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Restoration Projects |
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The Welsh Area Fire Engine
Restoration Society was set up with the
aim of preserving fire engines, equipment and
miscellanea from the Principality and other areas.
We always have restoration projects on-going and
visitors to the Museum can view our work in progress as
well as examine completed restoration projects.
We rely heavily on donations to continue our work. Below is an example of a
recent restoration project.
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1939 AEC
Fire Engine Restoration Project
This fire engine is
currently being carefully restored to its former glory
by the team of volunteers at WAFERS after being rescued
from a field in New Ross in Ireland (photo 1).
Malcolm
Evans of WAFERS had seen the fire engine advertised for
sale by a farmer in Ireland and he was able to check the
registration number in the historical records held at
WAFERS.
This search showed that the engine was
originally from Aberdare in South Wales and had served at the
Aberfan Disaster on the 21st October 1966.
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Photo 1: Rusting in a
field in Ireland |
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After its fire
fighting days were over the vehicle was sold to Peskies
in Caerphilly for scrap. It is believed to
have been purchased by a Port-based company in Ireland where it was used to pump water.
It was later purchased by a farmer in New Ross and used
to pump water over the crops. It later fell into
disrepair and was left to rust in a field.
Malcolm decided to
purchase the vehicle and donated it to the Museum for
future generations. A
team from WAFERS went to Ireland to bring the engine home (photo 2). |
Photo 2: Homeward
Bound |
| The fire engine
was transported on a flat bed lorry to the port at Rosslare. Stena Ferries kindly transported the fire engine from
Rosslare to Fishguard in Wales free of charge (photo 3)
The engine was then
transported to the WAFERS Museum near Swansea in South
Wales by road. |
Photo 3: Our
thanks to Stena |
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Finally
work can begin!
This
painstaking project will take about two years with a
team of volunteers working on the vehicle in their spare
time.
All parts
and materials are paid for by donations. If you would
like to support our work please visit our
Donations page.
The first step is to
strip the old paint away as shown in Photo 4. |
Photo 4:
Restoration Begins |
This project
is on going. Below are some more photos showing
the state of the vehicle prior to restoration. As you
can see we have a lot of work ahead of us to restore her
to her former glory! Please return in the future
to see the finished project.
view examples of our Restored Fire Engines |
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Photo: Driver's Footwell |
Photo:
Inside Fire Engine |
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| For any further
information please contact Malcolm Evans 01639 635761 or
Ray Evans 01792 813770 |
