1725 Newsham Manual Fire Engine
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Description
1725 Newsham Manual Fire Engine. Richard Newsham built the English speaking world's first successful fire engines in 1718. His engines were popular in such colonial towns as Philadelphia, New York and Williamsburg. This is one of his largest models. A crew of 20 firemen worked its handles and its foot treadles to pump about 60 gallons of water through its copper nozzle per minute. The treadles allowed firemen to increase the force of pumping without making the pump handles any longer. This improved the engine's maneuverability in narrow streets and reduced its tendancy to rock. This particular engine spent its working life in northern England. Because of the poor quality of hose in the 18th century England, the engine used a metal spout called a branch pipe to spray water on fires.
The engine is on display at the Hall of Fame Museum in Phoenix Arizona. The largest fire museum in the USA.
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