Sunday Selections #87

Welcome back to Sunday Selections!

Begun by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock, now continued by me and The Elephant's Child.

Rules are very simple:
1. post photos of your choice under the Sunday Selections title.
2. link back to me.

The original concept was to show old photos that have been lying around in your files and never being seen, but lately I've been showing some of the newer photos instead.

This is because I go through the old files but can't remember which photos I've already used.
I meant to put them in a separate folder once I'd shown them, but that didn't happen.


Anyway, as promised last Sunday, this week I bring you the mystery object in the glassed-in room at the front of our Fire Station.

This is the area I'm talking about. If you enlarge the photo you'll see what's inside......
(The shiny blue and white building behind is our huge new Police Station)

In case you have trouble reading it, here is what the sign says-
                       
                                           SHAND MASON
                                     STEAM FIRE ENGINE
Manufactured by the Shand Mason Co. London in 1895, arriving at Port Adelaide in April 1896.
On receipt of a fire call, coal and kindling wood in the furnace box of the steamer were ignited by taper or a gas jet. The horses were trained to walk to the shaft and the harness was lowered from the ceiling over the horses and connected to the pump.This took less than a minute to accomplish. 
By the time the Shand Mason arrived at the fire, there was a sufficient head of steam to drive the pump. 
Approximately 1500 litres of water (350 gallons) per minute were delivered through twocanvas hoses and could be pumped tyo a height of 38 metres (120 feet). The crew comprised of  four firefighters and a driver.
One of the few fire pumps of its type remaining in the world, our Shand Mason has been lovingly restored by two firefighters, Bob Grant and Kym Probert, who are stationed at headquarters.  Six months of painstaking research and work were spent to restore this piece of unique South Australian history to its original condition.

Now here are some of the photos I took.






The Shand Mason.
Isn't she just beautiful?




Comments

  1. It's great. I wonder if it will still work? I suppose firing it up would make it dirty.

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  2. That is one pretty little piece of equipment.

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  3. A really old and truly lovely fire engine. Thanks River and a thank you to Bob Grant and Kim Probert as well.

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  4. Hi River,
    Beautiful, for sure. I just love old fire engines. Great photos.
    Thanks.
    Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet star! :)

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  5. Andrew; I don't know about it still working, the station was closed when I went past, so I couldn't ask anyone. I'm wondering now if they ever take it out for special occasions such as parades and pageants. It would be lovely to see it drawn along the streets by a pair of horses.

    Delores; she is pretty.

    Windsmoke; lovingly restored and shiny. Definitely beautiful.

    EC; you're welcome. I had no idea it was there until I walked up that street one day.

    klahanie; I love a lot of old things like this; old steam locomotives, old farm tractors, the old brewery delivery wagon we see sometimes being drawn by a gorgeous pair of Clydesdales.

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  6. Hi River, This is part of the city I had no idea about. Such a big city and with me having much to do and little spare time when I'm there.

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  7. Wow, a fire truck in it's own conservatory.

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  8. She is, indeed, beautiful and so are the photos!

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  9. Tempo; I've been here since 1986 and have hardly seen any of my city. I don't get out and about much apart from working.

    Linda Starr; welcome to drifting; It's a pretty neat little conservatory isn't it?

    Marsha @ Spots and Wrinkles; welcome to drifting. she is lovely. I took many, many photos to be sure I had enough good ones.

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