02/10/15 193 W, 3 I - + 11 - 5 Old Photo of Old Tanker - Archer Lodge, Formerly Wendell
Here's a golden oldie from the archives of Lee Wilson. Photographed in 1990 or 1991. Military conversion tanker that served the Wendell Fire Department in Wake County, and then the Archer Lodge Fire Department in Johnson County, where it's pictured here.
Was placed in service in Wendell in July 1979. Reported the Gold Leaf Farmer on August 2, 1979, the 1962 Diamond T five-ton "Army truck" was modified by Craft Steel Industries of Farmville. It carried 1,920 gallons of water and was equipped with a 350 GPM pump.
Cost $11,800, which was paid largely but not exclusively by the county fire tax. Some citizens also contributed donations. The tanker joined three other trucks operated by the fire department. Click to enlarge:
Lee Wilson photo
David Robertson/Gold Leaf Farmer photo
How many other military conversion fire
engines served in Wake County. Here's a montage of most of them. Top to bottom,
left to right are Apex, Cary (times three), Durham Highway, Fairview,
Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Rolesville, Six Forks, Yrac, and Wendell. Missing
is Knightdale's tanker, for starters. (Last seen sitting in the trees.) Click to enlarge:
What is interesting is how far fire apparatus has come in the past 35 years since then! One question though, I’ve seen the Wendell-Holmes name from before. Was the “Holmes” the rural community near Wendell?
Jon Butner - 02/10/15 - 23:38