a 1923 Dennis hose reel tender which was sold to the Army and saw out the war at Papakura Military Camp. The Ford was to serve 23 years at this station before becoming 3rd pump at Onehunga and even then serving short stints back at Mount Eden when Wellington’s Ford on trial in Auckland in 1933 their Karrier appliance was temporarily relocated back to City station) it was not until 1935 that an order Station due to the latest Commer appliances breaking down. Then was placed for a new Ford appliance. ultimately it went to Mt Roskill as the brigade hearse. Newspaper articles of November 30th 1935 show photographs of a Ford chassis with a mid mounted COMOCO pump undergoing acceptance tests and the notation that the body was to be completed in five weeks time. It was not however until March 1936 that the completed Ford was delivered from the Auckland coach building firm of Cavanagh . So far advanced from current appliances was the Ford that Tamaki Drive was closed off each morning at 6am for some weeks so that high speed driver training could be carried out.
In August 1942 two other Ford appliances arrived, one going to Parnell and the other to Western Districts (Ponsonby). This latter appliances was involved in the tragic accident on the 9th December 1949 when it spun out and overturned at the foot of Franklin Rd killing firemen Oliver and Clarke.
The appliance went in to service as the No1 pump at The Central Fire Station, a role it was to fulfil for the next 16 years. Earning the nickname “The Rattler” for reasons we have been unable to determine the appliance carried two crews , one being The “Rattler” in March 1936 on delivery called “The Ladder crew” and carried a Junior Station Officer who was in charge of this crew on the back step. From 1943 to 1949 five further Ford appliances, this time of the “Jailbar” design entered service at stations across Auckland. At the While there was much attention paid to this time of writing only one is known to survive thanks to the efforts of the appliance the unreliable and late Ron Leonard on Waiheke island underperforming Mt Roskill Dennis was quietly shipped off to the Colonial Motor On the 1st of February 1950 the Mt Eden Ford was involved in a Company in Wellington. In 1934 an identical serious accident at the corner of Mt Eden Road and Wairiki street. The Dennis owned by the Wellington Fire Board accident came just two months after the tragic accident at the foot of had it’s body and pump transferred to a new Franklin Rd. In the case of the Mt Eden appliance accident it involved Ford chassis and was considered a great a car, a tram and a barbers shop but fortunately no serious injuries. success . Following this example the The appliance was severely damaged and was rebuilt to a design by Auckland appliance was given the same Len (Tiger) Harlen . The Harlen design saw the side mounted suction treatment going back into service at Mt hose and the 24ft Ajax pattern ladder lowered on each side giving the Roskill in May 1936 where it served a further appliance a much lower profile. This however had little effect on the 19 years going into the relief fleet in 1955. appliances handling (said to be too light in the front) and it made at least one more unplanned entry into a shop, this time Laurie Coates Further Ford pumps arrived in 1937 for Cycle Shop on the corner of Dominion and Balmoral Roads. Onehunga, 1938 for Remuera and 1939 for East Tamaki or St Heliers as it is now known.
supplied 55USgallons per minute and up to 800psi through two hose reels. It’s first , somewhat unofficial use, was while still mounted on the International when brigade mechanics Ken Cox and Bill Angell took it to toitoi bushes on fire on Hobson St where it literally blew the bushes out of the ground. The Ford was not a great success having limited locker space and after unsuccessfully trying it at Mt Albert it was sold to Whakatane Board Mills in 1961. Last seen in 1983 heading north on the Southern Motorway, this is one appliance the Society would love to locate. It’s little wonder that the Ford appliances did so well in service. If a V8 motor started to wear out they simply changed the motor. Two mechanics working as a team, one underneath and the other working up top could remove the old motor in less than two hours, install the new one in the same time frame, run it in for the rest of the day, then back in commission the following morning. By today’s standards these appliances were rudimentary in the extreme. The water tank was only 200litres (40 gallons) . The very low pressure hose reel was fitted with 19mm (3/4in) tubing and delivery and feeder hose was 70mm (2 3/4 in) canvas. All of the waterway equipment, standpipes included was brass and there were few if any controlled branches. BA sets??? ……few and far between! Oh yes, more often than not there was a crew of …..TWO ! Most of these Ford appliances became legends in their own way. The Rattler, turning out from the old or even new Central Stations had a crew resplendent in brass helmets that were polished after every call, night or day. The entire crew, Deputy Superintendent included sat bolt upright, arms folded and any conversation was out of the corner of the mouth.
The 1940 Ford Mercury V8 in its original configuration, after the 1950 accident and as it is today (The Harlen design) At the end of 1951 the last Ford appliance was commissioned in Auckland. Replacing the 1935 Ford as the first turnout appliance in the Central Fire Station the Ford was not only fitted with the standard comoco pump buy also carried a 3 cylinder Bean Hi pressure pump removed from an ex American Marine Corps International fire appliance towed into city station with a failed clutch by the departing Americans. Originally developed for fruit tree spraying the Bean pump
Like most fire appliances , even today, they always looked to be going faster than they really were. I visited the old New Zealand Express Company premises in Beach Rd Parnell looking for Dennis parts many years ago and spoke to an elderly storeman, a long time employee of the company. When I mentioned “Fire Brigade” he told me of a Parnell fireman who worked for them on his days off during the 1950’s and related how the entire warehouse staff used to come to the doors when they heard the Parnell Ford coming down the hill in the full expectation that this would be the time that they would fail to make the corner. When asked if he
could recall the guys name he said” Ah, Neary, Ron Neary” There were also the humorous moments (if you weren’t involved that is) The late Arthur Monk related the story of a guy on the roof of a house in Kingsland dealing to a chimney fire with a hose reel when it suddenly jerked out of his hand and proceeded to rattle it’s way across the roof and disappear. He looked up thinking it was his offsider playing games but was mortified to see their driverless Ford appliance rolling away down the street the footbrake ratchet not having been engaged correctly and the wheel chock evidently forgotten. Arthur also told the story of the young auxiliary fireman at Mount Albert who mistook the bells sounding early one Saturday morning as the normal test instead of a call. He raced towards the responding appliance, throwing his pants and boots aboard but realised that he wasn’t going to make it so halted. The appliance, however stalled as it hit the centre of the road so the guy raced out and jumped aboard. It was summer and all this unfortunate had on was The author inspecting one of Auckland’s Fords at Horopito his pyjama pants which then slipped down and ended up beneath the collector head. motors Difficult to reach at the best of times. As the Ford headed down through the Kingsland shopping centre Arthur noticed that the people at the bus stop looked a bit taken aback and there was a fair degree of hilarity from the crew sitting on the back so he looked back over his shoulder only to see this poor unfortunate stark naked on the back step, waterway equipment flapping in the breeze. To be fair his fellow crewmembers did help him aboard but it did take them a little while to compose themselves before sparing this poor unfortunate further embarrassment. Apparently he resigned very shortly thereafter. The advent of the Fire Service Council and the appointment of T A Varley as Chief Fire Service Officer along with the steady post war development of the country during the 1950s saw the need for fire appliances with greater locker space, larger water carrying capacity and increased crew safety and comfort. The era of the enclosed Dennis F8 and F12 appliances had begun and slowly the colourful Ford appliances, brass helmets and all disappeared from city fire stations.
Photos from top: Auckland Ford responding through the City. F Neil photo In City station number one bay. F Neil photo North Shore Ford with Dennis F8 in old Takapuna station
The accident in Franklin Road in 1949 that killed firemen Oliver & Clarke
The author inspecting one of Auckland’s Fords at Horopito motors
News New Zealand Fire museum Network A recent initiative by the society has resulted in the formation of the New Zealand Fire Museum Network. It has been setup to help connect fire museums, fire
historical societies, vehicle restoration groups and other recognized clubs and groups, and act as a bridge, linking members of the general public or enthusiasts to individual member groups. It will also allow organizations to exchange and source items that they may require for their collections. It is open to any organised museum or society that actively collects, preserves or restores fire related equipment, vehicles or memorabilia anywhere in New Zealand. There are no membership or joining fees, no executive or management group and the only rules/regulations are that you must be a legally formed organization. (Registered charity, incorporated society, trust or recognised museum) It is not open to individual collectors. So far the following organizations have joined: - Auckland Fire Brigade’s Museum & Historical society Inc. - Museum of Transport & Technology.
Givealittle page The society started a Givealittle page shortly after receiving the 1940 Ford Mercury V8 from MOTAT. We need to raise approx. $6000 to get the replacement bonnet chromed. So far we have had several donations including a couple of very generous ones and have nearly reached the half way mark.
Collection Database A few months ago we changed our collection database from a stand a lone computer based one to the online Ehive NZ based network. The transition went very well with only one minor hiccup. This change has also allowed us to post items from our collection onto the NZ Museums web page (nzmuseums.co.nz) allowing the public to see them. Upcoming events We will have a presence at the upcoming Fire Truck muster being held at Kolmar Sports Centre car park, Great south Road on Saturday 29th September. We have also been asked to attend several other Brigade events with the Ford V8. These will be discussed at the next committee meeting and we will let you know when and where they will be so you can come and inspect the vehicle.
- Ferrymead Hall of Flame. - Dunedin Fire Brigade Restoration Society. - Ashburton Fire Museum. -Clydesdale fire Brigade Museum. -East Coast Museum of Technology Fire section. - Featherston Heritage Museum. All other known organizations have been contacted and so far 3 issues of the newsletter “Feeder Line” have been produced and sent out to keep everyone informed. One of several models for the Ford V8 that we know were built by staff at Pitt St . This one was a competition prize in the 1950’s and is now in the society collection
Priority Message
is the quarterly journal of the Auckland Fire Brigades Museum & Historical Society Inc. and is sent free to all members, the National Library and other Historical Societies in the Auckland area. Please feel free to pass it onto others that may find it of interest and encourage them to join the society. We actively seek photographs, stories and other information for publication in this journal or adding to our growing memorabilia collection. Anything that is related to the Fire Services, not only Auckland City, but the Auckland Fire Region (Mercer to Wellsford) which is the societies area of interest.