Museum of Maurice Dufresne, Azay-Le-Rideau: antique machines, carriages, planes and automobiles

Fire Fighting Equipment at the Museum Dufresne

by Joan Deville from the historical committee of the "FNSPF" Le Sapeur Pompier

[...] Recognized to be unique in Europe and comparable to the Ford museum (USA), the museum welcomes an average of 50,000 visitors per year. Numerous important people from politics, the sciences and the arts have already visited and Mr. Dufresne has already justly been awarded medals and awards.

Before describing the equipment which is the subject of this article, it should be noted that this establishment deserves at least a day to visit the thousands of meters of paths [...]

Fire Fighting Equipment

You can admire the following objects:
- a Merryweather English steam driven pump engine, small model, before 1864-1865, mounted on two metal wheels, pulled by hand and placed on the ground upon arrival at the fire:
- a Thirion (series 52) hand pump with leather hoses on a two-wheeled cart dating back to 1900;
- a hand pump mounted on a double axle cart, of which the tarpaulin appears to have been redone, with no visible label but apparently from eastern France;
- an Aster 42D motorized pump on wooden wheels and pulled by hand from the 20's;
- a Monet-Goyon motorcycle from 1926;
- a René Gillet side car from 1934, used by the commander of the fire department of Tours until about 1952;
- a 24 meter Laffly ladder truck of the civil defense used in Tours until about 1955.

The wall decoration of framed period posters in excellent condition is of additional interest: the rare example from 1891 announcing the international exhibition of fire fighting equipment for July and August on the Champ de Mars in Paris, the uncommon poster for the exhibition concerning civil defense, the security and fire department poster from the Invalides train station (15-25 June 1939), the poster from the national safety week of June 1948.

In the warehouse area of Villeperdue are parked numerous pieces selected for restoration in the near future: a dozen vehicles made by Laffly, a Renault emergency vehicle, a De Dion Bouton fire engine, a Rochet Schneider engine on wooden wheels, Gugumus ladders, a Citroën van, fire engines...

Hand Pump ©1999MLD-CP		To Conclude Don't miss this remarkable collection, especially if you are interested in automotive and/or agricultural equipment. You will be welcomed in verdant surroundings in the Indre river valley, in a complex (parking, picnic area, snack-bar, restaurant...) with service offered by a courteous and willing personnel.

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Musée Maurice Dufresne - 17, route de Marnay - 37190 Azay-le-Rideau Tel.: (33)2.47.45.36.18 - Fax: (33)2.47.45.28.62 - info@musee-dufresne.com