Fire Engines Photos

One of the last Metz wooden ladders, combined with a built in pump. A rare combination indeed!

Added by Rob Johnson on 26 July 2023.

The longest wooden TL from Metz was 27 meters, which translates to 88'5", so I think the 90 foot reference is a bit rounded up. 1933 was actually the first year Metz offered an all steel ladder, and these were instantly available is 30 meter lengths due to their lighter weight. Not long after longer steel ladders up to 45 meters were being built, in the 1930s, including the example for Hull which is on this site. In the US the switch to 100 foot ladders took longer, as many fire departments were very accustomed to their 85 foot wooden aerials, and quite happy to keep using 85 footers even after steel construction became the norm.

Added by on 26 July 2023.

In Germany between 1910 and 1940 both Metz and Magirus offered a very wide range of three and four section wooden and then (in 1933) steel ladders, including five and even six section ones up to eventually 45 metres. But they also built tons of shorter turntable ladders in lengths from 15 to 24 metres, and these quickly replaced the numerous old trailed wheeled ladders, which were once very widespread -and filled the role of the UK wheeled escape ladder. When I was a student in Heidelberg, the local fire chief said he liked the British escape ladder because it was so quick to get into position, but the German DIN regulations did not cater to it being approved. He had actually asked Metz to build him a pump escape, complete with 15 metre ladder, but they had advised him not to pursue the idea!

Added by Rob Johnson on 27 July 2023.

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