Fire Station and Firemen's Homes

Fire Station and Firemen's Homes

The Engine House, built in 1929–30, is designed in Neo-Georgian style and constructed of plum-coloured bricks laid in Flemish bond with painted stone dressings and a hipped pantile roof. The building is two storeys, with the engine house positioned centrally at ground floor level.

Exterior

The west-facing street front is symmetrical, comprising three widely-spaced central bays that project and rise to a higher ridge, flanked on each side by three closely set bays with a lower roof line. The central bays feature three engine house doors at ground-floor level, set within a stone surround with fluted pilasters to either side of the openings. The original doors have been replaced with modern glazed up-and-over garage doors. Above, at first-floor level, a large window has an aedicular surround with brackets supporting a lintel and swan's neck pediment bearing a coat of arms at its centre. The stone apron below the window is inscribed with the date "AD 1930". On either side are large sash windows of 28 panes with keystones. A parapet with moulded coping and vase finials crowns the corners. Two large chimney stacks rise at the gables on either side of the central three bays. The three lower bays to either side contain sash windows of 15 panes at ground-floor level and 12 panes at first-floor level. To the far right and left are doors with moulded stone surrounds and rectangular fanlights with interlacing bronze glazing bars.

The rear elevation, facing the yard, has three projecting bays at ground-floor level forming the engine wash. The right-hand bay has been blocked, and the two left bays have had new up-and-over glazed doors fitted. At first-floor level, a flat-roofed extension was added in the mid-20th century, fitted with metal-framed windows. Recessed bays at either side contain tri-partite windows. The south elevation has two bays of windows. An attached gate pier with wrought and cast iron gate provides access to the rear yard.

Interior

The engine house floor is laid in terrazzo with linear patterns in red, grey and green. Walls are tiled with bands of green tiling, and the ceiling features a moulded pattern in Lyncrusta paper. Arched doorways in the side walls connect to the rest of the building. A recess in the north wall contains a brass pole leading to the former recreation room at first-floor level.

A dogleg staircase rises to the first floor, fitted with a decorative metal balustrade and wooden handrail. The walling is clad in terrazzo to dado height with a decorative band at the top. The first-floor recreation room has been subdivided by late-20th-century partition walls and fitted with a suspended ceiling.

Note: The Crescent of Firemen's Houses and the Block of Firemen's Flats are not included in the listing of special architectural or historic interest.