The South Eastern Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

In 1980 the Establishment was 1 Station Officer, 1 Sub Officer, 2 Leading Firemen and 13 Firemen per watch (4 watches).

Establishment 2000

The Establishment is split over 4 watches, Red, White, Blue and Green working an average of 42 hours per week on a 2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off rota.

Establishment 2018

The Establishment is split over 5 watches, Red, White, Blue, Green and Amber working an average of 42 hours per week on a 2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off rota for 7 tours then 18 days off.
The Rescue Pumps are crewed 5 and 4, the TL and PM are jump crewed by 2. Pods on station are ENV SCO02, ENV SCO07, MDS SCO04 and Welfare Pod.

 Crewe Toll had a call sign of 51 in Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to K01, the new National Call Sign on 3/5/2017.

June 2021 The Scottish Ambulance Service have a co-location at Crewe Toll Fire Station.

South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee

CREWE TOLL FIRE STATION

 Official Opening

by

Councillor Richard Wilson

Chairman of the Joint Fire Committee

on

Tuesday, 18th February, 1969

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

The Chairman of the Joint Fire Committee will inspect personnel on parade.

Vice Chairman Bailie W. Simpson-Bell will welcome the Chairman of the Joint Fire Committee and invite him to open the station.

Dedication by Rev. James N. Hutchison

Presentation to the Chairman of the Joint Fire Committee by Firemaster Frank Rushbrook

Presentation to the Minister by Vice Chairman

Vote of Thanks by Vice Chairman

Demonstration of Drills by members of the Brigade

In 1904 it was decided by the Edinburgh Council to look for a site and thereon build new Police/Fire Station to replace the existing Hose and Barrow Station at Hamilton Place, Stockbridge.
At a meeting of the Planning & Works Committee a letter was presented recommending the purchase of property in Saunders Street belonging to Mr. G. Lawrie for £900 to serve as a site for the new station.
In December 1905, the Dean of Guild approved a petition praying for warrant to pull down buildings Nos. 21-27 Saunders Street and erect a District Police/Fire Station of stone and brick, part cement harled and to have slated and asphalt roofs, and the Planning Committee examined and approved sketch plans of the Building at a probable cost of £8,000 divided as follows:—

                Mason work                          £3,698
                Joiner work                            £2,100
                Slater Work                           £235
                Plumber Work                       £569
                Plaster Work                         £529
                Blacksmith                             £667
                                                                £7,798

Before the Station was finally taken over in early 1907 a further £823 was required for Lighting, Telephones, Bells and furniture.
Around this time great interest was being shown in Fire Brigade circles in the new Petrol-driven Fire Engines and the Firemaster was authorised to attend a demonstration put on by the makers in Glasgow and report back to the Council.
As a result of his report it was decided to arrange the Fire Engine hall to house a motor instead of Horses and Horse Steamer. The petrol driven Pump at a quoted price of £1,350 was to cost an estimated 18/- per week in maintenance as against £4.17. - weekly for horses and Steamer. The one snag with the New Fire Engine was that a replacement set of tyres would cost £80!
It was further explained that it would be necessary to have 8 men to man the new Fire Station as against 5 required for the old, so it was decided to close the 2 man Station at Morningside and replace them with 4 street Fire Alarms and enlist one more man at £75 per year to make the Station at Saunders Street up to full manning. All men were housed over the Station.
In the year 1932 the whole of the Police Section was taken over by the Fire Brigade to cater for the increase in personnel required to man an increasing number of machines to cope with the expanding City and the resultant growth in the number of fires attended by Stockbridge which rose from 45 in 1907 to 990 in 1968. The prison cells were adapted as rest quarters by the simple method of removing the barred doors.
It is a point of interest to note that whilst the new station in 1907 was the first station purpose built for the new petrol driven Fire Engine so this new Station in 1969 is the first to house a Fire Engine which carries a High Expansion Foam Unit and thus, along with the rest of the Emergency equipment carried, makes this Station capable of coping with any foreseeable emergency within its boundaries.

New Crewe Toll Fire Station
Brief Description

The Fire Station is sited at the junction of Ferry Road and Telford Road on a triangular area of ground formerly used as a car park. Being adjacent to the junction of five major roads the Station is ideally situated for speedy access to the North and West sides of the City including the industrial belt towards Granton, and is indeed within hose distance of Messrs. Ferranti's Crewe Toll factories.
In order to obtain maximum use of a difficult site, the building was planned in a two storey form. It will accommodate four engines in the Appliance Room, each bay having glazed doors to front and rear and a covered wash area to the yard. The doors roll upwards to open, those at the front being electrically operated from the central console in the Watch Room where a trained operative is on duty night and day.
To one side of the Appliance Bay are the various stores for housing Breathing Apparatus, hoses, etc., and a workshop for servicing the equipment. This Station is in fact the main hose repair depot for the area, a role it took over from the old Stockbridge Station. On the other side of the Appliance Bay lies the two storey accommodation part of the Station, which has been designed internally to concentrate the essential elements of the building around a Muster Bay. The working part of the Station is all on the ground floor, including the kitchen and mess, the lecture room, station officer’s room and watch room. The toilets, showers, lockers and drying rooms in this area are arranged in a logical progression to permit a straightforward walk through for the men on their return from a fire, when they would, after servicing and cleaning their appliance, enter the scrub area and then progress through the drying room, toilets and showers to the Locker Room and back into the body of the Station.
The first floor is the off-duty area consisting of officers rooms and dormitory, study/library and lounge with fitted carpet tiles, a continuous full width window wall opening onto a balcony overlooking Crewe Toll. Two stainless steel poles from this part of the Station to a corner of the Muster Bay provide the traditional and still best means of egress from the Upper Floor. It is expected that a fire engine will be able to turn out within 30 seconds of the alarm being given, day or night.
The site also accommodates a group of 6 houses for Senior Officers, planned as a bungalow and a maisonette, each with a private garden courtyard and lockup garage, and 4 flats with a landscaped private access and enclosed drying area. There is a combined training and hose drying tower to the west of the site some seventy feet high with simulated windows and balconies for rescue training work with climbing ladders etc. The remaining area will be used as a training yard and Car Park. The corner portion to Crewe Toll will be planted with grass and a number of semi mature trees.
The finishes internally are simple and robust, as firemen in a hurry are no respectors of fragile corners etc., the same facing brick being used in the main circulation areas as externally. The purple mosaic used on the upper walls is from Italy and will be self cleaning and maintenance free. The window frames are of aluminium and require no maintenance other than an occasional wipe with a wet cloth.
As this is such a prominent site great care had necessarily to be taken over all aspects. It is hoped that the landscaping and planting will enhance the rich mosaic colours and, in conjunction with the varied skyline of pitched, slated roofs, tower etc., provide an interesting and valuable additional to the locality.

 ************

 ARCHITECTS:                                     Messrs. Bamber, Hall & Partners

SURVEYOR:                                          David A. Adamson

MAIN CONTRACTORS:                    John Best (Contractors) Ltd.

SUB CONTRACTORS:
Glazier Work                                         Northern Glazing Co. Ltd.
Carpenter &
Joiner Work                                          Ford & Torrie Ltd.
Bituminous Felt
Roofing Work,
Tarmacadam & Floor
Finishes                                                 Amalgamated Asphalte Co. Ltd.
Slater & Roughcast Work                  Wm. McLean, Jnr.
Plumber Work                                       Wm. Barton & Sons Ltd.
Plaster Work                                         David Fisher & Sons (Edin) Ltd.
Tile and Mosaic Work                        Toffolo Jackson & Co. Ltd.
Fencing Work                                       Fencing & Smith Crafts Ltd.
Painter Work                                         Rolland Decorators Ltd.
Blacksmith                                             Alexander & Son (Blacksmiths & Welders) Ltd.

Nominated Sub Contractors
Metal Windows & Rooflights           Standard Maclean Ltd.
Rooflights                                             Robin Plastics Ltd.
Electrical                                                T.W.B. Scottish Installations Ltd.
Heating Installation Work                  Andrews-Weatherfoil Ltd
Suspended Ceiling Work                    Marine Ceilings Ltd.
Gas Central Heating                             Scottish Gas Board.
Precast Flooring Units                        Concrete (Scotland ) Ltd.
Siporex Roofing Work                         Costain Concrete Co. Ltd.
Fitments Work                                      M.R.K. Construction Ltd.
Overhead Doors Work                        E. Hill Aldam & Co. Ltd.
Gates                                                      R. Thompson & Co..
Sign Work                                             Chas. Henshaw & Sons Ltd.
Landscaping                                         Civic Trees (Scotland) Ltd.
Venetian Blinds                                    Calder of Leith Ltd.
Curtains                                                 Remus.

New station for Edinburgh 

Edinburgh’s Crewe Toll fire station was opened by Councillor Richard Wilson, chairman of the Joint Fire Committee. It is the first station in South Eastern Area to house a high expansion foam unit, reports Firemaster F. Rushbrook.
The two-storey station accommodates four appliances and is the main hose repair depot for the Area. All working parts are on the ground floor, with the off-duty area on the floor above. There is a combined training and hose drying tower and a training yard. The site also accommodates a group of six houses for senior officers.
(FIRE Magazine 1969)

If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.