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Fire Engine Photos
No: 37032 Contributor: David Oke Year: 2013 Manufacturer: Pirsch and Sons Country: United States of America
Pirsch and Water Tower, Memphis, USA
Here is a water tower with its Pirsch 'tractor'. Originally the water tower was driven by horses. This appliance is in the Memphis fire department museum. That museum has a number of beautifully restored engines. This photo was taken in December 2013.
Here is a water tower with its Pirsch 'tractor'. Originally the water tower was driven by horses. This appliance is in the Memphis fire department museum. That museum has a number of beautifully restored engines. This photo was taken in December 2013.
Yes, "Five Little Firemen" has a water tower. It was one of my favorite childhood books and now my grandson loves it.
Added by Michael Feldman on 26 December 2013.
Added by Michael Feldman on 26 December 2013.
Pav , the water towers most like where North American. The one I saw in San Francisco, Ca. in 1972
was being pulled with a 1940's tractor. The nice thing about it was it was raised to the upright position by water pressure moving a water wheel and gears. They did not need a pumper to supply them because San Francisco has a High Pressure Hydrant System. A nice of kit as my friends in the U.K. would say.
Added by Les Davis on 27 December 2013.
was being pulled with a 1940's tractor. The nice thing about it was it was raised to the upright position by water pressure moving a water wheel and gears. They did not need a pumper to supply them because San Francisco has a High Pressure Hydrant System. A nice of kit as my friends in the U.K. would say.
Added by Les Davis on 27 December 2013.
Water towers were a uniquely American apparatus. About 110 were built between the 1880s and 1938. Most larger cities had at least 1, FDNY had 6 in service at 1 time.
All were pushed OOS by the 1960s by Snorkels (elevating platforms), and tower ladders such as the Mack Aerialscopes.
Perhaps about 1 dozen remain in museums and collections.
Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 27 December 2013.
All were pushed OOS by the 1960s by Snorkels (elevating platforms), and tower ladders such as the Mack Aerialscopes.
Perhaps about 1 dozen remain in museums and collections.
Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 27 December 2013.
San Francisco still had a Gorter water tower in original condition in 1990, but I do not know if it has survived. It was a 65 foot version on a solid-tyred four wheel chassis, as I recall.
Added by Rob Johnson on 28 December 2013.
Added by Rob Johnson on 28 December 2013.
Thanks for all the information about the water towers. I had never seen one before the visit to the museum in Memphis. That museum is fantastic. As well as having a huge collection of model fire vehicles, in various scales, it has an exhibit dedicated to 'Billy' the fire horse, who used to pull the steamer. Billy tells his own story in animatronic style.
Added by David Oke on 31 December 2013.
Added by David Oke on 31 December 2013.
Pirsch and Sons
Added by Pav on 26 December 2013.