Merseyside Fire Stations

[bazzoh]

Hi!
just wondering if anyone has any older pictures of merseysides fire stations? its a bit of an interest for me - mostly for the differing architecture but also the sheer historical aspect - not much was recorded!#
ta!
Barry

[Kev]

Here's a link to Heald Street, Garston:

Click here

[hmtmaj]

Hi!
just wondering if anyone has any older pictures of merseysides fire stations? its a bit of an interest for me - mostly for the differing architecture but also the sheer historical aspect - not much was recorded!#
ta!
Barry

Funny you should say that Barry as I have just met the Merseyside Archivist who has given me all sorts of information on my Grandfather who was a Fire Bobby from 1919. He is a wealth of information, has wrote a book on the very subject, has "old" photos and film from the 40's ! His name is Simon Ryan and he does talks with accompanying articles / photo's etc.
I believe his next one is at
"Service HQ", Bridle Rd at 18:30 on Thur 27 Mar.
I'm sure if you email him, he will gladly invite you and anyone else interested along. He has passed on to me info and photo's of Hatton Garden and Old Swan Fire Stations. If you want his email address, PM me and I'll forward it to you, Martin.

[Cadfael]

Durning Road (thanks to RD)

[robbiedog]

Hi, nightowl the picture shown is Durning road Fire station

[robbiedog]

Hi!
just wondering if anyone has any older pictures of merseysides fire stations? its a bit of an interest for me - mostly for the differing architecture but also the sheer historical aspect - not much was recorded!#
ta!
Barry

Hi Barry ,send me your "E" mail and i'll send you a couple of pics of coburg dock fire station.

[hmtmaj]

This is information on Derby Lane Fire Station, passed to me by Simon Ryan, the Archivist for the Fire Brigade. I have a few photos I will try and upload too. Hope someone finds this interesting !


DERBY LANE

1883 - A new station opened by the WDVFB at 3 Derby La, next door to a school

- Lancashire Constabulary opened a Police station

1886 - The premises were extended to provide accommodation for the Foreman

1895 Apr 23 - WC authorised the rental of a 6-stall stable at 20/- per week from the Old Swan & Tuebrook Carriage Co pending the erection of stables to the adjoining Old Swan FS.
Nov - The 2-bay station taken over from the West Derby Volunteer Fire Brigade, it housed a Shand Mason HD Steamer, reel cart and an escape ladder and there was accommodation for the Foreman
Dec 2 - The Surveyor reported to the WC the Head Constable had informed him that telephone instruments in addition to the alarm bells recently fitted were essential. The National Telephone Co had quoted a rental of 15/- per anum for the two instruments here and at Ivanhoe Rd and the surveyor recommended that the communication be established, approved

1896 - On station: HD Steam engine, HD Manual, escape, reel cart, set of ladders
May 28 - Report to the WC regarding proposed building works at Derby La, new engine house, convert the former weights and measures office into stables., fireman’s room, bathroom and kitchen

1897 Nov 29 - WC received a report from the Local Government Board that they had approved a loan of £2,900 to cover building works at Old Swan [£2,000] Westminster Rd and Lark La fire stations
Dec 13 - WC approved the purchase of land on Greenfield Rd to provide additional space for the new station

1898 Aug 22 - WC approved a tender from J Paterson & Sons, Soho St, Liverpool, of £1,992 to build the new station, this had been reduced from £2,369 as only £2,000 had been borrowed to fund the works.

1899 - The old station and the Foreman’s accommodation were demolished and a new 3-bay station built on an adjoining site
Aug - New station completed

1900 Mar 19 - WC noted the purchase of land for 5 residences from George Grierson for £150 on Mar 12
1 fronting Greenfield Rd for the Engineer
4 fronting the station yard, estimated the houses would cost £3,000
Properties deferred and never built, meanwhile
28 Greenfield Rd was leased on a temporary basis, linked to the station by a call bell, the cost of which was approved by the WC on 30 Apr
1901 Mar 11 - WC approved the construction of an examination pit and hose gallows at a cost of £23-18s-4d

1902 - On station: HD Steamer John Hughes, HD Chemical 1st aid, HD Hose carriage & manual Escape
1905 - WC approved works to attend to the ventilation of the stables, cost estimated at £38.

1912 - On station: 2 HD Steam engines [Maxwell & ], HD Chemical 1st aid, HD Hose carriage & an escape

1916 - 1 HD Steam engine [Maxwell], HD Chemical 1st aid, HD Hose carriage
Escape on station
May - The last LFB horse drawn appliance to answer a call was the station’s 1st turn chemical engine. Merryweather Fire King SM No 5 went on station

1919 - A second Fire King No 4 on station, kept as brigade reserve

1922 - Belsize Morris MP No2, KB 1817 ‘James Heald’ on station, replaced the operational SM

1923 - WC approved the plan to build residences on Corporation owned waste land at Old Swan fire station

1924 Sep 23 - WC approved payment of £121-18s-1d, being the fees due to date relating to the erection of the new married quarters at Old Swan

1925 - The reserve SM was sold

1926 - LPFB’s first reserve MP Belsize, No4, K 1690, on station, manned when required by off duty men who lived in the Greenfield House flats.

1934 - Leyland replaced MP No2 Belsize which became a brigade reserve.

1938 Sep 27 - The WC approved the installation of 2,000g underground fuel tanks and a petrol pump at a cost of £720 at Longmoor La, Allerton, Old Swan and Garston fire stations. In war it was calculated the LPFB could require 2,000g of fuel per hour.

1939 - Leyland MP No 8 No KB 8411 on station from Longmoor La, reserve 1942
Nov - WC approved that the former Mounted Police saddle room should be converted into a telephone room

1941 - MPNo11 KB 788 on station ex Banks Rd, reserve 1943

1948 Apr 01 - Became CLFS station North 6 now housed 2 Leyland PE and an Austin K2 PST, GLE 870.

1950’s - Report to WC, Derby La was considered as unsuitable. A 3.08 acre site on the East side of Queens Dv north of Alder Rd was identified part of a site extending to over 12 acres bought by the Council in 1954, the remaining land to be developed for housing. The Brigade’s plot was to provide a new HQ, Workshops as well as a replacement station for Derby La, however the land had a restrictive covenant on it and the Brigade reconsidered matters.

An alternative site of 1.125 acres on the West side of Queens Drive, then leased by the City for use as a football field was for the new station only , as it was too small for the remainder of the planned development which was now switched to a site on Edge Lane to be sited with a replacement station for Durning Rd.

1954 April – The FS Committee approved the alternative plan for the west side of Queens Dv
- Work began to extend the 1st floor over the Hose Repair Shop and store on the ground floor at the rear of the station

1955 - Work on the extension was completed allowing the use of 2 flats in Greenfield House as station accommodation to be discontinued.

- Completion by the City of the purchase of the football field, known as the Sandfield Park site, this was then transferred to the FS Committee.
Planning permission was then granted for the erection of a fire station

1957 - An Automatic Telephone Co, Columbus-Dixon remote control was installed in the Watchroom allowing operation of the new traffic lights on the Prescot Rd / St Oswald St / Derby La junction. The system was switched on at 14.30 on Friday 17th Jan 1958.

1964 - Became station North 3. It was planned the project to build a new station would commence in the FY 1968/69, financial restrictions however meant the project was deferred.

By now the former stables in the yard were in use as a mess room

1971 - There was pressure from Councillors to release the land for housing development, the site having remained derelict for some 18 years; this was however successfully resisted by CFO

1974 - Station passed to Merseyside as South 8, 1963 Dennis F24 WrE(F) 7705 KD & a 1967 Dennis F34 WrT (F) MKD 902F.

1999 - A new 3-bay station opened on Queens Dv. Derby La became a School of Dancing.

By 2005 - The Greenfield Flats next to the church on Greenfield Rd had been demolished

2006 - The Police station closed and was taken over by the Probation Service

The side wall of the engine house was on a slant which made it tricky job for a driver reversing an appliance into the bay

[hmtmaj]

Photo of outside Old Swan Fire Station 1942 courtesy of Simon Ryan the Fire Brigade Historian / Archivist.




1905 - from a book on Old Swan by Colin Gould


2006 - taken by me

[Ged]

Great info and pics Mart.

[daveyorkvh]

Hi!
just wondering if anyone has any older pictures of merseysides fire stations? its a bit of an interest for me - mostly for the differing architecture but also the sheer historical aspect - not much was recorded!#
ta!
Barry

You can try index . This has pictures of every north west fire station including their vehicles. Each station has its own page plus an archive section which some of them include old pictures of the previouse stations.

[Ged]

That's a great link Dave, thanks.