Penrith Museum of Fire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Penrith Museum of Fire

An exhibition at the museum, 2017
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Former name	Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia
Location	Museum Drive, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Type	Firefighting museums
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Fire and Rescue NSW Heritage Fleet
Type	State heritage (movable / collection)
Designated	25 February 2013
Reference no.	1902
Type	Fire Control Objects (movable)
Category	Utilities – Fire Control
Builders	Various
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Shand Mason Curricle Ladders (1898); No.4 Curricle Ladders
Type	State heritage (movable / collection)
Designated	25 February 2013
Reference no.	1899
Type	Fire Control Objects (movable)
Category	Utilities – Fire Control
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Shand Mason 7 inch Manual Fire Engine (1869); No. 1 Manual Engine; No. 1 Manual Pumper
Type	State heritage (movable / collection)
Designated	25 February 2013
Reference no.	1898
Type	Fire Control Objects (movable)
Category	Utilities – Fire Control
Builders	Shand Mason Company
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Dennis Big 6 Fire Engine (1939); No. 132 ME (within Museum of Fire)
Type	State heritage (movable / collection)
Designated	3 December 2004
Reference no.	1718
Type	Fire Control Objects (movable)
Category	Utilities – Fire Control
Builders	Dennis Bros NSW Fire Brigades workshops
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Ahrens Fox PS2 Fire Engine (1929); NO. 8 ME (within Museum of Fire)
Type	State heritage (movable / collection)
Designated	3 December 2004
Reference no.	1717
Type	Other – Utilities – Fire control
Category	Utilities – Fire Control
Builders	Ahrens Fox Co.

The Penrith Museum of Fire is an awesome place in Penrith, Sydney, Australia. It's a museum all about firefighting! You can see lots of old fire engines and equipment there. These amazing vehicles show how firefighting has changed over many years.

The museum's collection includes many special items. These include old ladders, manual pumpers, and even a mobile canteen. Many of these items are so important that they are listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means they are protected because of their historical value.

History of the Museum

How the Museum Started

In 1969, a group of people who loved old fire engines started the Historic Fire Engine Association of Australia (HFEA). They wanted to save old fire engines from being lost forever. They worked closely with the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW.

In 1971, they saved their first historic fire engine. Later, in 1976, the Board of Fire Commissioners offered them a space for a museum. This museum opened in 1979 in Alexandria.

However, the training college needed more space. So, the museum had to move again in 1981 to Walsh Bay. It was run by volunteers. After a few more moves, the museum found its permanent home. In 1985, it moved to the old Power House at Penrith. The Museum of Fire officially opened there on November 16, 1986.

Fire & Rescue NSW Heritage Fleet

An exhibition at the museum, 2017.

Fire & Rescue New South Wales has been collecting and preserving old firefighting equipment for a long time. This started way back in 1916. They wanted to make sure important pieces of history were not forgotten.

Over the years, they saved many vehicles. Some were even given to other museums, like the Powerhouse Museum. But eventually, many of these special vehicles came back to the Museum of Fire. Today, the "Heritage Fleet" has 46 fire engines! This collection keeps growing, showing how much they care about firefighting history.

Famous Fire Engines and Equipment

The museum has many unique items. Here are some of the most interesting ones:

1898 Shand Mason Curricle Ladders

These 15-metre (50 ft) ladders were ordered in 1897 for the Newtown fire station. They were telescopic, meaning they could extend, and were pulled by a single horse. Firefighters learned how to use them in 1898.

These ladders were very important. They helped fight one of Sydney's biggest fires, the Anthony Hordern & Sons fire in 1901. This huge fire destroyed five tall buildings and sadly, five people died. These ladders are now on display at the museum, next to another famous engine, "Big Ben."

Over time, these horse-drawn ladders were changed to be towed by trucks. They were used in Newcastle and then returned to Sydney. In 1979, they came to the Museum of Fire.

1869 Shand Mason No. 1 Manual Fire Engine

This old fire engine is a special survivor from a time of big changes. It was made in London in 1869. Back then, Sydney didn't have one big fire department. Instead, there were many volunteer groups and insurance company brigades.

This engine was pumped by hand! Up to twenty firefighters would push long handles on each side to pump water. It was a lot of hard work! This manual pumper shows how firefighting worked before steam engines and motor vehicles took over.

It served for many decades, seeing Sydney's fire protection grow into a statewide service. It's been on display at the Museum of Fire since 1985.

1939 Dennis Big 6 Fire Engine

The 1939 Dennis Big 6 was a very powerful fire engine. It was bought from England for a lot of money. During World War II, the NSW Fire Brigades used many Dennis engines. This "Big 6" was the largest and most powerful of its kind.

It was known as the "flagship" of the fire service. This meant it was the most important engine and always carried a senior officer. During the war, it was even painted khaki for camouflage!

This engine was also one of the first to have a two-way radio. Later, it was used as a training vehicle and even as a special coffin bearer for firefighter funerals. It was fully restored in 2004 and is now a star attraction at the museum.

1929 Ahrens Fox PS2 Fire Engine

Before this engine, the biggest pumper was "Big Ben." In 1929, the fire department needed a new, powerful motorized engine. They chose the Ahrens Fox PS2 from Ohio, USA. It was special because it was the only motorized, high-pressure piston pump in the world at that time.

This engine was a "super-pumper" and could pump 1000 gallons of water per minute! It was so powerful that it set a new record in 1935, pumping continuously for days at a huge wool store fire.

It was a big and heavy vehicle, making it a challenge to drive. Firefighters said it was a "brute of a thing." It could be started electrically or with a crank handle, which took a lot of strength! This amazing engine is now preserved at the Museum of Fire.

1942 Ford 21W Fire Brigade Mobile Canteen

This unique vehicle was a mobile canteen, meaning it served food and drinks. It was provided thanks to the amazing efforts of the Women's Fire Auxiliary (WFA) during World War II. The WFA was formed in 1940 to help with the war effort.

These women raised over A£3,000 through dances, parties, and even a "Queen Competition." This money paid for the canteen. It was built on a 1942 Ford chassis, with the body made by the NSW Fire Brigades workshops.

The canteen was used to support firefighters during emergencies, especially during the war. It had an insulated hot water tank, a pie oven, and storage for mugs and cutlery. It's a great example of how women contributed to the war effort on the home front.

1891 Shand Mason Fire Engine ("Big Ben")

"Big Ben" was a huge steam fire engine ordered from London in 1890. It was designed to fight fires in Sydney's growing number of tall buildings. It could pump 900 gallons of water per minute and throw a jet 61 metres (200 ft) high!

In 1899, Big Ben showed off its power by spraying water 6 metres (20 ft) above the 60-metre (198 ft) clock tower at Town Hall! It also helped fight the massive Anthony Hordern's fire in 1901.

Big Ben was the main fire engine until 1929. It was saved for preservation in 1934 and restored in 1962. It even took part in the Centenary of Federation Parade in 2001, just like it did in the original Federation Parade in 1901!

NSW Fire Brigades No 10 Vehicle Number Plates

Since 1910, the number plate "No. 10" has always been given to the Chief Officer (now Commissioner) of the NSW Fire Brigades. It's a special tradition! The museum has both the original enamel plate from 1910 and a later embossed steel set. These plates are a symbol of the Fire Brigades' long history.

1909 Edward Smith Headquarters Switchboard

This amazing switchboard was designed and built by a firefighter named Edward Smith in 1909. He was a "Principle Electrician" for the fire brigade. Back then, firefighters often built and repaired their own equipment.

The switchboard was made from beautiful woods like Colonial rosewood and cedar. It wasn't just for phone calls. It also monitored automatic fire alarms and helped send fire engines to emergencies. It even had a special switch for the 1929 Ahrens Fox engine!

Edward Smith was very talented. He even carved a five-leaf clover among the four-leaf clovers on the switchboard. Some say it was a test for new recruits! This switchboard served for 60 years and is now a permanent display at the museum.

What You Can See at the Museum

Fire and Rescue NSW Heritage Fleet

The Penrith Museum of Fire is home to the Fire and Rescue NSW Heritage Fleet. This huge collection includes fire engines from the 1840s all the way to the 1990s. You'll find:

• Hand-drawn hose carts: These were pulled by people.
• Horse-drawn pumpers and ladders: Pulled by horses, like the Curricle Ladders.
• Motorized fire engines: From early models to more modern ones.

The fleet has many different types of vehicles. These include pumpers, ladders, and special vehicles like a mobile canteen and bushfire tankers. It's a fantastic way to see how firefighting technology has changed over time.

Images for kids

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  An exhibition at the museum, 2017

See also

• Fire and Rescue NSW