This manual pump is the earliest type of fire appliance used in New Zealand. Pulled by a horse to the site, with three or four men riding on the top, it would have required 22 men (11 per side) to operate.
The Firemen hauled the hose-reel to the fire site separately, once there one end attached to the pump. The other end of the hose either connected to the water mains or, if none was available, immersed directly into whatever water source was available. One action of the pump handle would suck the water in, the other would push it out.
The Reefton Volunteer Fire Brigade originally owned this particular engine. Known as ‘Excelsior’, it operated in Reefton until 1937. Two years later the Fire Brigade sold it to the Auckland Fire Board for use in the 1940 Centennial Celebrations. Afterwards, it was to be donated to Auckland Museum, but instead it went to the Wellsford Fire Brigade who used it until 1955. As Wellsford’s only fire engine, it participated in fighting a major fire in the town in 1955, but failed to contain it.
Specifications
| Type | Manual pump | |
| Manufacturer | Shand Mason | |
| Country manufactured | England | |
| Date | 1868 | |
| Pumping capacity | 550 litres (120 gallons) per minute | |
| Crew | 22 |
