POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Dennis-Tamini fire engine used in NSW fire stations

Object No. B1871

This 1933 motorised fire engine pump is typical of the fire-fighting appliances designed for use in country towns in New South Wales with limited reticulated water supplies in the middle of the twentieth century. The vehicle has forward facing seats for the driver and passenger while behind them the fire crew sit facing outwards on longitudinal bench seats either side. The advantage of this was that the firemen could leap off the engine on arrival at the fire. Under their feet are the canvas suction hoses wound inside with metal spiral, for taking water from reservoirs and rivers, and in dry country from bores and water tanks. Above their heads is the extension ladder for rescuing people trapped in burning buildings. The pump is at the rear of the vehicle and on arriving at the fire the nearest water hydrant or water source was located and water pumped back through hoses to the fire engine. It was then pumped from the engine, forced under pressure, through hand held hoses to fight the fire. The increased pressure provided by the pump gave the necessary force and distance for the water to effectively reach the fire. It was extremely noisy for the fireman operating the engine's pump, raising and lowering the pressure as ordered by the fire chief, so orders were sometimes given with whistles. The appliance illustrates the classic fire appliance design used by fire brigades around the world for over three decades and used for toy fire engines until the 1970s. By the 1930s this style of vehicle was an old-fashioned design. The design originated in the 1820s for horse-drawn fire appliances and this style was still being used on motorised fire engines up until 1939. The use of this design resulted in frequent accidents involving firemen being thrown from the machines while racing to fires. Firemen were also exposed to the weather getting wet and cold even before arriving at the fire. By the 1930s fully enclosed fire engines were being made in England with the pump positioned alongside the driver, but in Australia the early style continued to be used for another 30 years. Petrol-driven motorised fire appliances had been made since 1904. They were a great improvement on the horse-drawn steam fire engine pumps, being much lighter and more compact. They could be dispatched to a fire more quickly because there was no need to raise steam in the boiler or harness horses. It took some years to phase out the horse-drawn pumpers, the horses were much loved and their passing was often regretted by the general public and the firemen. This motorised fire engine is known as a Dennis Tamini. The chassis, engine and pump were made by the English firm Dennis Bros Ltd of Guildford, Surrey, and the pump designed by an Italian engineer, Tamini. The body was made in the New South Wales Fire Brigade's own workshop. It was used in Sydney and several New South Wales country towns from 1933 until 1970. http://www.visit.heritage.nsw.gov.au http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Specialist_Vehicles Burgess-Wise, David, "Fire Engines and Fire-Fighting", Octopus Books Limited, London, 1977. Odell, Carol, "Fires and Firemen" Angus & Robertsons, Sydney, 1963. Olyslager Organisation, "Fire-fighting Vehicles 1840-1950", Frederick Warne & Co Ltd, London, 1972. Margaret Simpson Curator, Science & Industry July 2009