Photograph by Ian Scott - Former Fire Station in London Road

© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Ian Scott, Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire, England

Recollections

Laurie Thompson

Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England

Thank you to Laurie Thompson who wrote:

My Dad

Fireman at London Road Fire Station

"I've just been looking at the picture of London Road Fire Station on the EdinPhoto web site. They brought back a number of memories.

My dad was a fireman at London Road, and I remember him taking me into the station and showing me what I think was an open-cabbed turntable appliance, and letting me sit in the driver's seat. I clearly remember how spotlessly clean the engine was, and the very distinctive smell of it that I assumed was from the polish that they used to get the almost-glass-like finish on the red and black paintwork.

He also let me try on his old-style black helmet and try on his axe, which had a pointed spike on the opposite side of the conventional axe blade - in its black leather carrying holster. Both were also immaculately shiny"

Fireman at London Road Fire Station

"You could also almost eat your dinner off the floor of the station, it was so clean!

I remember that when I got my first swimming goggles, which kept misting up, he gave me a piece of some king of impregnated cloth that the firemen used to keep their breathing apparatus goggles from misting up, and it worked like a charm!

On his night shift days (or maybe when he was off sick for a period with his perforated ulcer - I can't remember which - I would sometimes go and collect his pay, entering the station and going to an office through a side door to the station.

There was no thought of muggings in those days, so no concern over a wee boy being trusted to safely carry home his dad's cash pay packet with his week's wages."

Shop beside the Fire Station

"Next door to the fire station, on the other side, there was a shop on the corner of the street.

I seem to remember that the shop was owned by a footballer, presumably a Hibs player, given its proximity to Easter Road, but for the life of me I can't remember his name."

Transfer to Leith Fire Station

"My dad eventually transferred to Leith fire station, shortly before his death in 1961"

Laurie Thompson, Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England: June 25, 2015

Recollections

Laurie Thompson

Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England

Thank you to Laurie Thompson for following up his 'Recollections 1' (above) with another message.

Laurie wrote:

Hibs Footballer

Archie Buchanan

"I've now been reminded that the footballer who owned the corner shop (visible in the old picture of the fire station)