Historic fire station doors refitted at fire service museum, Fireground

The re-installation of 1930s folding "engine-house" doors

One of the most noticeable changes in the restoration of the Maclure Road fire station in Rochdale is the re-installation of 1930s folding "engine-house" doors.

The 1930s doors were lost during the modernisation of the station. However, a complete set of doors - almost identical to the originals - was sourced a few years ago from Southport, thanks to the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

Now beautifully restored by specialist architectural joinery company Ramdale, of Bacup, the doors are now in the process of being re-fitted.

The installation of the ‘new’ vintage doors comes ahead of the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum’s relocation in the station, renamed Fireground – the scene of operations at an emergency incident.

The museum is moving from its current premises in the rear yard of Rochdale’s former Maclure Road fire station into the main building fronting Maclure Road, which is being completely restored thanks to National Lottery and other funding, and will be more than four times the size of the existing site.
 

Read more: Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum renamed ahead of Easter openingPublished: 13 January 2021

Museum curator, Bob Bonner said: “Like many fire stations, this one had been fitted during its later life with electric up-and-over doors to improve turnout speeds by fire crews but, in the process, lost something of its original charm.

“This transformation in appearance of the fire station building has been incredible and will surely be a key feature of the completed museum.”