Revamped fire museum is ready

THE revamped Greater Manchester Fire Service museum, renamed Fireground, will open shortly in Rochdale, following a year-long restoration.

Fireground, located in the fire engine appliance room of Rochdale’s former Maclure Road fire station which closed in 2014, has undergone a £1.6m revamp and will open on Saturday, August 14.

The museum is being fully restored to its original 1930s state, having served the town for 80 years. It will include the re-fitting of the original teak doors, and the original ceremonial entrance will be illuminated.

Curated by former firefighters, the museum features six fully restored fire engines, plus historic horse-drawn fire carriages, and manual hand-operated pumps.

It also promises an immersive Victorian street scene and a scene from the blitz, with lighting and sound effects. There are also interactive display elements, and a large play area for very young children, including a pole to slide down.

The new display space will be four times the size of the old museum, and will include a cafe, toilets, and a shop.

The Fireground Cafe will also open on August 14 to visitors and the public, offering a range of cakes, pastries, snacks, tea, coffee and ice creams.

Displays will tell the story of firefighting in Greater Manchester, through objects, images and period tableaux, bringing to life the characters, fires and incidents, and the technological advancements which have made the fire and rescue service what it is today.

There will also be an education suite for school visits, plus a purpose-built library and archive located in the former control room.

For the first time, important archives and images collections will be fully accessible to researchers.

The venue will be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

Tickets for under-fours will be free, with children and concessions £5, and adults £7, and a family ticket is priced at £20.