Auckland Fire Brigades Museum & Historical Society inc.

Auckland Fire Brigades Museum & Historical Society inc. The AFBMHS has been set up to collect, restore and preserve all items pertaining to firefighting in the Auckland fire region 2010.

11/10/2026

Pukekohe Fire Brigade Open Day and Parade on November 5th, 2011.

Pukekohe Open Day and Parade on November 5th, 2011.
11/10/2026

Pukekohe Open Day and Parade on November 5th, 2011.

A busy day in the yard at City Station on the morning of the AMFB Reunion in November 2009. Also two group photos of the...
10/10/2026

A busy day in the yard at City Station on the morning of the AMFB Reunion in November 2009. Also two group photos of the attendees taken on the apron. So many familiar faces, and sadly, many who are no longer with us. Photos GTW.

Waiheke Island appliances back in the day. Maybe someone can put a date on these slide scans. Photos by GTW.
10/10/2026

Waiheke Island appliances back in the day. Maybe someone can put a date on these slide scans. Photos by GTW.

16 years of posting, wow
09/10/2026

16 years of posting, wow

Two of Auckland's Mack appliances. Takapuna's Mack CF Thibault and Manukau's Mack MC Snorkel at the Mt Wellington Traini...
08/10/2026

Two of Auckland's Mack appliances. Takapuna's Mack CF Thibault and Manukau's Mack MC Snorkel at the Mt Wellington Training Centre in 1985. Note the three ancillary vehicles in the background, including two Mitsubishi Sigmas, which were probably Divisional Officers' control cars. GTW

Fleet Friday.Diesel pumps arrive…..For many years there were two fire brigades in Auckland. The Auckland Metropolitan Fi...
08/10/2026

Fleet Friday.
Diesel pumps arrive…..
For many years there were two fire brigades in Auckland. The Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board covered the area south of the harbour and The North Shore Fire Board took care of the other side. It is said that shortly after the war the AMFB was asked if it would like to absorb the North Shore fire brigades, but the Auckland Superintendent of the time declined citing administrative and operational difficulties.
North Shore Fire Stations had a diverse range of appliances over the years. At Northcote the volunteers persisted with a 1919 Dennis ex Auckland, the crew of which was summoned by the old Auckland Fire Bell. At Birkenhead they had a 1932 Dennis and at Devonport they had a Model T. In 1940 a Ford appliance was added to the fleet and at the end of the war a second Ford arrived from the Hobsonville Air base. In 1948 two new Fords arrived. Fitted with mid mounted Colmoco pumps they would have been amongst the last of the open Ford appliances to be built. These were followed up by a Dennis F8 in 1956.
In 1957 the North Shore Fire Board sought to add a further two new fire appliances to their fleet. There was considerable interest in this opportunity from the long-established UK based firm of Merryweather. Post war the company had developed a new fire appliance on a Maudsley chassis but only 6 examples were built, and it was not a success. They tried again using the AEC Mercury chassis some years later with far greater results. Using the AEC AV470 diesel engine the new vehicle was widely accepted, by major UK fire brigades.
There was very real interest in getting examples of these appliances in service in this country and not only did the two North Shore appliances get bumped up the production line both Merryweather and their local agents, having forgone any income from the sale, effectively supplied the vehicles at cost. Not only that but the North Shore Fire Board was offered favourable payment terms to offset the higher cost of these appliances said to be 600pounds dearer than a Dennis.
The two Merryweather appliances arrived in January 1958 and went in to service at Devonport and Takapuna before being relocated to other stations as new vehicles arrived in the late 60’s and early 70’s. One of these was sent to Fiji in the 1980’s and the other was used at the New Plymouth “Hot Fire Training Centre” for a number of years, ultimately ending up in a museum at Gisborne where it rests today.
Certainly a pair of fire appliances that should have been preserved.

September 27 2016, about 22:00, Tuesday, multiple 111 calls, fire and explosions, Total Plastics and car wreckers alongs...
26/09/2026

September 27 2016, about 22:00, Tuesday, multiple 111 calls, fire and explosions, Total Plastics and car wreckers alongside, Aetna Place, off Heremai Road, off Bruce McLaren Road, Henderson. Owned by Tony King, made injection moulding and electroplating on plastic. Henderson No2 [Volunteers] fist pump, fifth Alarm, several explosions, fire involved entire block, total loss. Fallen powerlines, explosive debris, contaminated water runoff, dense smoke, unknown chemicals. Brigade used aerial monitors, multiple deliveries and BA. Cause electrical fault.

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P. O Box 302-454, North Harbour
Auckland
0751

Telephone

+64212235419

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