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Although, one of the first steam-driven fire engines made in Britain was tested by the London Fire Brigade as early as 1829, it would be another thirty years or so before the concept gained commercial acceptance. For while that early machine - designed by Messers Braithwaite and Ericsson - had proven highly efficient at dousing flames, observers felt that it was too slow to raise steam, overly cumbersome and so potent that no street water main could slake its thirst. However, advancing technology meant that by 1858 the Blackfriars firm of Shand Mason were producing a variety of steam-driven fire engines for land and river use. Followed into the market by their great rivals Merryweather & Sons of Lambeth (later Greenwich) six years later, the two companies contrived to dominate the Victorian fire scene until the emergence of the lesser known William Rose & Co concern of Manchester. Between them, the three companies produced literally hundreds of steam-driven fire engines which were exported all over Europe, throughout the far flung reaches of the British Empire and even into Japan. Capable of raising steam from cold water in less than ten minutes and pulled by a pair of 'quick hitch' harnessed horses, such machines were a common sight on nineteenth century British streets and remained in great demand until the motor-driven fire engine was perfected during World War One. Despite being available in sizes ranging from 'country house' (100gallons per minute) to 'dockyard' (2,000gallons per minute), the majority of Victorian steam-driven fire engines were 'Double Vertical' models capable of pumping between 260 and 450gallons per minute. Well regarded, William Rose & Co won the Grand Challenge Cup for Best Engine at the National Fire Brigades Union Meeting, 1901 (as well as securing the Dewar Challenge Shield for a third time that same year).
Finished in maroon and sign written 'Shadwell Court', this particular example reputedly dates from 1898. Thought to reflect contemporary Shand Mason practice in terms of its "fittings, chassis design, wheels and engine motion", the William Rose & Co machine incorporates the following "twin high pressure cylinders with outside valve chests, spoked flywheels, vertically turned columns, pushrod driven feed pump and twin nozzle double acting pump with pressure dome in series". In the current museum ownership since 1977, the fire engine was reportedly restored to running order during the 1980s (but without a boiler certificate). Requiring recommissioning before use, this fascinating piece of fire fighting history is offered for sale with sundry hoses, nozzles and two fibreglass shire horses.