This drawing of the layout of the old fire station in Mawney Road, was kindly provided by Ray Smith.  Elsewhere he recalls his time there in the mid 1950s.  Here describes the layout of the station:

As I remember the single storey building had three main areas:

(A) the watchroom, manned continuously, where all incoming calls were received via a PBX switchboard;
(B) kitchen, toilets and that part near to Mawney Lane, serving as mess room, dormitory and general activities;
(C) office, Station Officers room, hose room and oil/petrol store.

The appliance room housed three appliances (fire engines):

(1) Dennis Pump Escape (referred to as the life saving appliance);
(2) Leyland Pump which was eventually replaced with a Commer Water Tender;
(3) an open topped machine which again if my memory serves me correctly, was either a 'Ford' or 'Austin' and carrying a 400 gallon water tank, portable pump, 30 foot ladder and ancillary equipment.

(One of the shops opposite the station was a fresh fish shop, and I think the shop at the far end, away from the High Street, was where 'BEJAMS' the freezer people first commenced trading.)

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