Hyderabad: Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, showed his dedication to modernizing the city by investing in advanced technology, including Hyderabad’s first fire engine, a Morris model built in 1914 by John Morris and Sons Ltd., Salford, Manchester.
This fire engine was among a few made by the company, and today, only two remain. One is fully operational and preserved at the National Museum in New Delhi, while the other is maintained by the Enfield and District Veteran Vehicle Society in London.
The London engine, however, had its tyres replaced in 1929.
Nizam’s fire engine served for state railways
The Nizam’s fire engine served for many years at the Lallaguda ‘Carriage and Wagon’ Workshop Fire Station under the Nizam State Railways. It was used to put out fires in railway goods yards and also supported the Municipal Fire Station in fighting fires in various parts of Hyderabad.
The John Morris Fire Engine was an engineering marvel of its time. It had a 500-gallon water-cooled, four-cylinder engine with 80 horsepower. It could deliver 500 gallons of water per minute and travel at a top speed of 40 mph. The engine still has all its original parts, including its unique solid Shrewsbury and Challiner tyres.
In 1942, the Nizam added another special firefighting vehicle to the fleet, a ladder fire tender built by John Morris for the Manchester Fire Brigade. This vehicle was designed to rescue people from tall buildings and featured a manually operated 50-foot ladder with large detachable wheels.
Both vehicles became part of the Nizam’s State Railways, later known as the Nizam’s State Railways, as only the railways had the facilities to maintain them.
Retired in 1960
The Morris fire engine was retired in 1960 and became a prized exhibit at the National Railway Museum in 1975. It is now a regular feature in vintage car rallies in New Delhi.
The ladder fire tender, with registration number AP T 847, remained in use with the Andhra Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Department until it was retired in 1988.
In 2009, it was donated to the Salar Jung Museum, where it is displayed at the museum’s entrance for visitors to admire.
