Barge Gallery

GLC-LFB Fire boat - Fire Hawk

Entering service in February 1976, the Fire Hawk was built by Watercraft of Shoreham at a cost of £60, 000. Measuring 45 feet in length, 13.5 inch beam and with a 3.5 foot draft, she had a top speed of 17 knots. With a single fixed monitor forward, the twin portable pumps provided a pumping capacity of 1200 gpm (5400 litres per minute). The Fire Hawk was sold off in 2000

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

NFS (London Region) narrow boat fitted with fire pumps

There were 18 river fire stations along the length of the River Thames during WW2. They were used to accommodate the crews on a 24 hour standby to operate the fireboats. In addition the three permanent London Fire Brigade fireboats, including the Massey Shaw, other fireboats and craft were brought into service. Here narrow boats (known locally in London as monkey boats) were equipped with trailer pumps in order to access, and provide water supplies from, the canals that ran north of the River Thames

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library

Escape from Harbin - July 1900 - Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, China's anti-foreigner Boxer Rebellion broke out and spread to Manchuria. The Russian Military moved in to quell the uprising. Following the rebellion, Russia was keen to keep hold of territory gained in Manchuria, but retreated in 1902 to keep peace with Japan. Harbin was like a Wild West frontier town, with the populace of 15, 000 Russians representing every strata of society. The 30, 000 Chinese remained segregated from the Russian, particularly following the Boxer Rebellion. This fascinating postcard shows the escape from Harbin of the Russian population of the city in July 1900, when 3000 women children and wounded left on two steamers with barges (seen here) bound for Khabarovsk. Date: 1900

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection