'The' Steam Fire Engine on show.
Sawbridgeworth's first steam fire engine was a Shand Mason, the only reference to which I can find is in the Minute Book of the Brigade for the general meeting of the 19th June 1903 where the Secretary was directed to enquire of Shand Mason whether they could provide a man for Drill Instruction. There are unfortunately no pictures of this appliance(*) but obviously Sawbridgeworth had two different Steam Fire Engines, presumably the Merryweather replacing the Shand Mason in 1912. The cost of the Merryweather Steam Fire Engine purchased by the Council in 1912 is unknown, but the Brigade contributed £40. 15. 9d from their funds. The Fire Engine was eventually "disposed of" with a bad condition boiler in or around October 1937.
The Webmaster is indebted to Roger Mardon for providing evidence of the Merryweather records of the supply of the Steamer to Sawbridgeworth from which the photograph to the left is extracted. The two pages of the publication "The Fireman" dated May 1st 1912 are available here in PDF format. (*) The latter contributor also has identified that this appliance was a Shand Mason 300 Gallons Per Minute single vertical steamer and supplied in 1878 as published in the Shand Mason & Co's  catalogue "Steam Fire Engines, Part 1".

This 'group' picture taken on the fair Green in Sawbridgeworth is assumed to be around 1913-1915 related to those that can be recognised. It is the only evidence available that shows that the town had a Manual Fire Pump for fire fighting. According to the Minute Book, this Fire Engine was 'disposed of' to the Government for the sum of £35. 0. 0d in February / March 1918. Much later on the Brigade had another Manual built in 1844 which was used well into the late 1940's purely for 'exhibition' demonstrations at Fetes etc. It is believed this latter one was originally the White Roding or Leading Roding Fire Engine. (A later provided photograph is included on the Photo Gallery page.)

The photograph was taken by S.E. Mardon of Bishop's Stortford was taken at Hyde Hall, Sawbridgeworth soon after the new appliance was supplied. The photograph is repeated in the Photo Gallery page of the Web Site where information is provided on the Firemen themselves.

The original photograph (just 60mm x 60mm) was taken at the front of Gilston Park hotel (later being purchased by Smith & Nephew for offices) by a friend of the two ladies that can be seen to the left. Being a hotel it had a predetermined attendance of two pumps, hence both Sawbridgeworth appliances in attendance. The back of the photograph is endorsed "From Mrs. E. Jermin & Mrs. F. Archer" and was taken during the response to a fire call, around 8am, that I believe related to an incident in one of the kitchens. The photograph was addressed to Sub Officer Frank Wright at the Fire Station with a short covering letter that congratulated the brigade on a very prompt response. Frank Wright is standing to the right of the Water Tender, hands on hips, and just behind him, L/Fm Len Read. Others in the picture cannot be identified. It was obviously Spring time as daffodils can be seen in the grass area.

Although this picture left was taken on the fair Green in 1971 this appliance was delivered to Sawbridgeworth on the 16th September 1954 replacing the Ford Water TTender above, as the first Coach Built Fire Engine since the Leyland in 1935. It was equipped with two electric bells and 'blinking' double orange lights mounted centrally above the windscreen. Quite soon after it was equipped with twin horns, the sound of which became familiar for emergency services generally. By the time this picture was taken the wooden Ajax ladder had been replaced with an aluminium one. *Information provided by Roger Mardon, for which the Webmaster is grateful, indicates its manufactured as a Bedford S chassis with bodywork and fire engineering by Alfred Miles Ltd of Cheltenham in that year.

In the picture left the original Ajax Wooden ladder (supplied with the Leyland Cub ARO 480) is still in use! Sometime later still it was fitted with a revolving blue light mounted on top of the cab. The first fire that was attended with the blue light was at Woolworth's Store in Harlow Town Centre - the only appliance carrying it and causing considerable 'interest' from the Essex brigades in attendance. The lamp can just be seen in the photograph which was taken in May 1962 while parked outside of the Playing Fields at the Sawbridgeworth Whitsun Carnival -Fete. This time the appliance had to remain on radio call under the rules laid down by Head Quarters and outside of the actual event field. The appliance had a prop-shaft driven main Dennis pump which was always primed by the supply from the 400 gallon centrally mounted tank. This was a very stable vehicle to drive in comparison with the previous ford lorry adaption. It had two hose reels, one either side and, as can be seen in the picture, hose lockers also either side. Mounted centrally on the back, above the main pump, was a Coventry Climax 150 g.p.m. wheeled light pump. This could be taken off the appliance using two steel ramps. At the same time as the delivery of this appliance the Brigade were issued with Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus of which two sets were carried. These replaced the previous somewhat cumbersome and uncomfortable to wear Seibe Gorman Oxygen sets.