Where's the Fire - Part III

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Where's the Fire - Part III

  The old expression "time marches on" certainly applies to toys.  And as I've found out, writing about fire-fighting trucks certainly followed changes in history. In the "blink of an eye" in historic time, fire-fighting went from horse-drawn ladder wagons, to horse-drawn pumpers, to truck-driven wagons, pumpers, and finally the fire truck.

  In terms of toy history, the same pattern occurred. However, the key change was in faster and less-expensive methods and materials for making toys. While Europe had made lithographed tin toys since the beginning of the 20th century, America made lots of cast iron toys. Most of the larger cast iron companies originally manufactured  home hardware such as cast iron latches, door locks, and hinges. Toys originally were a "sideline", but prospered tremendously with inexpensive materials (iron) , labour, and transportation (railroads).

  Eventually, like everything else, times changed, and pressed steel replaced cast iron for many fire-fighting vehicles.  What's again noteworthy, is that since there were so few companies making fire trucks, there were few different models. As a result, we again see many different toy companies making similar trucks.

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The change from cast iron to pressed steel  created a better quality of toy. Huge cutters were able to cut pressed steel to more exact sizes, and the giant presses were able to bend the parts more precisely that a cast iron mould. 

In the above example, different metals are used, and nickel-plating of the pump produces a beautifully-finished part.

Not all early 20th century fire trucks were made of cast iron. Although there was no date to describe this item, I'm  sure that it was made in the mid-1910's or later.

What you'll now see with the later fire trucks of the 1920's-1940's is more "hands-on" playing with the toys. Now they come with extension ladders that cannot only be raised, but angles and swivelled as well. And, they're large!

This particular Buddy "L" model above is almost similar to the one above it. The differences are the colours of the bells (silver to brass), and in the wheels/tires.  The tiop one has rubber on wheels, while the bottom had disc wheels with painted centres.

 This Buddy "L" even comes with a reeled hose and black larger-diameter hoses to fight the fires.
By this time in America (1920's) some cities actually have a well-established water works system with underground pipes, and fire hydrants!

 Here's a water tower pump that could be raised and hose water close to the burning building.

This 1927 Kingsbury Fire Truck even comes with a mechanical wind-up mechanism 

for the toy to move.

So these are the 1920's-1930's fire trucks. They're stronger, larger, and more capable of fighting fires as the "real" models they were modelled after.  Horses gradually disappeared, along with the wagons, and fuel-supplied pumpers. Sewers and potable drinking water pipes  start to be buried as new towns and cities are created or the already-established ones expand. 

One thing that I forgot to mention is that income tax comes into existence. Now there's a new source of revenue and monies for cities to provide better services and protection for their populations.

Yesterday was the first nice summer day, albeit July 6.  Today also is going to be nice.

Sadly, if you are following the news yesterday and today, you will have read about a terrible fire and explosion in Lac Megantic, Quebec, Canada. A large section of the central part of the downtown core was destroyed in a massive fire and explosion after a train carrying crude oil derailed, and caught fire, and exploded. Sadly, there is 1 reported death, and many people are unaccounted for.

The firefighters and their truck are applying lots and lots of water to the remaining train oil tankers in a move to prevent them from exploding.  Sadly, accidents do happen!

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day,

wherever you may be,

Stacey