We happened to be in Revelstoke on the day of the annual Revelstoke Show & Shine event. Took in all the cars on display, and there were a lot of nice ones, then saw the fire engines. The Revelstoke Fire Department happens to be the proud owner of a pair of their retired vintage engines, a 1923 International Bickle and this 1938 Ford Seagrave Tandem Hose Truck.
Restored by the fire department, they proudly bring them out for events around the area and show them off. As well they should, as the engines are in concours condition, essentially perfect in every way.
Notice the GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) lettered on the truck - 12,200 lbs. Not very much for a tandem these days. In fact, it would be less than the tare (empty) weight of a similar truck today. These things are rare - just try to find a picture of another tandem Ford Seagrave. Strangely though, we have seen another one, a
1938 or 1939 Ford Two Ton adapted as a pumper truck. It belongs to the Rossland Fire Department.
We would guess that the Revelstoke Fire Department bought this truck new, but, given that 1938 was still a depression year, they may have bought it used from another, larger department.
For a history of Seagrave in Canada, and Bickle, to which Seagrave in intimately related, see
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