Illustrating Change: Designing Fire Engines for New Challenges

Curator
Apr 9
6 min read

At the Museum of Fire, visitors are often drawn to the fire engines themselves. From hand-drawn hose carts to large modern appliances, the collection spans more than a century of firefighting history. But behind every one of these vehicles is something rarely seen by the public. Before any engine is built, it begins as a drawing. Our latest exhibition, Illustrating Change: Designing Fire Engines for New Challenges, brings these hidden stories to life. Featuring a selection of rarely displayed blueprints, plans and design drawings, the exhibition explores how fire engines were imagined, tested and reworked in response to new technology, new risks and the changing needs of communities.

Illustrating Change: Designing Fire Engines for New Challenges exhibition, 2026 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Before organised brigades and purpose-built fire engines, communities relied on bucket brigades, with people forming human chains, passing water from wells, rivers or tanks to the fire. If the town was lucky enough, they would purchase firefighting hoses to more easily put water onto the fire, however, early hoses were made of leather which made them very heavy and cumbersome to transport. This led to the introduction of hose reels and carts to carry equipment more efficiently, which were either pulled by hand or by horses. In some country towns, fire stations were even built on hills so firefighters could use gravity to roll down to emergencies.

Willoughby Fire Station with their manual fire engine, c.1900 [Museum of Fire Collection]

The early 19th century then saw the introduction of the manual fire engine, which were larger appliances that carried both equipment and firefighters. Crews were seated along the sides of the fire engine and equipment stored beneath them. This design, known as the “Braidwood style,” would shape fire engine layout for more than a century.

The success of manual fire engines and hand-drawn carts would eventually be challenged. As cities expanded and industry boomed, change was on the horizon. The motor car promised faster response times, greater travel range, and less maintenance than horses, along with more powerful motor-driven pumps. In 1904, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB, today Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) jumped on the trend and purchased their first motorised fire engine from Merryweather in England. As motor fire engines began rolling out across busy metropolitan areas, country fire brigades were left waiting a little longer in the interim. This led the NSW Fire Brigade (NSWFB, today FRNSW) to devise a hybrid solution: the Turbine Fire Engine. Rather than discarding their existing horse-drawn manual fire engines, they fitted them with motor-driven turbine pumps. Instead of firefighters pumping water by hand, a motorised turbine provided mechanical pumping power, dramatically improving water delivery on fires. By the mid-1930s, motor fire engines had become more affordable and reliable, and the era of horse-drawn appliances came to an end.

Draft Design of Turbine Pump and Engine, 1913 [P. A. Rogan and N. C. Lucas, Museum of Fire Collection]

While motor fire engines still drove relatively slowly in the first half of the 20th century compared to vehicles today, there would be growing concern about the safety of firefighters riding exposed along the body as they started travelling greater distances from the fire station. In response, the NSWFB began experimenting with enclosed cabins. Designs developed in the late 1940s explored how to protect crews without slowing response times or limiting access to equipment. One outcome was the “Scout Car,” inspired by German WWII staff cars, it combined traditional open layouts with enclosed seating.

Two experimental Dennis F1 Scout Cars were built and tested, but the design revealed challenges, including reduced storage and distracting reflections from side windows. These were later removed, and the design evolved into the “New World” style, featuring an enclosed front cabin and inward-facing rear seating. This provided greater protection while still allowing firefighters to dismount quickly. This period marked a shift in thinking, as fire engine design began to balance speed with safety.

Draft Designs of Dennis Light 4 fire engines, 1947-1948 [NSW Fire Brigades, Museum of Fire Collection]

Specialisation Emerges

By the 1930s, the rapid growth of electrical infrastructure created new challenges for firefighters. Water, the brigade’s main firefighting tool, is extremely dangerous when used on live electrical equipment since it conducts electricity. To combat this problem, the NSWFB began exploring the use of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could smother flames without conducting electricity. Early plans in 1937 proposed converting a 1925 Garford fire engine into a CO₂ tender. Although this would have saved money, concerns about relying on an ageing chassis led to a different decision. In 1939, a dedicated CO ₂ tender built on a Dodge chassis was placed into service at Headquarters (now City of Sydney) Fire Station. It was specially designed to carry gas cylinders and the equipment needed for controlled discharge. The new fire engine showed that not every fire could be fought in the same way, and that firefighters needed to be equipped to take on a range of emergencies.

Draft Design of a Garford for Carrying CO2 Equipment, 1937 [NSW Fire Brigades, Museum of Fire Collection]

Managing the Incidents

By 1972, the NSWFB explored the concept of a dedicated command vehicle, with incident management being it’s central purpose. Instead of carrying large volumes of water, this fire engine would serve as a mobile coordination centre, to aid in on-site management of incidents. The early concept for this vehicle used an International CM1500 chassis and combined command functions with breathing apparatus support. As additional features were added, including foam equipment and breathing apparatus, the vehicle was redesigned on a larger International 1610A chassis. Although it was constructed and fully equipped, staffing disputes prevented it from entering service in its intended role. Instead, the NSWFB looked at converting it to a salvage tender, but ultimately sold the fire engine to the Police Rescue Squad before moving onto the Narromine Volunteer Rescue Squad, living multiple lives across different emergency services. However, the concept of a command vehicle did not disappear. In 1983, a Fire Command Vehicle constructed on a Bedford chassis, officially entered service into the NSWFB, establishing mobile command as an important part of large incident management.

Draft Design for a Dual Control Firefighting Command Fire Engine, 1972 [Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW, Museum of Fire Collection]

When Bigger Wasn’t Better

Meanwhile, by the late 1970s and 1980s, many country fire stations needed new fire engines. The plan to transfer larger city fire engines into regional areas seemed practical, but it quickly revealed the problem that many country stations were simply too small to house modern fire engines. Rather than rebuild dozens of stations, the NSWFB reconsidered the design of the fire engine itself. Drawing inspiration from other states, a prototype Light General Purpose Pumper was developed on a Mitsubishi chassis, that was modern and capable yet compact enough to fit existing stations. Although the prototype did not enter frontline service, it highlighted an important lesson: good design must respond to real-world conditions. This thinking led to the 1997 Country Pumper Strategic Plan, which introduced purpose-built engines designed specifically for rural communities, a strategy that continues to shape firefighting today.

Rethinking Design and Colour

The colour of fire engines being red has been strongly linked to their identity since they started being used in NSW. Research suggested though that red was not always the most visible colour in low light. So, the NSWFB began to question: if visibility affected response times and road safety, could changing the colour improve outcomes?

To test this theory, four Firepacs were produced for a visibility trial in 1996 and installed at some of Sydney’s busiest fire stations. After designing several colour combinations, they settled on painting these Firepacs in lime-yellow, white, all-red and red-and-white. This trial didn’t just look at colour, the reflective striping was adjusted, and blue lights were introduced alongside red warning beacons to further increase visibility. After several months of testing and feedback from firefighters, the study found that drivers noticed the flashing lights before the body colour. Since red was already strongly linked to fire engines in the public mind, the trial vehicles were eventually repainted red-and-white, retaining the blue lights and new reflective striping to increase visibility.

Designing for a Moment in Time

Fire engines are built for everyday emergencies, but sometimes they are imagined for extraordinary moments. When Sydney prepared for the 2000 Games, the NSWFB developed a Rapid Intervention Vehicle that could move easily through crowds. First tested at the Royal Easter Show in 1998, it was designed for small fires in busy and hilly environments. To celebrate the launch, a naming competition was run, with the winning submission receiving a television. This resulted in the name Fire Response Olympic Grounds (FROG) Vehicle. The NSWFB was so inspired by this name, they even considered reflecting it in the vehicle’s body wrap design, highlighting the scale and excitement of the event. Although the design was never officially adopted, it reminds us that fire engine design is inspired by what is happening around us everyday.

Discover the Designs Behind the Machines

Illustrating Change: Designing Fire Engines for New Challenges invites you to look beyond the finished vehicle and explore the ideas behind it. From early hand-drawn carts to experimental prototypes and unbuilt concepts, these blueprints reveal how firefighters, engineers and designers have continually reimagined what a fire engine could be. Visit the exhibition and see how change is first drawn — before it is built.

Whether you’re interested in history, design, engineering or just love fire engines, this exhibition offers something for all ages, including interactive elements for younger visitors. This exhibition is on display now until Sunday 19 July 2026 exclusively at the Museum of Fire, so plan your visit today!

-Blog by Acting Curator Ella Terry Murtagh