Appeal to restore ‘ultra rare’ Blitz fire engine.
An campaign has been launched to support the restoration of a fire engine that survived the Sheffield Blitz.
The 1932 Leyland engine was called into duty in December 1940, when the city was bombed for two nights.
The National Emergency Services Museum and the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust hope to fund £9,000 to restore it to its wartime colours and livery ahead of a permanent Sheffield Blitz exhibition in December.
Neil Anderson, the trust’s creator, stated, “This is a unique opportunity for the people of Sheffield and South Yorkshire to band together and preserve a vital part of our history.” The restoration would return the fire engine to its original appearance from World War II.
The National Emergency Services Museum’s CEO, Matt Wakefield, stated that the museum’s National Lottery award did not cover the specialist restoration work.
“That’s why we’re asking the public to get behind this appeal,” he told reporters.
“With their help, we can save not just an engine, but a story of courage, sacrifice and resilience that deserves to be remembered for generations to come.”
National Emergency Services MuseumIt is planned that the engine will be displayed at the December exhibition commemorating the 85th anniversary of the bombing raids.
Mr Anderson continued, “This is not just any fire engine; it is a Barnsley machine that went into the heart of the inferno to assist Sheffield when it needed it the most.
“It is an ultra rare survivor of those nights, but after decades of hard use it now needs saving itself.”
The trust and the museum seek to raise an additional £11,000 through the GoFundMe appeal to secure a “rare, roadworthy World War Two police car”.
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